Soul Surfer- A True Story of Faith

A couple of weeks ago I finished reading the book Soul Surfer, A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board by Bethany Hamilton. I also recently saw the motion picture Soul Surfer based on Bethany’s story. I personally liked the book better because it had more faith-filled and motivating quotes from Bethany. However both were very inspiring.

For those who have not heard the story of Bethany Hamilton, Bethany is a twenty-one year old pro-surfer. But she is no ordinary surfer. You see Bethany is a survivor of a shark attack. When she was thirteen years old she was out surfing with her best friend and a fourteen foot shark attacked her. The attack left Bethany with a severed arm. Bethany did not allow that shark to take away her dream of becoming a professional surfer. Less than a month after getting out of the hospital Bethany was back in the water determined to surf again.

As I read her book I was so moved by her faith and determination. She was only 13 years old and her confidence and hope in God was so strong. Her outlook on what has happened to her causes me to look at my own life and my problems and say to myself, “Lisa, God has a plan and a purpose for allowing all of this, keep trusting Him.”

I want to share some quotes with you from her book and I pray that they inspire, challenge, and encourage your heart.

Get A Grip! Keep Believing!

I don’t know about you, but my life is NOT perfect. I have problems, trials, and testing’s daily. It’s only by God’s grace and mercy that I have the strength to overcome life’s adversities. I have moments where my faith and hope is so big that I immediately remember who I am in Christ and I stand on the Truth of God’s Word. Its during these times that I can instantly resist fear, doubt, anxiety and all the other spiritual forces and emotions that will attack my mind. However there are those other times (which are not often, but they do happen) when I feel tired and worn out. I start looking at my circumstances and over evaluating them, instead of remembering what the Lord has already spoken to me about the situation. That is when I begin to feel despair, anger, bitterness, depression, doubt, and sadly even hatred. God forgive me. I’m sharing this with you because I KNOW that I am NOT the only who has gone through this or is going through this now.

Sometimes we have been praying and hoping for years for a breakthrough in a situation or in the life of a loved one. Since we haven’t seen the full manifestation we may begin to feel a little faithless or hopeless. We may even find that we are allowing our hearts to be hardened over the situation which will only lead to unbelief and it will begin to push us away from God.

IT’S TIME TO GET A GRIP!!

I Know The Thought I Have For You!

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. “– Jeremiah 29:11-13 NLT

These three verses are some of my absolute favorite verses in the entire bible. Since I got saved these verses have sustained my faith and hope throughout many trials and tribulations. I will often quote these verses to someone who is facing adversity and needs encouragement. It’s a reminder that no matter what we are going through there is no need to worry and stress out because our Lord has A GOOD PLAN that He’s working out in our lives. In His plan there is ALWAYS hope for our final outcome. He promises that if we will pray that He WILL listen and when we look for Him WITH ALL OF OUR HEART, requiring Him as a vital necessity to make it through our daily lives, we will find Him.

I love how these verses read out of the Amplified Bible. Read it out loud that your faith my increase, because faith comes by hearing the Word of God. (Romans 10:17) So speak out loud now,

“For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and NOT for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.

Then you will call upon Me, and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear and heed you.
Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity] and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”Our Creator and heavenly Father is telling us clearly that he thinks about our life and has a specific plan for us here on earth. Our life has a divine purpose. Look at what Psalm 139 says,

May The God of Hope Fill You With All Joy And Peace As You Trust In Him

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

This one little verse is so powerful and full of insight. If you are facing extreme testing and trouble, trials and persecution hear what the Spirit of God is saying to you here in this verse.

Our God is the God of hope. There is no situation that any of us will ever face that is too big for the God of hope. Our problems don’t surprise Him. He is not moved by them. He saw them before they ever manifested themselves. In fact He has been preparing us for this time. We are equipped in Him to face this situation. The testing and the trials may seem too much to bear ALONE, but we ARE NOT ALONE! His Holy Spirit is with us and in us.

Often times when we are in the middle of the fiery furnace we allow our emotions to get the best of us. When we begin to focus on our problems and listen to our fickle emotions instead of the Word of God we will surely get off track. If we allow our emotions to manage us instead of us managing our emotions we will lose our peace and joy. Emotions are just feelings that we have in the moment and THEY WILL CHANGE. So we cannot be lead by them. Instead we have to be led by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God that never changes. It is the same yesterday, today, and forever. It is stable and secure. It is true and infallible. It is our hope and confidence. We have to trust it above our emotions and what we see.

When we are in a relationship with the Lord He gives us very specific details for our life and gives us clear instruction on which way to go. We don’t need to freak out when circumstances look the opposite of what God has promised us. Remember that His Word never returns void. So we must keep believing and pressing forward diligently. Most of all we need to be obedient to His direction and leading. We need to desire His will more than our own will for our lives. Unfortunately many people give up on trusting God and harden their hearts toward the Holy Spirit. They turn back to their own way of doing things. Their disobedience hinders their breakthrough and blessings. Brothers and sisters we cannot lose hope and turn away from God’s will for our lives. When we decide to turn away from God’s path we will affect not only our lives but the lives our friends and families too.

There is a saying that God will never put more on you than you can bear. But I think the saying should be that God will never put more on us than we can bear ALONE. When we try to face life’s problems on our own we will most assuredly not be able to bear up under the stress and burdens. We are not strong enough. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to help us. He is our strength and comfort. Apart from Him we can do nothing and then we become hopeless. (John 15:5)

We WILL get our break through! We just have to believe and have trust in the God of hope no matter what. In Romans 15:13 the God of hope has PROMISED that AS WE TRUST IN HIM, He will fill us with all joy and peace so that we can overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. He doesn’t break His promises. He will give us hope in our situation because we trust Him, His promises, and His Word! We must remember that He always works everything out for our good. Even what the enemy tries to use to destroy or harm us He can turn for our good. We are never without hope because the God of hope is on our side.

So let us meditate on Romans 15:13 and allow it to go down deep in our hearts. Let His Word renew our mind so that when we are facing many troubles His Word will fill our thoughts with hope, joy, and peace.

