You can’t escape the news flashes, headlines or even the discussions that go on around you. They come from every side, even as you drive to work, road rage is evident everywhere. Murder, mayhem, hate crimes, terrorism, you name it and it invades your senses everyday. How can you avoid it? You can’t! But you don’t have to let it take over your thought life.

Paul told the Philippians to think on good things, good reports, things that are lovely and honorable. But how do we do that? I mean practically, is there a switch we flip to keep our minds from going there? Let me put it this way; If you have an empty glass and fill it with water, what is in that glass? Water, right? But say you add one tablespoon of dirt to the glass of water. How about a glass half full of dirt? That’s what happens when you listen to too much news about this world.

Now, lets take the same glass and put it under a faucet and allow the water to continually flow into the glass. Eventually what was in the glass will be exchanged by the new water that’s going into the glass, right? So if I continually fill my mind with the Word of God, allowing it to be what I think on, it replaces the stuff I’ve allowed to fill my mind. I will eventually believe the Word over my circumstances.

Psalm 121:7-8 says; The Lord will protect you from every danger. He will protect your soul.
The Lord will protect you as you come and go, both now and forever!

So when I read Psalm 91, I’m replacing what I see with what I know; I can trust in the Lord my God who will keep me from the evil plans of the wicked one. No disease will come near me. He will cover me and keep me from danger. Nothing will hurt me. He’s my refuge and my strength. I trust HIM!

Psalm 91:14-16 says; The Lord says, “If someone trusts me, I will save them. I will protect my followers who call to me for help. When my followers call to me, I will answer them. I will be with them when they are in trouble. I will rescue them and honor them. I will give my followers a long life and show them my power to save.”

It’s a choice to read what you read. It’s a choice to listen to what you listen to. It’s a choice to trust in the Lord, but if you chose to do so, you’re exchanging fear for faith. What a great exchange! It takes creating new habits to break old ones. You may jump out of bed and turn on the news or grab the morning paper. Begin grabbing the Word of God. Download a Bible application on your phone and go to it rather than the internet. As you change the way you think, you’ll change the way you live.

Sandy, how do you do it? How do you get up so early in the morning and do devotions? It’s a question I’ve been asked so many times that I thought I’d attempt to answer it. A few years ago, I was asked to attend a class taught by our pastor’s wife called, Daughters of Destiny. She actually selected a few and mentored them in so many things. At the time, I didn’t want to commit to it. She covered things I’d already been taught and frankly, I didn’t think I needed it. Boy was I ever wrong!

One of my biggest take-a-ways was developing the habit of doing devotions every morning and journaling things the Lord spoke to me. I loved listening to the Word being taught and I read my Bible, but it was sporadic at best and since my personality is so spontaneous, I fought against being stuck in any sort of rut. Anything I had to do daily besides showering, brushing my teeth and eating breakfast, was something I didn’t want to do.

Well, just as my physical body needed care, so did my spiritual body. The moment I made the decision to pay closer attention to my spirit, things began to change in me. For 30 days, I got up and sat with the Lord. Every day was different because He knew me! He actually fed me different ways to meet with Him so I wouldn’t be bored with it. I began to look forward to how the next morning would be.

I became more aware of what I listened to and how it affected me. There were days I didn’t do it and had a hard time focusing. I began to receive more and more revelation on His Word and needed a release for it. That’s when He had me began posting what I learned on Facebook. People were encouraged by it and began leaving comments on how they liked my perspective and how encouraging it was. They began asking me to publish a book.

Another friend suggested I begin blogging. I must of lived under a rock because I had no clue what that was or what it looked like or how to start. I actually flew up to Michigan, spent a weekend with my oldest daughter and she got me set up for my first blogging experience and the rest is history.

If I could encourage you on one thing that would be the key to changing your entire life, it would be to get up a little bit early to prioritize your relationship with God. Without Him, life would have no purpose. The money you earn won’t satisfy you. You could have lots of things working a little bit harder, but you can’t take that with you.”For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” Mark 8:36

Only what you do for the Kingdom makes any difference. “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” John 6:63

Take the 30 day challenge. Develop the habit of feeding your spirit more than your flesh. Nothing will satisfy you like Jesus.

