Goliath had been coming out to taunt the Israelites for forty days, every morning he came forward and took a stand against them. He was declaring fear directly into the Israelite camp, and it was working.
Until David came along.
David had been living in a place of isolation in the fields, which had led him into intimacy with God. This intimacy grew David’s confidence, and as God delivered him from the claws of the bear and the lion, David’s assurance in the Lord grew.
So when he came to face Goliath, he had confidence that the battle belonged to the Lord.
David declared: ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied…’(v. 45)
David understood that this battle was not going to be won on physical strength, but it was a spiritual battle upon which he was confident in victory through the Lord.
He spoke the name of the Lord and brought a higher authority into the situation. Authority is not about size, it is about who is behind you and within you.
We invoke an authority that is above them all when we declare in the name of the Lord Jesus. The enemy uses the same tactics of fear and intimidation today that he used against the Israelites then. He will try to rob you of your confidence in God and keep you in a place of fear, insecurity and doubt.
Activation: Take David’s example today. Come to a place of intimacy with God. Ask him to remind you of the victories that He has already brought you through. Allow your confidence in the Lord to grow as you remember what He has done for you. Now bring to mind a battle that you are currently facing, make declarations over that situation in the name of Jesus Christ – that the victory is His. ‘I declare that I have victory over this situation (insert your own words) in the name of Jesus Christ. The battle belongs to the Lord, and in His name I will overcome.’
Look behind you and see all the hurdles I have brought you through and see the defeated army of satan lying on the battlefield, defeated at your feet.
Why are you trying to find a shortcut when I have carried you and been with you each step of the way?
It is in the journey that I have moulded you and forged you with strength in the fire ready to withstand the next attack. You are an overcomer; I have assured your victory. You need only stand.
Therefore, do not try and go too far ahead or turn back and give up. Look up, where does your help come from? Look up and see heaven’s armies marching beside you and for you, for the battle belongs to me.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I know You are with me in this battle. Please give me the words to say to be gracious. Give me the strength for endurance and give me Your peace and patience as I wait on You.
Activation:
Ask Lord Jesus what spiritual weapon(s) do you want me to have in this battle? How have I to use them?
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1:5 (ESV)
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
It’s time to warfare through walls. For your victory from God is not just for you, it’s to break others into their victory as well! When we share our testimonies of God-breakthrough in our lives, we activate faith in others. And in an atmosphere of faith, we move not only from faith to faith but glory to glory!
Saints – Bring Your Victory. Release your testimonies into the atmosphere. Pray into place victories for others, from the secure knowledge of what God broke through for you. For your freedom brings others into freedom as well.
Arm yourself and push back enemy strongholds from others with prayer, fasting, and spiritual warfare in the name of Jesus Christ and the power of declaration. Ask God what are the areas of victory you walk in, then declare them over others as a weapon for God!
And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony.And they did not love their lives so muchthat they were afraid to die.
You must see what I am doing – what I am going to do – so that you are prepared.
When you catch the Vision (Revelation) of what I am doing in the midst of the shaking, you will not lose your peace.
I am building My Church, My people, to be a light on a hill. You will be the place of safety in the storm; people will seek you My Bride saying, “Come let us go up to the House of the Lord; let us seek the Spirit of Wisdom.”
So prepare, prepare, prepare – put Me front and centre in all you do at this time. Let My Holy Spirit lead you and teach you afresh as you walk into this new place, this place of governing and decreeing My plans and purposes on the earth.
My Bride, trim your lamps, for I am coming in My glory to dwell and remain in the midst of you. Purify yourselves. Shake off the sin that so easily besets you so that you may run the race without those weights holding you back; it’s time to run into greater freedom.
Activation: Sit with the Holy Spirit and allow him to do an inventory of anything that is holding you back; sin can be those things where we are simply falling short of what the Lord has for us because we are walking/thinking in the ways of the world, not His ways, or baggage of previous seasons. You should not feel condemnation but conviction because your Father loves you and wants the best for you.