But Those Who Wait On The Lord

There are times when we are going to feel tired, stressed out, and weak from life’s struggles. Sometimes circumstances will seem too much to bear. If we begin to meditate on our problems and feed our emotions with thoughts of defeat we will become exhausted and worn out. Thinking about all the “what if’s” and constantly asking “how much longer” will eventually cause us to stumble and fall under all the pressure.

When we feel like we just can’t go on any longer in our troubles or battles we need to remember what the Holy Spirit spoke through the prophet Isaiah.

“He gives power to the faint and weary, and to him who has no might He increases strength [causing it to multiply and making it to abound]. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and [selected] young men shall feebly stumble and fall exhausted; But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired.” Isaiah 40:29-31 (Amplified)

I love how the Amplified translates these verses. Our Lord has not left our side. When we are about to faint and give up He is by our side giving us the power to keep going. He is there for us when we are weary and have no might to continue on. It is Him that causes what strength we do have left to multiply so that it will be enough to press forward. He never leaves us or forsakes us!

Let’s look at the first part of verse 31.

BUT THOSE who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] SHALL CHANGE and renew their strength and power;

Those of us who choose to change our perspective from dwelling on the negative and focusing on our problems to expecting, looking for, and hoping for the Lord to act in our situation will truly be changed. We have to realize that looking at our circumstances and meditating on our problems only feeds worry and births fear and anxiety. Our perspective is what is causing us to faint and become weary. We are focused on the wrong thing. We should be focusing on the Word of God not our circumstances.

When we begin to change our perspective from hopelessness and defeat to faith and hope in the Lord we will go from faint and weary to full of strength and power. Our faith pleases the Lord and He rewards us with a hopeful assurance and a peace which surpasses all understanding because we are trusting in Him. It is our faith and hope in the Lord that causes His power to rise up in us. When we put our faith in His Word and promises our minds will be renewed. Our faith will heal us and make us whole. When we truly wait on the Lord and expect Him to move in our lives we know that we are close to God. We know that He is not far away from us. This knowing inside of us is what will cause us to keep pressing forward and not get tired. We will be able to walk and not faint along the way. Then we will reap a harvest of blessing because we did not get tired and give up. (Hebrews 11:6 Galatians 6:9)

Putting our hope in the Lord will never fail us. He is faithful to His Word. He never leaves us or forsakes us. No matter what situation we are facing if we are a child of God and we love Him we must know with all of our heart that He causes EVERYTHING to work together for our good. He has a purpose and plan for our life. We have to trust Him no matter what! We are in good hands with Him.

Do not fret or worry anymore! Put all of your hope and trust in Him today. Wait expectedly for Him to act. Fill yourself with His Word and meditate on His promises DAILY, day and night. Put on some praise and worship music for the spirit of heaviness that will try to attack you. Praising the Lord will lift your spirit because He inhabits the praise of His people. I promise you that your faith will increase if you do these things consistently. Then you will soar high on wings like eagles. You will run and not grow weary. You will walk and not faint. (Romans 8:28, Isaiah 61:3, 1 Thessalonians 5:24, 1 Corinthians 1:9, Philippians 4:6-9, Joshua 1:8-9)

"Why Are You Afraid? Do You Still Have No Faith?"

Matthew, Mark, and Luke give an account of a day when Jesus and His disciples got in a boat to cross over the Sea of Galilee when suddenly a great storm broke out. The waves and winds were tossing the boat to and fro. Water was getting into the boat and they were in real danger. Mean while Jesus was resting taking a nap. Luke says that the disciples woke Him up shouting, “Teacher, don’t You care that we’re going to drown?” (Luke 4:38)

When Jesus woke up, He rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then He asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. ‘Even the wind and waves obey Him!” (Luke 4:39-41)

Is this you? Is your life in the middle of a storm? Are the cares of this life tossing you around and making you feel unstable in your faith? Are the winds causing you to panic and forget that Jesus is in the boat and everything is going to be ok? He does care! When you go through deep waters, He will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. ” (Isaiah 43:2)

Jesus asked them “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” These guys spent intimate time with Jesus. He spoon feed them the Word of God. He personally taught them about kingdom matters. They saw Him do many miracles, heal the sick, cast out demons, and raise the dead. What would it take for them to reject fear and put all of their faith in Christ Jesus? What will it take for us to be sure without a doubt that He will never leave us or forsake us?

Jesus is our Savior. He died a brutal death for us so that we could have peace not like the world gives, but that peace which surpasses all understanding as we trust in Him to see us through every situation. Remember the words in Isaiah 53:5,

“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.”

He suffered so that we could have freedom in Him. We don’t have to be fretful Christians. We are supposed to be sure without a doubt that our Lord is faithful. We are to be at peace knowing that our Lord is on our side no matter what. We are supposed to be at peace knowing that no weapon formed against us will prosper and that we can overcome all things through Christ who strengthens us and empowers us by the power of His Holy Spirit.

To the reader who has been fighting against the lies of the enemy. To the reader who has been fighting anxiety and fear about you calling or the changes that are to come in your life. To the reader who has allowed the storm to wear them down and has almost lost hope I say, “Be still and know that He is God.” In the name of Jesus I rebuked the wind and the waves in your life and I say, ‘Silence! Be still!”

Our Lord is saying to you right now, “Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]” John 14:27

Be encouraged…

Sincerely,

Trophy of Grace

I Believe Lord Help My Unbelief

Crosspost from WeUsed2bu

God knew what He was doing when He directed the writing schedule for WeUsed2bu and faith was the subject that was decided on for June. I have had a faith testing and stretching month. I am delighted that it was determined that I would write, “I believe, Lord help my unbelief.” This is an on-time word for me for sure. I pray that whoever needs to read this does, and may it minister to whomever God wills it to.

There is a story in the bible about a father who brings his son to Jesus to be healed. His son had been tormented by a demon since he was a small boy. The father heard about Jesus’ healing power, and decided to take his son to what I imagine he must have considered their last hope.

So they brought the boy to Jesus. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth.

“How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father.

He replied, “Since he was a little boy. The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.”

“What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”
The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:20-24)

Have you ever been to that point? I have! To the point where you have been suffering so long that you cry out to the Lord, “Jesus, please have mercy on me and help me. I know that you can help me! I know that anything is possible if I believe, but I am tired. I want to believe. I DO BELIEVE, but help my unbelief!”