Dictionary.com defines the word incubate as to develop or produce as if by hatching; give form to. I don’t know why, but I feel like that is exactly what we’ve been doing. God has given us a promise, and by meditating on it, sitting on it, we are hatching those promises.

Joshua 1:8 says, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”

It’s the same with meditating on the promises of God. When you’re believing for manifestation of a promise given, you just can’t entertain other opposing thoughts or opinions. You must keep your focus on the promise, even when it doesn’t feel like anything is happening. Even when you don’t see any change, you must believe that the God who spoke it, is well able to do what He said He would do. Your part is only to believe it with all your heart, mind and soul.

Philippians 4:8 says it like this; Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

When a chicken sits on the egg to hatch it, there’s a natural progression to the process. As soon as the chick starts to peck it’s way out of the egg, there’s no longer a need to sit on it. Watch for signs of progress on your promise, but until you know in your spirit that it’s coming, continue to meditate and incubate your promise.

This morning I was prompted to read I Kings 17 which tells of Elijah and the widow who God used to feed him during the drought, after the Brook Cherith had dried up. Some time later, the widow’s son died and she challenged the prophet, “What have I to do with you, O man of God? Have you come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to kill my son?”

So let’s pick up the story in verses 19-22; And he said to her, “Give me your son.” So he took him out of her arms and carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed.  Then he cried out to the Lord and said, “O Lord my God, have You also brought tragedy on the widow with whom I lodge, by killing her son?”  And he stretched himself out on the child three times, and cried out to the Lord and said, “O Lord my God, I pray, let this child’s soul come back to him.”  Then the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came back to him, and he revived.

Have you ever challenged a man of God? A pastor? Someone who gave you a ‘word from the Lord’ that perhaps hasn’t come to pass? Someone who prayed for you and nothing happened? As I read this, I realized just how often this happens in the body of Christ. People just have a hard time believing. They’ve done what was asked of them, yet tragedy strikes and they blame God.

Listen my friend, it’s not God’s fault! God is LOVE and doesn’t do these things. It’s Satan who comes to kill, steal and destroy. God came to give life, not a ‘just enough’ life, but abundant, to the full till it overflows kind of life (John 10:10).

This is what I feel led to focus on in this story; three times. He stretched himself out on the child three times, and cried out to the Lord and spoke. Don’t quit believing in God. He hasn’t quit believing in you. Don’t give up after once or twice, keep speaking the promises of God. Keep doing what He’s told you to do. If you’re faithful over little things, He will make you ruler over much.

I say again, DON’T GIVE UP! You’re too close to obtaining your promise. Hang on! Hold fast! Wait patiently for it! It’s closer than you think! Keep your eyes on God, faithful Father, Provider, Healer, Protector and King.

I speak life into dead dreams, visions and promises. I call out to them, RISE UP! RISE UP! RISE UP!  Breathe upon the dry, dead bones in their lives. I declare that you will live and not die and declare the works of the Lord. RISE UP, weary warrior. Your enemy has been defeated. Don’t try to do it alone, the Lord your God is with you. Jesus has won this battle for you.  All you’re required to do is stand your ground, hold fast to your promises and don’t allow the enemy to steal your dream. God will open the doors for you! All you need do is listen and obey because your steps have already been ordered.

Mark 10:46-52

Then they came to the town of Jericho. When Jesus left there with his followers, a large crowd was with them. A blind man named Bartimaeus (meaning “son of Timaeus”) was sitting by the road. He was always begging for money. He heard that Jesus from Nazareth was walking by. So he began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, please help me!”

Many people criticized the blind man and told him to be quiet. But he shouted more and more, “Son of David, please help me!”

Jesus stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.”

So they called the blind man and said, “You can be happy now. Stand up! Jesus is calling you.” The blind man stood up quickly. He left his coat there and went to Jesus.

Jesus asked the man, “What do you want me to do for you?”

He answered, “Teacher, I want to see again.”

Jesus said, “Go. You are healed because you believed.” Immediately the man was able to see again. He followed Jesus down the road.

You’ve heard ‘It’s the squeaky wheel that gets the grease’, well this blind man just wouldn’t shut up until he got Jesus’ attention. It says that MANY people criticized him, telling him to be quiet, but he just kept shouting. He wouldn’t shut up until he got Jesus’ attention.

