Tag Archive | truth

Intimidation Screams

In keeping with my recent encouragements for us all to “Be not afraid”, and “Fear not”, I found the following to be super encouraging and well written.

I hope you will as well.

I share this here with you with the permission of the original author; the formatting is my own.

Carla Jean Ives

Breaking Intimidation…Intimidation Defined: to make timid or fearful : frighten; especially : to compel or deter by or as if by threats.

I’ve been in a spiritual battle for the past two weeks. I’ve evaluated my heart, checked for open gates, rested my body, reduced distraction, refreshed my soul with people I love and spent hours in the Word of God and prayer.

Today, I finally identified my unseen enemy…Intimidation.

The spirit of intimidation is debilitating and subtle. It sneaks up on you, hits hard and runs. It’s fueling chaos all over the world. It’s laying over the global Church like a heavy, wet blanket, trying to smother God’s people into silent submission.

Intimidation has many voices. It shouts through politicians and political parties, screams through the screens of mainstream media, spreads fear through real and imaginary stories that are shared like juicy gossip on social media.

Sometimes it comes through strangers who attack our spoken thoughts or even those we would least expect – our Christian brothers and sisters, our friends.

Intimidation is loud, harsh and unfeeling.

It sends one message to everyone in it’s path…Be afraid.

If we believe the spirit of intimidation, fear will immobilize us.

It will silence us. It will divide and conquer us. It will steal our sleep and torment us in our waking hours.

IF we believe the voice of fear…I refuse to believe it anymore. I know what the Bible teaches.

I’m not fighting people. I’m not fighting politicians or political parties, movements or causes, rioters or looters, races, cultures, a gender or generation, history or history-makers, sinners or saints.

I don’t see any person as my enemy.

It makes the fight so much easier when I recognize that I truly only have one enemy – Satan – and his little demonic minions who have been legally stripped of all power to act UNLESS the Church is silent.

Which is why Intimidation has been so busy…The Bible says “we wrestle NOT against flesh and blood.” (Ephesians 6:12) Our fight isn’t against one another, friend.

We’re getting beat up and bloodying our knuckles for no reason. Fighting one another will never shut down, shut up or shut out enemy activity.

It’s a battle that is won first in the spirit and then manifests in the earth.

Tonight, I am declaring that the airwaves are being reclaimed for the kingdom of God.

I’m announcing the defeat of intimidation, deception, manipulation and destruction in the Name of the Overcomer, Jesus Christ.

I am proclaiming the victory that Jesus won at the cross over every sickness and disease.

I am affirming my commitment to teach the Word of God, make disciples and to do my best to live my faith loudly.

I’m decreeing healing over the land and ripping that ugly, wet blanket of intimidation off of the Church so she can rise up and take her place, bringing Kingdom order to this world in chaos.

I prophesy a unity coming to the bride of Christ that gathers us from every tribe, tongue, race and nation into one people who together bring transformation to our individual countries.

I’m dancing on deception and singing deliverance over the land.

I will write, speak and do whatever God’s Word and Spirit tell me to without apology.

I will love lavishly, boldly and unconditionally. I will not be ashamed of my tears and I won’t lose my laughter.

I am a daughter of the MOST High!

I know who and Whose I am.

I am NOT afraid.

Image may contain: text that says 'she who kneels before God can stand before anyone. Romans 8:31 @sweet south @sweet.southern.sister ern. sister'

I wholeheartedly agree with the words from this women whom I have never even met.

My spirit bears witness.

Yours may, or may not, but if you’re still reading, then these words are certainly worth your consideration.

Until next time.

Rocking Chairs and Tornadoes (Revisited)

 

With all the news as of late about natural disasters, it is really difficult to

“Be not afraid.” or “Fear not.”

Some events in our lives may make us feel like we are in those disasters, even though physically, we may not be.

Today things are so different than this original post. Coronavirus – COVID19

You know what I mean don’t you?

Are there things going on in your life that have the potential to

strike sorrow and fear into you?

Peaceful protest turning in violent demonstrations.

If we compared these disasters, what would we find they have in common?

 I never gave this question much thought until I heard Nate Berkus recount his experience  of being swept away in a tsunami.                       

In the water with him were telephone poles, barbed wire, parts of trees and people’s homes …. and people.                                                   

All these things were swirling around him and beating his body, all the while he was fighting for his very life.

Natural disasters are on the rise.