It is ok to be in that place, as long as you don’t stop believing. You would be worse off if you had given up trusting the Lord, and run away from the One who does the impossible. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to a mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.” But without faith it is impossible to please God. Unbelief will hinder our ability to receive His miracle-working power in our lives. (Matthew 17:20-21, Hebrews 11:6, Matthew 13:38)

No matter how long we have to go through a season of trouble or testing, we need to trust that the Lord will work everything out for our good. Even if we suffer for doing what is right, God will reward us for it. So we don’t need to worry or lose hope. We need to instead worship Christ as Lord of our life, and leave our burdens with Him. We need to truly cast all of our cares on Him, and then we will have peace that surpasses all understanding protecting our minds and hearts even in the middle of our trials. Sorrow will not last forever. One day we will be healed and we will also see the fruit of our longsuffering, IF WE DO NOT GIVE UP and give in to unbelief! (Psalm 55:22, Philippians 4:6-7, 1 Peter 3:14-15, Galatians 6:9)

We need to be like the woman with the issue of blood. I love her story because she did not give up, even after 12 years of constant bleeding. The doctors gave her so many negative reports. I am sure that they told her that she would never be healed. She would be an outcast for the rest of her life because of her disease, and she was broke from spending all of her money on these physicians that could not heal her. Then she heard about the Great Physician, and her hope was renewed! She did not allow unbelief to hold her back. She allowed what faith she had left in her to turn into strength to help push her through the crowds of people, just so that she could touch Jesus’ cloak. She believed that He was so powerful that if she could just touch the hem of His garment that she would be healed. She was right! Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well.” And the woman was healed at that moment. (Matthew 9:19-22)

Now is not the time to give up! We have to confess our unbelief to the Lord and ask Him to help us. He will! He will give us the faith we need to make it through whatever our circumstances are. We need to be diligently seeking Him and depending on Him for healing and deliverance, no matter how long it takes. He is faithful and true to His Word. This is what we have to hold on to. As Franklin D. Roosevelt said “When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. When we get to the point when we are tired and worn out, then we must cry out, “Lord I believe, help my unbelief!” Be encouraged!

“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning!” (Ps. 30:5)

Don't Despise This Season

“So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” 1 Peter 1:6-7

I want to encourage someone reading this who is in the fire of many trials. Don’t despise this season. It will only be for a little while. There is wonderful joy ahead if you do not give up. Don’t be afraid. Our Lord is with you every step of the way. He has not left you alone, I promise. The fire is just a test. It is meant to refine you. When you come out of this you will not even smell of smoke. Just stay close to Him in the fire.

Recently I was reading the story again in Daniel about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who were thrown into a blazing furnace because they refused to worship king Nebuchadnezzar’s golden statue. Right before they were thrown into the fiery furnace the king had them bound up. I received a revelation that sometimes right before some of us go into the fire we are all bound up by something. Maybe it is hidden sin, unforgiveness, unsurrendered areas of our lives, bitterness, anger, hopelessness, or maybe slavery to debt. Whatever it is that has us bound wants us to bow down, surrender, and worship it. In some cases we have given in and these strongholds have become our little gods that we are serving, whether we realize it or not. (Daniel 3:16-23)

Now the king had them thrown into the blazing fire and to his surprise instead of hearing screaming and tormenting agony he looks in and sees FOUR men, UNBOUND, walking around in the fire unharmed and the fourth man looked like a god. (Daniel 3:24-25)

We may often times go into the fire bound but praise God it is the refining and purifying fire that burns off whatever has us bound up. While in the fire is when we learn to draw closest to the Lord for comfort and strength. Then we begin to see what really matters the most in our lives. Those hindrances that had us captive are not what we want to be bound to any more so off in the far they go.

The fire is meant to make us stronger and to build up our faith. Just the other night I was lying down to rest for the evening and I turned the station to TBN. There was man singing and he said, “If I didn’t have a problem I would not know that God could solve them”. No one likes to be in the fire, but we don’t have to despise these seasons. They are opportunities for us to see God’s faithfulness. In the fire we see our Lord’s protective power and His miraculous provisions. Going into the fire allows us and others to see God’s goodness.

Now back to the story of the three young men. The king was amazed! He shouted to the men in the fire, “Servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” Everyone there saw that the fire had not harmed them. Not a hair on their heads were singed, and their clothing were not even scorched. In fact they didn’t even smell of smoke! The king made a decree forbidding anyone to talk against their God and he confessed that there is no other god who can rescue like this. Then the king promoted them to even higher positions in the province of Babylon. (Daniel 3:26-30)

Not only does our faith get built up in the fire but our trials can become a testimony to others as well of God’s faithfulness. When they see how we allow the fire to refine and make us stronger they will rejoice and put their faith in God too. They will have hope when they are going through the fire also.

The last point I want to make is that sometimes we have to go through the fire before our Lord promotes us to higher positions. To whom much us given much is expected and we are given responsibility based on our abilities. Through the fire we learn endurance, patience, longsuffering, and all the other fruits of the Spirit. If we are going to be used by God we have to go through the refining and purifying fire, so don’t despise this season.

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” James 1:2-4

Be blessed brothers and sisters…

Don't Panic..The Lord Has Gone Before You

I pray that upon reading this that someone will be delivered of anxiety, fear, and worry. May they be encouraged and truly receive in their heart that our God is truly faithful. May the Lord give you eyes to see and ears to hear what the Spirit is saying..

I may have shared in the past that I used to have bad panic attacks. I was full of worry and anxiety. I would allow myself to become so unsettled when I could not figure out how things were going to work out in my life. I would fret over everything and anything. I had no peace and joy because I was consumed with unsettling and nagging thoughts of not having enough. I was concerned about bills, gas, food, clothes, our home, and so much more. I wish I would have realized then that our Lord is faithful to care for all of our needs and that my excessive worrying did not resolve anything but only resulted in unhappiness, panic attacks, weight loss, and other physical manifestations. If only I would have really trusted Jesus Words in Luke 12, I would have saved myself a lot of unnecessary drama.

Luke 12:22-31 Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?

“Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

“And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.

