“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” John 14:26 NASB

God has been taking me down memory lane lately. It’s highly unusual for me, because I’m a forward thinker and never dwell on my past. To me, the past is to be learned from, not repeated and since God is always doing new things, that’s where I want to be.

When I was almost 13, my dad was killed in a freak accident leaving my mom with 3 girls and a son they had just adopted. Since he was the main disciplinarian in our home, his absence caused the tight restraints to disintegrate and the road to freedom was a road I desired to explore.

Because of my moms grief, it was as if I had no parental supervision, so for the next 2 years I tried everything I knew was wrong to do (thank God I was young and naive cause I could have done a whole lot more!)

With two years of rebelling out of the way, my cousin invited me to a revival service in Alma, Michigan where a woman evangelist was speaking. She told me it was really good and I should go. I didn’t want to go, but I did want to get out of the house, so even though no one else wanted to, I went.

I don’t know what I expected, but I’d never experienced this kind of church before. I hadn’t heard people speak in tongues before but it seemed to change the atmosphere. Toward the end of the service, this woman began to say things to people. She looked at me and although I can’t remember her exact words, she addressed my grief and the lies the enemy had told me. I began to weep. I asked forgiveness for all my sins and invited Jesus to take me, all of me. I just wanted my daddy back.

Two weeks later I stood with both my sisters and my cousin at an altar with my hands raised. We were all just loving on the Father when suddenly I tunneled out. Like everything and everyone just became silent and there was only God and me. Suddenly I was speaking in a language I didn’t know and had never learned.

Such an incredible freedom. Such joy. Indescribable! We were there for hours just praying in this new language, all afraid to stop because who knew if we could start again. It was the 4th of July weekend and my aunt and uncle offered to let all of us girls ride in the back of the covered pick-up truck for the trip to the lake.

About an hour into the ride my cousin had stopped to yawn and then began to pray again. She said, “We can stop! I did and was able to start back up again!” You see, even in our ignorance, God was schooling us.

We became hungry for His Word and started reading the gospels and the book of Acts. Even though my dad was a pastor and we knew the Word and had memorized tons of scripture, it was as if it was all knew. Instead of just reading words on a page, the Word came alive to us.

The Holy Spirit was given to school us, to teach things that we can’t learn by ourselves. He was given as a flashlight so that we could know the truth and it would set us free. If you would like to receive the Holy Spirit, all you need to do is lift your hands and ask Him to come in. Say, “Holy Spirit, I need you! I want to become one with you. I yield my spirit to Yours and every part of me to Your plans and purposes.”

Now just raise your hands to heaven and begin to love on Him, to worship Him. Surrender your own language to the language of the Spirit and let Him transform you. You’ll never be the same in Jesus’ name. Amen

Please share your experience with me. I’d love to hear from you!

Sandy

Yet even so, you waited and waited, watching to see if they would turn and cry out to you for a father’s help. And then, when you heard their cry, you relented and you remembered your covenant and you turned your heart toward them again, according to your abundant, overflowing, and limitless love. Psalm 106:44-45 TPT

I was thinking about the patient lovingkindness of God with His children after He rescued them from Egypt and set them free from slavery. Then I realized that we are no different. Self centered, always wanting our own way, in all He did to rescue us we still complain.

Where are You God? I prayed for provision, I trusted You and You let me down! Never mind! I’ll do it myself!

Time after time He delivers us from the messes we make and we aren’t even thankful. We’re so self absorbed with what we want or need that many times, we don’t even realize Gods hand just rescued us from calamity.

The only time we cry out is when we’re in need! Demanding not requesting. No time for relationship, but please be my sugar daddy.

Yet He still waits. Waits for us to come to Him, not call Him to us. Waiting for us to love Him and trust in His plan. Unconditionally. To do the Word not just hear the Word.

“Do it again, Lord! Save us, O Lord, our God! Gather us from our exile and unite us together so that we will give our great and joyous thanks to you again and bring you glory by our praises.  Blessed be our Lord God forever and ever. And let everyone everywhere say, “Hallelujah!” Amen! Faithful is our King!” Psalm 106:47-48

For he is the Lord our God, and His wise authority can be seen in all He does. For though a thousand generations may pass away, He is still true to His Word. Psalm 105:7-8 TPT

Doesn’t matter what we see around us or what we hear in the news, He is still true to His Word. It doesn’t matter what they say about you, He is still true to His Word. Doesn’t matter what the doctor said when he read you the bad news, He is still true to His Word. It doesn’t matter what your bank account has announced to you as you looked up your balance, He is still true to His Word.

From back than to now, He is still true. From north to south, east to west, in every nation of the earth, He is still true to His Word. Whether you believe or don’t believe doesn’t change the fact that He is still true to His Word.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but His Word-NEVER! It remains when everything crumbles. When people act all crazy and walk in blatant disregard of His Word it STILL remains because His Word NEVER fails!