Is that how you feel right now?

 

        Is the debris of your life beating you while you are struggling to keep your head above it all?

Are sorrow and fear and loss threatening to engulf you?

Do your circumstances feel like they are beating the life out of you?

We are all in the same storm, but we are not all in the same boat.

Your boat experience is likely very different than mine.

   But consider this picture.

 

Your life is the tornado.

Debris is flying everywhere and the mayhem of it all is causing you mass confusion.

You are swirling around with this mess and there is no exit.

This is not too much of a stretch, if you are like many of the people you know.

The fact is, you may recognize some of those folks in the havoc, right along with you!

 Now push the pause button, and consider a different picture.

The pause button has been pushed now for a couple of months.

What will we do with what we’ve learned during that time of pause?

                      The tornado is still there.

The debris is still flying and the mayhem is still circling you.

HOWEVER

Can you picture yourself here in this next scenario?

 The difference is that YOU aren’t anywhere to be found in the mass confusion.

YOU are firmly planted in the middle of the eye of that storm.

YOU are seated in a rocking chair.

What does that mean?????

Firmly seated in a rocking chair, in the eye of the storm?

 The peace of your Father God is planted deeply in your heart.

A peaceful pause if you will.

 YOUR heart is full of the knowledge that He is aware and in total control.

To be sure, there still may be sorrow and loss, but YOU do not have to live with fear.

 

How do I know this?

First off, I’ve had my fair share of living in fear. 

Secondly, the Word of God plainly states that if you know Him.

If you receive what His Son Jesus did for you on the cross, then you need not be afraid.

(If you do not have the assurance of Jesus’ saving grace, then please visit the “Rescue” page on this blog.)

I believe the word of God to be true. 

Every word.

So when He says not to be afraid (found over 80 times) in the Bible,

I choose to obey.

Notice I said “choose”; Being afraid is not a sin.  

What you do with it could be.

You get to make that choice.

The only thing you are to fear is God.

That is a different fear.

Not spooky, creepy fear,

but a fear that is defined as being in awe of Him.

 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13

Here’s the ask.  For today. 

Use the following verses in your circumstances.  Today.

We can truly only do it for today.

Choose to let God be in control of your chaos.  Today.

Choose to sit in that rocking chair and relax while He takes on everything that would set your heart to fear.  Today. 

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

(I heard a teacher the other day say that in it’s original form, Sound mind means moderation – which translate into Opposite of panic.)

Do you see that? Opposite of Panic!

This is not an easy task.  The world we live in caters to fear.  Its goal is to make us afraid.

Just look at the nightly news.  (No wait, maybe you shouldn’t)

At any rate, giving your fear to God will get easier with practice.

Note: Remember ~ Doctors practice.  Lawyers practice. Athletes practice.

Why do they do so?  To get better at what they do.

I encourage you to practice not being afraid, to sit and rest on your rocker, while God handles things.

 Psalm 34:9  (NIV) Fear the LORD; you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.

 Lamentations 3:57  (NIV) You came near when I called you, and you said, “Do not fear.”

Isaiah 41:10 (NIV) So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10 (AMP)  Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice.

This is it for today.

A revisit, with a splash of today.

I hope it helped to make a difference.

Until next time …

Fullness of Joy – Now?

During these days of isolation; some are doing well.

Others, not so much.

Even those of us who enjoy the solitary space are beginning to get a little edgy.

In the Old Testament during the times of David, he similarly had feelings of being left alone in a difficult spot.

It was then that he cried out to God.

Maybe you have cried out something like this yourself.

How Long, O Lord?

13 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
    How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I take counsel in my soul
    and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
    light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
    lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
    my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord,
    because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Psalm 13 (ESV)

David took on a course of action.

He made some choices.

He prayed yet again;

You Will Not Abandon My Soul

16 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
    I have no good apart from you.”

As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
    in whom is all my delight.

The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;
    their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
    or take their names on my lips.

The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
    you hold my lot.
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
    indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

7 I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
    in the night also my heart instructs me.
I have set the Lord always before me;
    because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
    my flesh also dwells secure.
10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
    or let your holy one see corruption.

11 You make known to me the path of life;
    in your presence there is fullness of joy;
    at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 16 (ESV)

Regardless of our circumstances we can make decisions that will cause are hearts to be glad, even when times are difficult.

In HIS presence is fullness of joy.

And that’s a promise!

Until next time …