How badly to you want your breakthrough? How desperate are you for your healing? Deuteronomy 4:29 says that if you seek the Lord with all your heart, you’ll find him. When was the last time you took an entire day just to spend with the Lord? To read the Word, worship and just be still in His presence. To seek Him. Not what He can do for you, just to seek Him?

Our lives will always be busy. There will always be something that needs to be done, something that demands our attention, but if we truly want relationship with God, to know Him as everything, than we must come into His presence and seek His face. No excuses. Set aside time for Him. Start with 15 minutes in the mornings, every morning until it becomes a habit. Like drinking coffee, soon it will be something you crave, that you can’t go without.

Father, I’m desperate for you. I want to know you, to be with you, to feel your love pouring over me like a waterfall. Refresh me. Draw me into your arms and let me feel your warm embrace. You made me to fellowship with you, may I never disappoint you or hold back from you. It’s in Jesus’ name, Amen.

I felt prompted of the Holy Spirit to look up the word ‘due’. I think we’re all familiar with the word and know it’s meaning, but as I was looking through the various translations, I found this British definition; immediately payable.

Galatians 6:9 AMPC says, “And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.”

Last week in prayer, I began to declare, “Gather, gather, gather!” I saw grain being dumped on the ground because all the containers were full and there was no place to put the excess. God’s been telling us to prepare for the harvest for so long and what have we done to prepare? Nothing. If you don’t know what to do, sit with God and ask Him. Make a plan. Prepare. Because due time is here!

I believe the Lord is saying to someone this morning that your due time is here. Every seed you’ve planted in the past that has been slow in producing or has never produced is immediately payable. Yes, that’s right! Your wait time is over. God has announced that it’s time for your seed to pay up. Your harvest is ready. Get your baskets and begin to gather.

Perhaps that’s why the Lord has prompted me to encourage and bolster the body of Christ to hang on, hold fast to the promises. So many of us have wanted to quit, give up, give in because we’ve waited far too long. Well your wait time is over. Don’t quit now. Some of you will see your answer today. Some this week, but it’s due right now. Your job is to believe that God is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Father, I anticipate your goodness. I anticipate the expected end. Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on this earth, in me, as it is in Heaven. Those waiting for return on their investment will see it now. Those waiting for the healing to manifest will see it now. I hear you say, “Do you see what I see? Do you hear what I hear? Do you know what I know?” I’m so excited, great and holy Father. Your desire has always been to give the best gifts to Your children and we are Yours. It’s in Jesus’ name we give you thanks, Amen.

Resist; to withstand, strive against, or oppose; to withstand the action or effect of; to refrain or abstain from, especially with difficulty or reluctance.

James 4:7 AMPC says; So be subject to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you.

I’d like to say that this definition of resist, sounds a whole lot like rebellion. Sometimes you just have to rebel against the devil. When he tries to convince you of something, you just rebel against it. Isn’t that how you feel sometimes? We do it to God! We resist the right way of thinking, why not resist the wrong way? Perhaps it’s time to turn the tables on the wicked one.

Have you ever been tempted to say something you knew was wrong, but said it anyway? There was no resisting in that. You just left all restraint and let your tongue say whatever it wanted. Have you ever felt a pain in your body and just had your imagination take over? Let’s not even go with pain, let’s go with food. A commercial comes on TV for pizza and before long, you’re calling the closest delivery joint for a pizza. No restraint on your imagination.

I wonder what would happen if we took this one verse seriously? What if instead of yielding to it, we actually rebelled against it. But lets not forget the first part of that verse; Be subject or submitted to God. That means we are to submit to His Word, His ways and His nature. How can we do that if we don’t know His Word, His ways or His nature?

We’ve allowed ourselves to be led around with a ring in our nose, subject to an evil force that keeps us broke, keeps us sick, keeps us defeated. Clearly we need to stop rebelling against God and begin rebelling against the devil. We want to live a victorious and prosperous life, but we don’t want to submit to anyone but ourselves. How’s that working for you?

It only takes one victory over your flesh to empower you to do it again and again. When you submit to God, you’re submitting to His power to change and His vast supply and resources. That’s amazing! He didn’t leave you powerless. No, He sent His Holy Spirit to lead you into all truth. Stop resisting God. Start resisting the devil.