Little faith is what I had. It was not until I really began to meditate on God’s Word that my faith increased. Our faith increases by hearing the Word of God. (Romans 10:17) Our faith grows strong when we see in God’s Word how faithful He truly is. Reading stories of how our Lord delivered, healed, and restored those that believed in Him should give us hope because we should remember that our Lord is no respector of persons what He did for them He will do for us too. Those that believed His Word were changed forever. Their faith made them whole. Our faith will make us whole too. (Romans 2:11, Mark 5:34, Mark 10:52)

His Word encourages and reminds us that He did not give us a spirit of fear but instead He has given us a Spirit of power, love, and a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7) The spirit of anxiety and fear are meant to torment us and keep our minds in bondage. If we panic when are standing in front of a mountain of problems then that fear will keep us from telling the mountain. Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible." (Matthew 17:20-21)

He does not want us worrying about anything. He wants us to trust Him in everything. He wants us to know that He is faithful. I believe that sometimes He allows things to get tight and difficult in our lives so that we can see that He IS an on time God. Difficult times and hardships teach us to preserve. It teaches us to rely on Him as our Provider, as our source of peace and strength. James said it perfectly when he said..

“Dear brothers and sisters, when trouble comes your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. (James 1:1-4)

We have to know with all of our heart that Our Lord is constant, dependable, loyal, and faithful. He is faithful to His Word and His promises. He goes ahead of us and makes a straight path for us. We do not need to be afraid of how things will turn out because His Word says, “So be strong and courageous! Don’t be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)

So don't panic brothers and sister the Lord has gone before you and He always makes a way out of now way. Just trust Him in everything. Reject and rebuke fear and anxiety trust in the Lord with all of your hearts and meditate on His Word instead of negative thoughts that go against God's Word. Be blessed..

To be continued..

My Testimony for Out of the Miry Clay

I had to write a short testimony for Out of the Miry Clay Ministries and I figured I'd share it with you.

Growing up I always believed that there was a God out there and I believed that He was Jesus but I did not truly believe that He cared about the details of my life. I did not believe that He was there for me. I felt that he did not care about the troubles in my life and in my family. I was deceived by the enemy of our soul for many years. He blinded my eyes so that I could not see the wonderful things that God had planned for me. Out of my own selfishness and desire to have my own way and control my own life I resisted God’s love. I was so lost and misguided by foolishness. I followed all the wrong people down a destructive path. (2 Corinthians 4:4, James 2:14-15, Matthew 7:13-14)

Perhaps it was the death of my mother when I was sixteen or the multiple molestations within the family that caused my heart to harden. I did not know how to love and it was even harder to receive love. From a young teenager I was in and out of jail. I don’t remember ever being scared. I was full of anger, wrath, and bitterness. I loved partying and wild parties. I loved the darkness. I did not care who I hurt or the negative influence that I was having on my younger brother and sister. By the time I was sixteen I caught a drug trafficking charge. I was given five years probation. What a mistake. I violated that probation three times before they finally got tired of my rebellious nature and decided to send me to prison to finish up my sentence. (Galatians 5:19-21)

By this time I had a small child, a gift of God that I did not deserve and I did not truly value. I was just twenty years old on my way to prison, but God had a plan. What the enemy meant to destroy me the Lord turned around for my good and for His glory. He had not forgotten me and left me alone in the mess that I had made out of my life. (Genesis 50:20, Hebrews 13:5-6)

By the time I was sentenced to prison I had surrendered my life to the Lord. I realized that I had made a mess of my life. My will and my way of doing things resulted in chaos and destruction. I decided that I would put my life in the hands of the One who watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of my mother’s womb. He saw me before I was born and every day of my life was recorded in His book. He protected me even when I was in rebellion and did not allow me to be utterly destroyed. (Psalm 139:13-16)

I learned that He has always had precious thoughts about me. His Word showed me that His thoughts about me are so many that they cannot even be numbered. They can’t be counted. They even outnumber the grains of sand! Even when I am sleeping He is thinking about me and He is still with me when I awake! Amazing!! He had always had wonderful plans for me, to prosper me and give me a future and hope in Christ Jesus. If I would only cry out to Him and seek Him with all of my heart. That is exactly what I did and now I am leaving a legacy and inheritance for my descendants. My children are now a heritage of the Lord. Generations are changed because I chose life in Christ Jesus instead of life committed to myself, the world, and sin. (Psalm 139: 17-18, Jeremiah 29:11-13, Psalm 127:3)

Today I am blessed and highly favored of God. He has restored everything that was lost in the years of my disobedience. He has blessed me with seven beautiful children, five of which I had the privilege of birthing. I have a husband who loves me and is committed to God and our family. I serve the Lord full time with all of my heart. God is no respecter of persons. What He has done for me He will do for you. I waited patiently for the LORD to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the LORD. (Joel 2:25, Psalm 40:1-3)

When One Door Closes Another One Opens

“However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" 1 Corinthians 2:9

There is no need to freak out when the Lord closes doors in our lives. Whether we’re laid off from work, girlfriend or boyfriend breaks it off suddenly, we weren’t approved for a loan or modification; whatever door has seemingly closed was closed for a reason. We have to immediately rely on the truth that our Lord has good plans for our lives and that He works everything out for our good. We have to accept that maybe this door has closed because it is time to move on. Maybe we even stayed longer than we should have. Only God knows. (Jeremiah 29:11-13, Romans 8:28)

I have seen in my own life that when the Lord allows doors to close it is because He has something new for me some where else. He wants to teach me new things. He’s just taking me to new training ground and this process will increase my faith and dependence on Him. It’s time to grow and expand and that can not longer be done with where I was at. So I don’t reject change. I have learned to trust what the Lord is doing even when I don’t understand it.

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.” Isaiah 55:8

Sometimes we feel it in our spirit before it happens that God is calling us to move on and step out in faith. He’s given us a clear vision and He has assured us that we are not crazy, it truly is God Almighty saying, “You have heard Me correctly. Yes it is time to step out. Go now! Do not be afraid I AM with you.” But instead of moving immediately we over analyze our state of affairs and his instructions and we sit in our situation longer. Asking for more confirmation. Lol..That’s when our loving heavenly Father pushes us out of our comfortable nest like a mother bird teaching her fledgling to fly. Much like the baby bird we have become so comfortable in our nest that we do not want to leave, not realizing that if we don’t go we will not learn how to use the muscles in our wings. However, our Lord knows that if we don’t get out of the nest we will not learn how to fly. Thus the gentle push out, He knows it’s for our own good.

“Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:18-19

The closed door is the beginning of something new and fresh that is going to happen in our lives. It’s a time to draw nearer to the Lord and seek His face like never before. When doors close we should thank Him because we know that He is the one who directs our steps and He will not let us fall. We trust Him to guide us and lead us, so then we must also trust that when He closes one door that He will open another one in due time, in His time. You’ll see!

Don’t wait till you see the physical manifestation of the new thing to praise Him. Praise Him now. Let His praises constantly be on your lips and pray without ceasing while you wait for another door to open. Be confident in what you hope for. Be confident in the word that the Lord has spoken in your heart. Have faith that it will actually happen and be assured about it even though you cannot see it yet. (Hebrews 11:1)

Trust me He loves us so much that He has already made a way. He knows our needs and gives us the desires of our hearts. He knows how to give good gifts. So receive the closed door as a good gift because what He has for you now is better than before. (Matthew 7:11)

Be encouraged as you wait and hope in the Lord..

Overwhelming Victory is Ours!

We did it! We ran 3.1 miles this morning. YAY!! For the past 2 weeks my husband and I have been training to run the 6th annual 5k race for faith scheduled for February 7th, 2009. All proceeds go to First Priority of South Florida. First Priority’s vision is to mobilize the Body of Christ in South Florida for the common purpose of evangelizing, equipping, and empowering middle and high school students on every public school campus. Student led clubs meet every week and the Gospel is shared each month. First Priority builds a bridge from the campus to the church, where students can be discipled and nurtured in a local body of believers. This ministry is doing a great work and we are excited to participate in this run.

It is has not been easy but we have determined that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. We know that it is Christ Jesus that has put all of this determination and ability in us to accomplish the dreams and visions that He has given us. Therefore when we set out to fulfill our missions and goals we know that we are not alone in our endeavor. Are confidence is in knowing that Christ Jesus our faithful Lord is right there with us pushing, empowering, and reassuring us that we can do it because He has equipped us for success. Glory be to God! We are more than conquerors!

What about you? Do you realize that you too are more than a conqueror? Realize it, receive it and believe it! No weapon formed against you will prosper. No matter what problems, trials, enemies, and obstacles present themselves we have to realize that we truly are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus who loves us. If God is for us, who can ever be against us?

I love what Romans 8:31-39 says but in an effort to keep this relatively short I want to show you verses 35-37.

“Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep. No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is our through Christ, who loved us” (NLT)

You see, despite all the troubles that we encounter in this world overwhelming victory is ours through Christ Jesus. There will be times that we will have to go through troubles and we will have to put our faith to action. Through the trials is when we truly learn to develop godly character and faith. That is why James 1:2 says, “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it as an opportunity for great joy.

Great joy? Yes. I understand better now that I have been subjecting my body to this training. It hurts and I get really tired. I do want to give up at certain points during my run but I keep pressing forward knowing that I am building my endurance and perserverance. This will result in my body being healthier, stronger, fit, and better prepared not only for the race but for life. Joy was what I felt this morning when we completed our run.

James goes on to say in verses 3-4,”For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

Therefore we should determine in our minds that we are going to go through every trial, trouble, and persecution as more than a conqueror because we have Christ Jesus on our side. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us and we should always remember that He works everything out for our good. Overwhelming victory is ours!!

Don't Be Afraid of the Vision!

"The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives." Psalm 37:23

I have spent years reading the Word of God. I was hearer for so long until I realized that it was not enough to just hear the Word but I had to begin to really do what the Word said. As I began to walk in the Word the Lord began to confirm what He had implanted in me many years ago when I first got saved. I had this knowing deep within that I was called to be His servant and hand maiden. I knew that He had a divine purpose for my life that involved being more than just a Sunday and Wednesday Christian. I knew that all that I had gone through in my life would some day bring glory to Him. I have been sitting at His feet learning, growing, and longing to go and fulfill the visions that He has given me. Now the time has come.

Over the past year I have stepped out in faith like never before. I have trusted His Word above all else. This is why I believe that I have seen our Lord do mighty things in my life and in those around me. My ears and eyes have been opened like never before and the visions I have are much clearer. In fact at times I feel overwhelmed and honestly even fearful. I often times feel incapable of fulfilling these great dreams that He has shown me.

Has our Lord given you a great vision? Whether it is to start a business, get of debt, lose weight or start a ministry; whatever it is you can do it because He does not call us to do something that He has not equipped us to do. He will direct out steps and make provisions along the way. Trust Him and don’t be afraid of the vision even if it seems so big.

I want to share with you what He spoke to me last night:

“You were trained for such a time as this. Your growth can only continue through exercising your faith now. The time is near for My return and there are still many souls that need to truly receive a revelation of My love and sacrifice for them. It’s through My obedient and faithful remnant that I will be able to show them that I have always loved them.

You will tell them that they are never alone and without hope, if they put their trust in Me and lay their lives down at My feet. I will empower you with faith and ability to fulfill your destiny and calling. It’s by My strength that you will succeed. You truly have no idea what I can do with your willingness to serve Me. You can not truly imagine the good things that I have planned for you.

Remember My servant Moses. He too was afraid and concerned about his abilities. But I gave him power, authority, and wisdom to lead My people. It was My Spirit that led them day and night. It was My Spirit that spoke to Him on the mountain.

Put your trust in Me not in your own ability. I chose you because I know that I can be glorified through you. Don’t be afraid of the vision! I will be by your side the whole way, guiding and leading you.

I have already gone before you and given you favor. Many will stand in awe of what will happen through your faith in Me and your willingness to obey Me. Generations will be changed. There will be empowerment. There will be salvation. So don’t be afraid of the vision.”

It'll Be Ok!!