And many peoples shall come and say,“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house (temple) of the God of Jacob; that He may teach us His ways and that we may walk in His paths.”For the law will go out from Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
Isaiah 2:3 (AMP)
Escape from Bondage
Therefore there is now no condemnation [no guilty verdict, no punishment] for those who are in Christ Jesus [who believe in Him as personal Lord and Savior]. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life [which is] in Christ Jesus [the law of our new being] has set you free from the law of sin and of death.
This was written in December 2019 (keep that in mind as you read), but reading it this morning, I felt inspired and I hope you will be too. Allow the words to be understood, received and push you to YOUR new season. You don’t have to wait until the New Year to make a change; any day, month or hour can be used to turn things around! Be blessed. Be encouraged.
From my previous posts, you may have gathered that I have a belief. I believe in The Most High God, I’m a Christian and have been baptised. When setting up this blog, I thought that I wouldn’t let my Christianity be my main focus or that, maybe, I wouldn’t even mention it. HOWEVER, it’s very hard not to have it creeping in. As the song from The Greatest Showman goes…’This is me!’
The title of this post is from the Old Testament of the Holy Bible. The Book of Ecclesiastes happens to be another of my favourites. As well as having the knowledge that scripture is God breathed and/or inspired, it amazes me that it’s possible to one day come across a verse or chapter that speaks directly to your life, body and soul, then on another occasion you may be reading it, with a little more information from previous verses or chapters, and it will take on a completely new meaning. It is the same with life. Things happen, but when thought about in the future, it can sometimes take on a new meaning. We can usually gain a new understanding. Occasionally, we are even able to laugh, after initially crying, pulling out our hair and being distraught.
The year’s last loveliest smile – John Howard Bryant
My aim was to get this post out whilst we were still within November but, unfortunately, it wasn’t to be. Three days late isn’t too bad! Above is a beautiful autumnal scene. Autumn is the transitionary period from summer to winter, which is September to November. The view of that same area can differ greatly, depending on what time of year it’s being looked at. It will, on most occasions, be the same trees in that area, unless something drastic has happened to alter it, i.e death, disease, drought, fire or the birth or planting of a new tree, amongst other things. However, sometimes, all that glitters is not gold. At a first glance a tree may seem beautiful, but at a closer look there may be evidence of rot or wear and tear. There can even be things that cannot be seen by the naked eye. Our persona can also be affected by these same things, mentally, physically and spiritually. Our needs can or will change because of internal and external factors. The same can be said for family and friends, even strangers that we come across. We do not have a clue of exactly what each person is dealing with and also what coping mechanisms, if any, they may have. But by being given a little (or a lot of) love and attention, they can be transformed.
He can make everything beautiful in its time…
In the Book of Ecclesiastes, the third chapter tells us there is ATimeforEverything. The very first verse says ‘Thereisatimeforeverythingandaseasonforeveryactivityunderheaven’. Everyday we can take a walk and see how wonderful this earth is, that we have been blessed with. This is no matter what the weather is like or the season we’re in. Beauty can be found in Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. Likewise in people.
In every change, in every falling leaf there is some pain, some beauty. And that’s the way new leaves grow – Amit Ray
Deciduous means tending to fall off. In Autumn, the deciduous trees or shrubs no longer need their leaves for survival in the forthcoming season, so it loses them. The leaves fall to the soil, which then enables its decomposition to provide soil bacteria and fungi. This soil bacteria then gives important nutrients to the roots. There is no longer a requirement for so much photosynthesis to take place in order for it to survive and this process provides food for other life forms, such as other organisms present in the soil below. This is a prime example of the cycle of life. The tree or shrub will then create a leaf scar, so that the water that has been collated before does not freeze over. Isn’t that amazing! I know I learnt about this stuff when I was at school but had to refresh my memory. The shrubs I have at the front of my home need not fear, they are here to stay! What a wonderful God we serve! Not everyone reading this will realise this, but my prayer is that you soon will! Before I get sidetracked, I will proceed. Yesterday I looked out of the window and the ground was covered with leaves. Prior to this, I was wondering why they were still hanging on, which is when I started reading about the cycle.