His Word is alive when all hope is gone. His Word is alive when dreams die. His Word brings dead things back to life. Don’t believe it? Read the many times Jesus spoke and the dead lived. He still works that way today. Those who trust in His Word will never be put to shame nor will their enemies triumph over them. God and His Word are one and cannot nor will ever be separated.

At anytime and in anyplace I can open His Word, read it and be infused with power because He is true to His Word. Sunshine or rain, good times or bad, happy or sad, afraid, alone or discouraged, HIS WORD NEVER FAILS.

I don’t know about you, but I just encouraged myself in the Lord! God is bigger than my questions, bigger than my fears, He’s bigger than the mountain I face, bigger than my empty place and bigger than my low place. He is my strong tower, my present help in time of trouble. There is no weapon that can win over me for His Word which never fails is my shield and protects me from all the fiery darts of the enemy.

Oh Father! Thank You for Your great faithfulness. You’re amazing! There are just not enough words to describe how magnificent You are! My heart is overwhelmed by You. I bask in Your presence and find joy in Your Word. It’s always moving, working on changing the circumstances around me so that You will find glory in all we do. It’s in Your name I give you praise, Amen.

Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha’s house. And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.”  But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, “Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lordhis God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.’  Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. 2 Kings 5:9-12

Ever notice how God always asks for a ‘just don’t make no sense’ kind of obedience? Naaman was told to dunk 7 times in the muddy Jordan river to get his leprosy healed. His reaction: ‘What the heck? The preacher didn’t even come out, he sent his servant. Doesn’t he know who I am? and the Jordan? REALLY?’

It took a servant coming in honor to humble Naaman so he could receive his healing. Once Naaman got over himself and obeyed, he was completely healed and restored. Humility was the small price he paid for a great reward.

Why is it our flesh struggles to comply to the ridiculous instructions His Spirit gives? Could it be pride stands between us and our miracle? Could our fear of what others think, their laughter at the obsurdity be the reason?

What if the moment passes while we’re still trying to figure out the ‘why’? Humility seems to be a key factor in seeing our mess become our message. What will it take for us to surrender our pride and receive the thing we’ve been asking for?

Ever heard of humble pie? I wonder what flavor it is this week? Think I’ll have me a BIG ole piece and enjoy every bite. My miracle awaits my obedience.

Father, I humble myself under Your mighty hand knowing that You see what I don’t. It’s all about trust and I’m willing to do that. I’ve been called a fool for lesser things, so why not go big! I love You too much to disregard Your instructions now. I know You’ll be honored and glorified in all of this so it’s in Jesus’ name I thank You, Amen.

“He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid of the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day.” Psalm 91:4-5

Did you see that? His truth-His Word acts as a shield and buckler. That word buckler is simply a round shield held by a grip and sometimes having straps through which the arm is passed. It’s basically any means of protection. That’s what Gods Word does for us.

Paul talks of this in his letter to the Ephesians chapter 6:10-11; Finally, receive your power from the Lord and from his mighty strength.  Put on all the armor that God supplies. In this way you can take a stand against the devil’s strategies.

You simply can’t walk in the protection promised if you don’t know your rights. You won’t know your rights if you don’t know the Word of God. But once you know, you can use it to quench the fiery darts of the wicked one. Truth becomes your shield and protects you.

There will come a day or perhaps you’re there right now, when Satan will come and hurl accusations at you. “You missed it! You shouldn’t have done that. You’re a loser!” But when you know the truth, you respond with, “It’s by grace I’m saved, not works! I am a child of God, I hear His voice and follow His lead. My steps are ordered by Him and I don’t miss things. He has set me far above principalities and powers. I win because He won!”

But truth only protects if we use it. Just like the soldier picks up his shield and uses it to protect his body, so we must train our hands for war in the spirit realm. We don’t fight with our fists, we fight with our words. We call things that be not as though they are. We’re not easily persuaded to buy the lie when we know the truth.

Father, I thank You for Your truth that protects me today and everyday. Show me how to best use Your truth. Give me fresh revelation today so that I can discern the enemies plans and strategies and be ready with Your Word to push him back and keep him in his place, under my feet. It’s in Jesus’ name and by the blood He shed, Amen.

Put your heart and soul into every activity you do, as though you are doing it for the Lord himself and not merely for others. Colossians 3:23 TPT

Have you ever asked yourself what you’re passionate about? What lights you up in a room? What starts a fire in your belly and keeps you going? What is it that when you talk about it, it causes people to lean in and listen?

Hands down for me it’s God. Any aspect of Him gets me excited but His Word and His ways have changed my life forever! In life, we’ve all experienced disappointments, but God has NEVER disappointed.