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

It’ll be ok I promise. Sometimes we allow ourselves to get so caught up in trying to figure things out; contemplating all the what ifs, that we lose our peace and joy. We begin to meditate on the dilemma so much that we have forgotten to take it to our Lord in prayer. If we get into trying to fix our problems on our own in our own strength we most certainly will complicate things even further. We have to learn to instinctively run to the throne room full of humility and a willingness to listen and obey. Then we can make our supplications known to God, lay down our will at His feet and accept His Wisdom thankfully. Then His peace will most certainly guard our minds and hearts from worry, fear, and anxiety as we meditate and trust in His Word, Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

James 1:5-8 says “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask Him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.”

Our Lord is our source of wisdom and direction. Through prayer and reading of the Word the Holy Spirit reveals which way to go. He is always going to be faithful to lead us down the right path when we ask Him for direction. However, we must be willing to accept His divine counsel. It is foolish to seek God’s face and present our problems to Him to only do the exact opposite of what He has shown us to do. Don’t allow fear, doubt, confusion, and especially compromise to deter you from following the Lord’s will and way.

I have learned that sometimes our Lord’s response is far from what I expected and then others time it is confirming and clarifying the vision that He has already given me. However, when His response is totally opposite of what I thought and most certainly not the way the world would handle my situation I remember the words in Isaiah 55:8-9. It says:

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts, says the Lord. And My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

Let us remember that our Lord is faithful and He always works everything out for our good because He loves us so much. He is our Faithful Father carefully watching over us guiding and protecting because He has promised to. Our hope and faith has to be so devoted to Him that we trust Him at His Word. We have to trust him with all of our hearts, and not depend on our own understanding. If we seek His will in all that we do, He will show us which way to go. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Remember that you do not have to be under the yoke of worry or confusion. Get on your face before God and give your burdens to the Lord, and He will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall. (Psalm 55:22)

Trust Him and it’ll be ok!!!!

A Soul Is Saved! Rejoice!

"There is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." Luke 15:9

My whole being has been rejoicing since last night. I am overflowing with joy and standing in awe of our God's majesty. When the Lord is calling you and looking for you He will find you. He does not leave us alone without hope. He answers us when we cry out to Him. Our Lord will never reject a broken and repentant heart. He accepts the sacrifice of a broken spirit laid down at His feet. Thank you Jesus!!

As many of you know I founded a ministry called WeUsed2bu. It is a Christian girl/woman advice site. I have been co-laboring in this minsitry with my partner and dear friend, Deana Colon aka Saved by Faith, for almost a year. We get questions from women seeking advice and counsel for their lives all the time. We had no idea how much our Lord would use this site to impact and influence other women's lives.

Recently a young women found us online and befriended us on our WeUsed2bu MySpace. She explained that she lived in Ft.Lauderdale and that she just recently started attending Calvary Chapel Ft.Lauderdale. She went on to say that she found the church big and felt a little lost and asked if we had any suggestions. I emailed her and encouraged her to get involved in small groups and women bible studies. I also explained that I too attend Calvary and would love to meet her there this Wednesday night. So last night I had the priviledge of meeting up with her at church.

We got to talk and listened to the service together. It was very apparent that the Holy Spirit was working on her heart and confirming to her what she already knew, that she needed to lay her life down at Jesus feet. At the end of the study when Pastor Bob gave the altar call we immediately went right up rejoicing and crying tears of joy and excitement. I am so honored that the Lord allowed me and WeUsed2bu to be apart of this divine appointment. Glory be to God.

Melissa sent us her testimony and I will be sharing that here with you tomorrow. Please keep our new sister in your prayers and if anyone has anything that they would like to say to her please post it here.

Enclosing I would just like to encourage whoever it is that is afraid of stepping out and doing what our Lord has put on your heart to stop making excuses. He has given you a dream and a vision to help change the lives of others around you. You were saved to be used by Him to be a blessing to others. Don't despise small beginnings because that is where He will teach you to be faithful and diligent in your service to Him and others. You just have to be courageous and step out in faith.

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who loved Him." 1 Corinthians 2:9

From the Archives:I AM

It’s Monday again..hopefully your Sunday service was a special as mine was. Thinking about it gives me goose bumps all over again. However, we do not live on goose bumps and feelings. We live by faith. Our faith is in All Mighty God. So as we start off this week let us remember that we serve the great I AM. He is everything that we need. No problem, no trial, no test, there is nothing too big for the Great I AM.

As we think about all the things we want to accomplish this week we have to remember that we no longer have to carry heavy burdens. May the Lord give us wisdom to properly organize our week and manage our time properly. Let us be determined to do our work without grumbling and complaining, always remembering that we actually work for the Creator of Heaven and Earth. So let us bring glory to God in all that we do.

I want to encourage you to leave all of your burdens and cares with our Lord. Leave it all in His hands today. Do your part..whatever He has called you to do, but leave the burden with Him. He is able to carry all of your burdens and relieve you of doubt, fear, anxiety, and worry. Decide to trust in Him and rest in His peace knowing that our God is always in control.

When you feel tempted to worry or meditate on certain problems and situations remember the Words of the Great I Am.

“I AM..Always with you” (Matthew 28:20)
“I AM..Never going to leave you nor forsake you” (Genesis 28:15, Hebrews 13:5)
“I AM..Your strength and comfort” (Psalm 46:1)
“I AM..Your deliver” (Psalm 34:18-19, 2 Timothy 4:18, Psalms 18:1-2)
“I AM..Your provider”(Philippians 4:19, Matthew 6:28-33)
“I AM Your defender and vindicator” (Psalm 61:2-4)
“I AM Your healer” (Isaiah 53:4-5, Exodus 15:26)

“I AM all that you need!”

When you mediate on the Word of God instead of your situations you will find freedom and courage to face every day and every situation knowing that He is on your side working everything out for your good. (Romans 8:28-30)

Lord, thank you for your Word that comforts us and gives us hope and faith. We can face each day confidently knowing that the Great I AM is for us. We trust You and meditate on the truth of your Word. We will not be lead by our fickle feelings but we will trust in your Word and leave our cares and burdens in your hands. Let us bring glory to you in all that we do. In Jesus name..Amen.