Everything has its season.
When the spring arrives, the weather begins to warm up and the sun provides the warmth they will all need to give birth to new leaves and photosynthesis will reoccur.
Give that a thought for a minute…in the midst of the beauty of God’s creation
Give that a thought for a moment…take yourself away and think about it. What is it that you require for your ‘next season’? What is it that needs to ‘fall off’ your life. What is it that would be good for you not to take through to the new year approaching? What do you need to attract and overcome? What are you waiting to give birth to?
The point is that your thoughts on a particular thing can change from day-to-day, week-to-week, month-to-month and so on, but that doesn’t matter because as you go through different things; receive different information and meet different people…it can change your view; the way you feel and think about something can alter. It doesn’t necessarily mean that your thoughts were wrong at a particular time but just that you’ve learnt more. You’ve grown. You now see things from a different perspective.
Leave yourself open to new experiences and challenges. Be willing to eat new foods, go to new places, try a course and/or meet new people. Be willing to do things that you never would have done before. Do things that YOU have always wanted to do but never had the guts to. Make changes in your personal life or work. You never know what situation is waiting for a Project Manager (YOU) to take it in hand! Let the spring of 2020 mark a year of adjustment, improvement, renewal, transformation and the manifestation of anything else that is positive. Be like a caterpillar, inside its cocoon, waiting to reveal all its glory when it emerges. For He has made EVERYTHING beautiful in it’s time. Whatever you choose to do ensure you are just the way you want to be; exactly as you were meant to be. Prepare yourself by meditation, prayer and supplication. Let 2020 find you being unapologeticallyyou…
Book of Ecclesiastes
Ecclesiastes 3 v 1-8
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace…
Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall. Seasons do not just relate to weather patterns. They also reflect the seasons in life that you will go through.
Many of you will crave Spring and Summer because they are the seasons that reflect lighter evenings, flowers blooming, warmer weather and all round feeling good. Not as many look forward to Autumn and Winter, with falling of leaves, darker nights and colder weather. I want you to remember that all the seasons that I have created are beneficial to all.
In every season you face there is purpose. Remember to find me during Spring and Summer so that I can share with you what is needed to prepare you for when Autumn and Winter come. Many turn their backs on me during the darker seasons, but these darker seasons are not a curse. Each season is a blessing when you are willing to find Me. No matter the season, I am always walking with you. It’s okay to take My hand and allow Me to lead you.
Activation: Ask Holy Spirit to show you what season you are in. Write this down and then list the highlights of this season and start by giving thanks. Allow God to teach you and prepare you for the next season.
As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night.”
Genesis 8:22 (NLT)
Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
My Dear Child, imagine you are looking out over the ocean. Do you wonder what is under the surface? Have you questioned what secrets it hides?
The view looking out over the ocean is very different from the one you experience if you dive deep under the water. There are so many treasures I could show you, more incredible than you could ever know.
Will you allow Me to take you beneath the surface, into the deep where your knowledge can grow. Don’t be satisfied with the shallow depths, content with your current view. Will you hungrily dive deep and let Holy Spirit reveal My many secrets to you?
Activation: Pick one of the scriptures below and ask Holy Spirit to help you understand its full meaning. Then read it out loud. Are there any words that particularly stand out? Ask Holy Spirit to help you focus on the ones that are closest to His heart. Then write the scripture down and circle these words. You might want to look their meaning up. Now ask yourself these questions, what is the key truth the verse is telling Me? How will this affect My life? Is action needed to bring this truth into My life every day? Jot your answers down.
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever.
Isaiah 40:8 (AMP)
‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and tell you [and even show you] great and mighty things, [things which have been confined and hidden], which you do not know and understand and cannot distinguish.’
Jeremiah 33:3 (AMP)
10 For God has unveiled them and revealed them to us through the [Holy] Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things [diligently], even [sounding and measuring] the [profound] depths of God [the divine counsels and things far beyond human understanding].