Life isn’t about me, it’s about Him. It’s His Kingdom I’m in. It’s Him I serve. It’s His mission I’m supporting. I’m His daughter, reflecting His glory. How can I be disappointed with His plan? He knows my end from my beginning. Everything I need is within me for He’s given me His Spirit and I’ve joined myself with Him.

When I do something, anything, I want to make sure I have God in mind. I don’t have to be the center of attention or a speaker at a conference to be a light to those around me. As long as I fan a flame in someone else, I’m content. As long as my love for Him causes others to want to love Him, I’m happy.

When I sing, I sing for You. When I love, I love for You. When I work, I work for You. I want my passion to show up in everything so that others may desire to know You as I do. To pursue relationship with You. Not just to walk in the blessings, to be rich in mercy and loving kindness, but in all I do, this is for You. Amen

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3

It can be challenging to keep your mind focused on God and His Word, especially when a tornado of thoughts and circumstances are swirling around you. Sometimes there is just so much to do that I hold up my hands and loudly proclaim, “THAT’S ENOUGH! I CAN’T DO THIS! I NEED HELP!”

And the louder the noise around me screaming for attention, the harder it is to adjust the volume so I can hear God speaking. I’m pretty sure I’ve missed Him on more then one occasion simply because of the distractions around me. I don’t like that! I don’t like missing opportunities to minister or encourage those around me because of things like that. How many distractions will I allow to keep Gods voice out of my ears? Life gets so busy and crowds out the most important thing, His voice.

When was the last time you heard Him speak to you? Even to whisper, “I love you!” This is what my spirit heard this morning: “Set your face toward me to hear what My Spirit is saying to you. Behold, a clear path to my presence is open for those who stand in the gap, pray and seek my face. Today I call you by name.”

So what will your answer be? ‘Not today, can’t you see I’m busy? I have a job to do, find someone else!’ or will it be, ‘Speak to me Lord! You are the most important voice I will hear today. What can I do for you, Lord? That I may say what you would have me say and do what you would have me do, for in this, I will be truly satisfied & walk in Your peace.’

The choice is always ours to make. He will not force us or be an inconvenience to us. But remember this; What you make happen for the Lord, He will make happen for you.

“The sower sows the Word. The ones along the path are those who have the Word sown [in their hearts], but when they hear, Satan comes at once and [by force] takes away the message which is sown in them. And in the same way the ones sown upon stony ground are those who, when they hear the Word, at once receive and accept and welcome it with joy; And they have no real root in themselves, and so they endure for a little while; then when trouble or persecution arises on account of the Word, they immediately are offended (become displeased, indignant, resentful) and they stumble and fall away. And the ones sown among the thorns are others who hear the Word; Then the cares and anxieties of the world and distractions of the age, and the pleasure and delight and false glamour and deceitfulness of riches, and the craving and passionate desire for other things creep in and choke and suffocate the Word, and it becomes fruitless.” Mark 4:14-19 AMP

This is very discriptive of so many Christians today. They go to church each Sunday, live their lives from Monday through Saturday, come back to church on Sunday. They spend no personal time in fellowship with the Lord, expect to be fed a good meal on Sunday and heaven help them if the Pastor doesn’t deliver! If we like what we hear, we cheer, hoot and hollar, but spend no time preparing our hearts for that Word so that what is sown will fall on good ground, take root and grow.

Wonder what would happen if the farmer didn’t prepare his fields, no plowing, no tilling, just slap some fertilizer on it, throw some seed on it and see what happens. Let me say this….EPIC FAIL! Any farmer knows that there must be preparation before you plant. Even after, you must till it, water it and care for it.

We want it fast and easy. We’d rather go to the church and buy it with our tithes. We’d rather ask someone else for the answers instead of searching ourselves.  Heaven help us if we must fight the good fight of faith and stand and believe even when we don’t see it right away. Did God say it would be done on our time schedule? I think not!

“Make no mistake about it, God will never be mocked! For what you plant will always be the very thing you harvest.  The harvest you reap reveals the seed that was planted. If you plant the corrupt seeds of self – life into this natural realm, you can expect to experience a harvest of corruption. If you plant the good seeds^[a] of Spirit-life you will reap the beautiful fruits that grow from the everlasting life of the Spirit.” Galatians 6:7-8

Faithful Father, I long for the deep things, the hidden things, the things only You can reveal to me. Help me to sow good seed on a field that’s ready to receive it. I want to be productive in Your Kingdom in all I do and say. May I patiently wait for the harvest. It’s in Jesus’ name, Amen.

So I tell you, live the way the Spirit leads you. Then you will not do the evil things your sinful self wants. The sinful self wants what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit wants what is against the sinful self. They are always fighting against each other, so that you don’t do what you really want to do. But if you let the Spirit lead you, you are not under law. Galatians 5:16-18 ERV