Reflecting On This Past Year

As this new year quickly approaches I feel the need to sit back and reflect on the blessings, revelations and miracles that our Lord has done for me and my loved ones. He has been consistently faithful and merciful to us. His provision is always right on time. He is my Loving Father who is always quick to forgive and bestow his grace and mercy on me. Instead of criticizing and complaining about my faults He has encouraged me that I can do all things through His Son. It is our Lord that has put this desire on my heart to live my life pleasing to Him and fulfill His calling. He has opened the windows of heaven and poured out His blessings on our family just as He said He would. My cup is overflowing because I am His. I truly am not deserving of any of this.

This year I have seen mountains moved and hard hearts softened. I saw several family members believe in Christ our Lord, repent, and confess their sins before the altar. Others rededicated themselves and were baptized. Close friends are starting to seek Him and question their purpose in this life. My immediate family has endured trials and hardships resulting in the strengthening of our bond with one another and increased faith in our Savior. This year I attended a wedding that the enemy tried to keep from happening, but the Lord had another plan. Now what He has joined together let no man separate.

Ministries were born and founded. 2008 was the birth of WeUsed2bu Christian Girl Advice site and Consecrated to Him – Real Christian Talk. It is His Spirit that has given me the courage and determination to trust Him to use these sites to help edify and encourage both believers and unbelievers. My husband and I also had the privilege of becoming two of the founders of Out of the Miry Clay Prison ministry formed by ex-offenders for ex-offenders. It has been a very busy year of reaping and sowing.

I wish I would have jumped off the fence sooner and submitted to His Word. It has become very apparent to me that our Lord truly does have a wonderful plan for our life just like the Spirit said through the prophet Jeremiah. (Jeremiah 29:11-13) I have also received a clear understanding that it is not enough to just hear the Word of God, but that we HAVE TO be doers of the Word. That is how we truly know that we are His because The Word/Jesus Christ is truly Lord of our life. (James 1:22, Matthew 7: 21)

I am excited to see what 2009 has to bring. Even now as I write this I am full of excitement and hope because I know that this next year is going to be full of breakthroughs and miracles. Lives and generations will be changed forever. We will see territories expanded and more given to those who were faithful with what Jesus has already given them. He will use those believers/workers who are self controlled, committed, and determined to help reap from the harvest that is ripe and ready.

In preparation for 2009 I will continue sit back and reflect on this past year. I will not be posting any new articles, instead I will repost articles from the archives that have really impacted my life or that I may just have to revisit. Lol..During this time I will continue to write what I feel inspired to share, however they will not be posted until the New Year.

To my faithful Consecrated to Him readers. I am asking you to please pray and intercede for me and the ministries that are listed above. My heart’s desire is to help encourage and edify you with the love of God and the truth of His Word. So pray for the Lord to continue to use me as His conduit. Also, please prayerfully consider becoming a partner with me in this ministry by not only praying and interceding but by sowing a financial seed. Consecrated to Him is just the beginning of a greater vision that the Lord has given me and your contribution will help bring this vision to pass. I assure you will be sowing into fertile ground.

Blessings to you all in Jesus name…Keep your eyes on Jesus this Christmas season and don’t allow the cares of this world to come in and choke the joy and peace that this season of celebration should bring.

I love you all..

Christ’s handmaiden,

Lisa aka Trophy of Grace

PERSEVERANCE

“Do not let this happy trust in the Lord die away, no matter what happens. Remember you reward! You need to keep on patiently doing God’s will if you want him to do for you all that he has promised. His coming will not be delayed much longer. And those whose faith has made them good in God’s sight must live by faith, trusting Him in everything. Otherwise, if they shrink back, God will have no pleasure in them.” Hebrews 10:35-38

When I sat down to read the Word I opened up my bible and found a book mark that was given to me years ago. On the back is written ‘To: Lisa From: Jesus’. The front says PERSERVERANCE and it has this scripture “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.” Hebrews 10:36

I laughed and cried because I know that the Holy Spirit is reminding me that the promise that the Lord made years ago to me about my family would be fulfilled. It is coming to pass, but not as fast as I would like. I find myself often times impatient and frustrated with the problems and trials. There are times where I just want to give up. Have you ever felt like you just want to throw in the towel? Like things will never change?

Giving up should never be an option for us as believers. We have to persevere no matter what! Persevere means to persist in anything undertaken; maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement; continue steadfastly. The scripture that I keep hearing in my spirit is Habakkuk 2:3 “For the vision is yet for an appointed time and it hastens to the end [fulfillment]; it will not deceive or disappoint. Though it tarry, wait [earnestly] for it, because it will surely come; it will not be behindhand on its appointed day.”

We have to trust our Lord is going to do all that He said He would do. Faith is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead. Some of us become impatient giving up hope and faith right before we get our break through. (Hebrews 11:1-2)

It is only through problems and trials that we can learn this perseverance. It is for our own good. Imagine if we always got what we wanted right away or if life was easy with no problems. Smooth sailing the whole way. We would be weak, impatient, and our faith would be little. However, if we must keep trusting God for something that hasn’t happened yet, it teaches us to wait patiently and confidently. (Romans 8:25)

It is apparent that we can not learn perseverance without learning and applying patience. I feel the need to clarify that patience is not just waiting. It is waiting with a good attitude. Patience is bearing provocation, annoyance, misfortune, delay, hardship, pain, etc., with fortitude and calm and without complaint, anger, or the like. WOW and OUCH!!! That’s why they say “Patience is a virtue.”

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials for we know they are good for us- they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady. Then, when that happens, we are able to hold our heads high no matter what happens and know that all is well, for we know how dearly God loves us, and we feel this warm love everywhere within us because God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” Romans 5:3-5

When you find yourself feeling impatient and losing hope don’t hesitate to draw close to the Lord, because He is ready to draw near to you. As quick as you can read or listen to the Word of God so that your spirit is encouraged and renewed. His Word helps us sift through the drama of life. It brings clarity and inspires us to keep pressing forward knowing that though the vision tarries we can be sure that it will come to pass. We know that God’s Word never returns to Him void. So let us keep patiently and confidently trusting our Lord learning perseverance and becoming strong in faith and character.