11 For what person knows the thoughts and motives of a man except the man’s spirit within him? So also no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the [Holy] Spirit who is from God, so that we may know and understand the [wonderful] things freely given to us by God.
and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul (life), and with all your mind (thought, understanding), and with all your strength.’
Mark 12:30 (AMP)
While your emotions matter, they are not the final word. While you often rely on the state of your emotions, it is my Spirit within you that will cause you to walk in my statutes, spurring you forward on the race set before you.
So, bring me your wayward emotions, feelings, and hurts. I am the one who deals with these. I care about your intimate life. Bring your heart to me. Bring your soul to me. Bring your mind to me.
All must be brought before me in obedience, and I will mould the transformation you desire to see.
Activation: Reflect on one thing, from your heart, soul, or mind that currently results in a lack of peace. Ask God for His revelation as to the source and then choose to respond the way God leads you.
See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
Hebrews 12:15 (NIVUK)
9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
10 “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind,[a] to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”
25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.
26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
In this world, we go through many sufferings. I know the sense of grief you have experienced; loss of loved ones, pressure at work, hurt, and abandonment.
Remember My promise, that I will never leave you nor forsake you. Know that I am still here. This season is not wasted because in the midst of the storm I have moulded you and shaped you for greater capacity.
Behold, I have given you an extraordinary ability to fly above the storm with an unusual strength to bear much weight. I will give you a long and sustainable vision and the grace to see things from a new perspective. Note the change that will begin to happen as a heavenly current of air will materialise under your wings. You will begin to sense supernatural strength lifting your body, mind and spirit.
Look up.
Activation: Ask the Lord to lift off any remaining heaviness that you might carry from a past season. Then, ask for His perspective on your current situation and how you can partner with it. Picture yourself flying above the storms. Imagine yourself carrying weight with great ease and lightness. Ask God to continue to increase your capacity with His divine strength.
Why would you ever complain, O Jacob,or, whine, Israel, saying, “God has lost track of me.He doesn’t care what happens to me”Don’t you know anything? Haven’t you been listening?God doesn’t come and go. God lasts.He’s Creator of all you can see or imagine.He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch his breath. And He knows everything, inside and out.He energizes those who get tired,gives fresh strength to dropouts.For even young people tire and drop out,young folk in their prime stumble and fall.But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles,They run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind.
Isaiah 40:29-31 (MSG)
I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.]
My sons and daughters, your world is changing. I delight in seeing how you are mirroring My creativity, coming up with new inventions and new ways to make your short time on the earth fruitful. But, don’t be like the world and believe that the purpose of innovation is to ‘short-circuit’ processes and make life easy.
My Children, I designed for you to experience abundant life. That means all of it – the joy, the sadness, the trials. There is beauty in process. It’s in process that you experience growth, learn to overcome, and find that even in grief, I am there with you.
So, will you commit and embrace the process, knowing I am in it with you? It will challenge you, stretch you, and grow you – but the result will be an increased capacity to experience all of My life, that inner life, where My sustaining power is found. So don’t be in a hurry; put away some of your innovations and take time to encounter Me as we walk together through life.
Activation: Take a Sabbath Rest, or make a choice to fast TV, your phone, or social media and instead pull up a chair and grab a coffee and sit with the Lord. Have a real talk, tell him the things buried deep that you haven’t even told your closest friend, or that you have been too busy (even intentionally) to sit and process with him. Choose to set aside some time to be fully present with Him.
Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace].
James 1:3 (AMP)
3-5 This doesn’t mean, of course, that we have only a hope of future joys—we can be full of joy here and now even in our trials and troubles. Taken in the right spirit these very things will give us patient endurance; this in turn will develop a mature character, and a character of this sort produces a steady hope, a hope that will never disappoint us. Already we have some experience of the love of God flooding through our hearts by the Holy Spirit given to us.
Unapologetically Marcia 