Thank you Father that you’ve once again reminded us that you’ve given us all authority over all the power of the enemy, not in ourselves, but through your son, Jesus Christ. By believing in Him, we are saved.  By submitting to Him we gain overcoming access through Your Spirit. Today, I ask that you fill me anew with Your Spirit, that I may conquer over my flesh and overcome every attack of the enemy. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Zechariah 8:12 AMPC, For there shall the seed produce peace and prosperity; the vine shall yield her fruit and the ground shall give its increase and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit and possess all these things.

I was listening to a vocalist as she began to prophetically declare, “I see the seed in you. There’s always been good in you. I see my likeness in you. Everything that falls off you becomes fertilizer to grow you deep. You carry a testimony of where we’ve been. I see the seed.” This is only parts I’ve grabbed as she sang it out, there’s much more to it, but you get the gist of it. (Bethel Music)

When I ran across this verse, I realized what value God places on seed. Our seed will produce peace and prosperity. Every seed we’ve planted; be it words or encouragement, the Word of God, our time, our tithes and offerings, God sees the seed. He watches over it so that it bears much fruit.

Some of you have been faithful sowers of the seeds God gave you and you’re wondering, ‘When will I eat the fruit of it?’ Remember, it’s God who gives the increase. Keep planting! Keep tilling the ground. Be faithful! Your harvest is coming. Whatever you need, He’s already provided. You may be in a drought, but God promised rain. You may be buried in debt, but God’s promised deliverance. He’s a faithful God and He’s keeping track of your seed.

Last night, God reminded me of all the seeds we’ve sown over just the last couple years and it blew my mind. I never thought, ‘Wow, I sure could use that now!’ No, I know that what I planted will increase 100 fold. I can trust the Father with that seed. Just because I haven’t seen it manifest yet, doesn’t mean it won’t. Seed reproduces after it’s kind. You can’t plant corn and get tomatoes. One kernel of corn will bring 2-3 ears on a stalk and go ahead, count the kernels on each ear.

I have a promise of harvest! When it’s ripe, I’ll reap big time.

This morning, I was thinking about the power that’s behind our words and the Lord took me to the story of Moses. At the time he was tending sheep in the wilderness, the Lord called him to stand before Pharaoh and speak His words to him, doing some signs and wonders in the process.

Let’s begin in Exodus 8:13; So the Lord did according to the word of Moses. And the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courtyards, and out of the fields.

This is what I want you to see, “So the Lord did according to the word of Moses.” Do you see that? We need to remember that God listens to the voice of our words and He responds to them. Don’t tell me that our words don’t mean anything. That’s been our problem from the beginning. EVERY word had meaning and purpose!  We think we can say whatever we feel and there will be no repercussion to them. We must change our thinking if we want to see things change in the natural.

Matthew 5:37 Jesus said, “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘

No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” It would be a shame to see our children reap the fruit of our mouths.

If we want to have mountain moving faith, than we must begin to clean up our mouths. I don’t know how many of you were subject to having your mouth’s washed out with soap for telling a fib, I sure did, many times. Well, this is equivalent to that wonderful experience; SHUT YOUR MOUTH! Seriously! Guilty as charged! I’ve said some pretty stupid things in the past, things that I’ve reaped the consequences of. I’ve had to go home, repent, email or call the person I said it to and repent, pray for crop failure and I still have to watch my tongue.

It’s an ongoing battle, but one we must conquer if we truly want God to do what we say.  We absolutely will watch what we say! If we want to see healing manifest in our bodies, we must stop stating how we feel and only confess what the Word says. If we want to see breakthrough in our finances, than we must stop saying our bank account is empty and begin speaking abundance.  But don’t just say it to others and than go home and say how bad it is to your spouse. Be consistent in your words because God is truly watching every single word that comes out of your mouth and you will give account for them.

Oh faithful Father, the one who is ever watchful, put a watch guard over my mouth that I may only speak Your Word day and night. Before you only, I have sinned with my words. I repent and thank you for the blood of Your son, Jesus who has redeemed my past, present and future sins. It’s not what I deserved, but it’s what You gave. I receive forgiveness and ask that I allow the Holy Spirit to build me up in these weak areas of my life. Help me to pray always in the Holy Ghost, that I may be fortified and the words I speak may reproduce and bring forth fruit in the earth.  It’s in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.