Slavery To The Deadly Lower Nature

“I know that I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned.” (Romans 7:25)

“I love to do God’s will so far as my new nature is concerned; but there is something else deep within me, in my lower nature, that is at war with my mind and wins the fight and makes me slave to the sin that is still within me. In my mind I want to be God’s willing servant but instead I find myself still enslaved to sin.” (Romans 7:22-25)

“Now if I am doing what I don’t want to, it is plain where the trouble is; sin still has me in its evil grasp.” (Romans 7:20)

“My new life tells me to do right, but the old nature that is still inside me loves to sin. Oh, what a terrible predicament I’m in! Who will free me from my slavery to the deadly lower nature? Thank God! It has been done by Jesus Christ our Lord. He has set me free.” (Romans 7:25)

I am quite sure that I am not the only one that can relate to Paul’s words regarding the struggle within. I have to battle daily with the old Lisa that was enslaved to sin who loved to gratify the lust of the flesh. She still lives in me and wants to lead me away from everything that is good, away from God. That sinful nature makes me want to react to certain situtions or people the wrong way. I am not that old person any more who was full of anger, nasty, bitter, spiteful, selfish, and vengeful. That person was being lead around by a hook in her mouth, enslaved to sin. I don’t ever want to be her again.

Although we are new creations in Christ Jesus we still live in these sinful bodies with our old nature that is still inside of us who loves to sin. It battles with the new nature that lives inside of us that desires to please God. Paul says it is a terrible predicament and I agree. However he goes on to say the best part, that we have been freed from our slavery to the lower nature by Jesus Christ our Lord. He has set us free. It has been done! We don’t have to be slaves any more to the old us and its desires. We have the power through the Holy Spirit to put our lower nature in its place.

“So, dear brothers and sister, we have no obligations whatever to our old sinful nature to do what it begs us to do. For if you keep on following it you are lost and will perish, but if through the power of the Holy Spirit you crush it and its evil deeds, you shall live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” (Romans 8:12-14)

I want to walk in love all the time, control my tongue, be kind, patient, and not gratify my lusts. My desire is to please and obey God. There are times when I fall short that I get so discouraged, full of shame, and guilt. If I begin to meditate on my failures, mess ups, and sins I want to give up. I forget that the battle has been won. However we can not give up when we fall down.

“But if we confess our sins to Him, He can be depended on to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. And it is perfectly proper for God to do this for us because Christ died to wash away our sins.” 1 John 1:9

As I am writing this the song “We Fall Down” starts playing and I am hearing the chorus in the background saying “A saint is just a sinner that falls down and then gets up.” That is so true! As children of the Most High God when we fall we must we get up. We can not allow condemnation, shame, and feelings of unworthiness to rule over us. They will keep us from entering God’s prescience to seek His forgiveness, mercy, and grace when we need it most. No..we have to be quick to confess our sin and repent so that we may be forgiven. God will not reject a broken spirit that is full of remorse and penitence. A broken and contrite heart God will not ignore. When we accept God’s forgiveness He can heal us. Then we can grow becoming stronger in our faith. (Psalm 51:17)

Let us remember that there is now no condemnation awaiting those who belong to Christ Jesus. For the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed us from the vicious circle of sin and death. We can obey God if we follow the Holy Spirit and no longer obey the old nature within us. We are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus and it is in Him that we are made strong. (Romans 8:1-2 & 4)

Your Break Thru Is Coming!

Don’t give up. Your break thru is coming. Keep praying, fasting, and praising Him because every promise from God shall surely come true. Trust Him no matter what opposition comes against you. Remember that He is always for you and never against you. Let us not get tired of doing what we know is right, for after a while we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t get discouraged and give up. (Galatians 6:9)

Consider Mary the mother of Jesus Christ our Lord. She was a mighty woman of faith, who believed that God would do what he said; that is why he gave her such a wonderful blessing. She was carrying the Messiah, the Savior of the world, in her womb. She accepted the honor and was determined to serve her God. She trusted God’s will for her life. She knew that she would face opposition and be talked about and persecuted by those in her community because she became pregnant while she was engaged to her fiancé, Joseph. They were not allowed to have sex until they were married. Joseph could have had her stoned for this apparent unfaithfulness.

Instead of fear she was filled with faith and determination to do God’s will. Mary said to Gabriel, the angel that brought her the good news of her immaculate conception, “I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to do whatever he wants. May everything you said come true.” (Luke 1:38)

Like Mary we have to trust our Lord’s Word no matter what. We have to know that He has not forgotten his promise to be merciful to us. We will have trouble and trials but we can not give up and turn from God in anger or disappointment. We must not allow ourselves to be consumed by fear, anxiety, worry, doubt, and unforgiveness to those that have hurt us or even towards God. Our Lord never said that we would have it easy because we are His children. In fact Jesus said, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Our peace is in Jesus. Knowing that Jesus is the Word of God, that His Word is truth, and never returns void is powerful! It should give us hope, faith, and determination to keep pressing forward. If we continue to trust His Word and never stop believing it then we will see His Word come to pass and we will fulfill God’s will, just like Mary did. She knew the Word of God and she spoke it out of her mouth and we must do the same. (Luke 1:46-55)

Don’t give up! Start speaking the Word of God with authority and confidence. When you feel that you can’t keep going ask the Holy Spirit to bring to remembrance His promises and then confess them out loud.

Say..”Lord…”

 "I know that you have good plans for me, not for disaster, but to give me a future and a hope. When I pray you will listen. When I look wholeheartedly for you, I will find you." (Jeremiah 29:11-13)
 "I know that You cause everything to work together for my good because I love You and I am called according to your purpose." (Romans 8:28)
 "In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me." (Psalm 86:7)
 "I am strong, courageous, and firm; I fear not and am not in terror, for it is the Lord my God Who goes with me; You will not fail me or forsake me." (Deuteronomy 31:6)
 "I will not let the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful." (Mark 4:19)
"You are the source of my hope. Fill me with all joy and peace by means of my faith in Jesus, so that my hope will continue to grow by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13)
 "I live by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7)
 "My faith does not rest in the wisdom of men (human philosophy), but in the power of God." (1 Corinthians 2:5)
 "I’m sticking with You. You have proven to be good to me and to all who passionately wait and diligently seek You. It’s a good thing to quietly hope for help from You." (Lamentations 3:24-26)

Don’t give up your break thru is coming. Keep pressing forward believing and confessing His Word over your circumstances. You are about to reap your harvest!