Tag: personal growth

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The Only One Who is Worthy

Deuteronomy 13:4 (VOICE) Remain loyal to Him! Fear Him and obey His commands. Listen to His voice. Worship Him alone. Be fervently devoted to Him.

Beloved, I AM worthy of your steadfast devotion. Resist the urge to lavish your time and attention on things that are of no consequence or value. Refuse to be lulled into a sense of complacency or become so engrossed in entertainment that you become numb to real life.

The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Refuse to be taken down without resistance simply because you’ve become too lethargic to care. Ask Me to align your heart with My own, that you might know what matters and what is of no-account. Beloved, waste your life on Me – the only One who is worthy – pour yourself out like a drink offering upon My altar, wholly acceptable and highly pleasing to Me.

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Exercise Your Self-Control

Galatians 5:22-23 (AMP) But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is…self-control…

Beloved, I have called you to be holy as I AM holy. Simply because you won’t be able to walk out personal righteousness perfectly is no excuse not to do your best. Not out of a sense of burden or trying to earn your salvation (which is a gift freely given by grace), but out of a place of love and honor – seeking to do that which pleases Me and aligns with My word.

I have given you self-control and empowered you by My Holy Spirit. You are more able than you believe and more able even than you’ve experienced. Like a muscle that builds strength with use, self-control becomes stronger as it is exercised. So choose not to respond when provoked. And choose not to indulge your flesh when it’s not beneficial. Choose to do that which is godly even when (and in fact especially when) it is in direct opposition with the flow of the world.

Exercise your self-control, beloved, and watch it grow and strengthen. It becomes easier to choose rightly and even the desire to choose that which is in opposition to Me (or even that which is fruitless) diminishes and loses its draw. Remain steadfast. Lean into the Holy Spirit for strength. Extend grace to yourself when you fall short, and simply start again. Be holy, beloved, as I AM holy.

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Arm Yourself

Ephesians 6:13-17 (AMP) Therefore, put on the complete armor of God…And take…the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

Beloved, arm yourself by immersing yourself in My word. How can one combat a lie – how can one even recognize it – if one does not take the time to know the truth? Without a foundation of truth, you are ill equipped to stand against the evil one, and that vulnerability is one too easily leveraged by the forces of darkness.

But when you have feasted on My word – meditating on it and allowing it to go deep within your heart – My Spirit will quicken it to your remembrance in a moment of need, a sharp-edged sword able to separate not just truth from a lie, but even the intricacies of twisted truths. Remember beloved, when My Son was tempted in the wilderness, the enemy quoted My word to him. It is not enough just to read, one must learn to understand, to know My heart. As you study, My Spirit will teach you. Intentionally unite in purpose allowing the breath of My Spirit to quicken My truth in your heart. Continue reading “Arm Yourself”

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Nourish Yourself Wisely

Amos 5:14 (AMP) Seek (long for, require) good and not evil, that you may live; And so may the Lord God of hosts be with you, Just as you have said!

Beloved, hunger and thirst for Me and for the things of Me and the things that please Me. Seek that which is good and perfect and true, what is godly and beautiful and righteous, and what is holy, a blessing, and brings glory to My name.

Water the seed of righteousness within you. Refuse to be drawn in by things that are evil or the ways of the wicked. Have eyes to see and ears to hear that you might rightly divide the holy from the profane, the worthy from the unworthy, and that which is good from that which is evil.

Align with Me. Run your race by My side. Choose the side of victory and life. Beloved, that which you feed will grow. Would you indulge your sinful nature? Your fleshly desires? Or your spirit man? Nourish yourself wisely. Satisfy yourself in Me.

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Respond to Your Maker

John 10:27-28 (VOICE) My sheep respond as they hear My voice; I know them intimately, and they follow Me. I give them a life that is unceasing, and death will not have the last word. Nothing or no one can steal them from My hand.

I AM still speaking today. I paid the price for your freedom and your healing. It was Our joy to do so and My Son lay His life down willingly and without hesitation. Shrug off feelings of inadequacy and shame, and allow My truth – My words – to mold and shape you. Respond to your Maker. My sheep know My voice and another they will not follow.

Creation speaks My name. I AM your Creator and I spoke you into being. The echoes of My voice resound in your heartbeats. When I speak, you cannot help but respond, your very DNA recognizes its Maker. You must align. Your cells and organs must obey My word. I speak life over you and everything in you MUST take action.

Refuse to give the enemy any hold over you when your freedom came at so high a cost. Trust the plan of the One who loves you, the One who created you, the One who is sovereign. I have deemed you worthy – worth the price, worth My time, worth My love, worth My effort, worthy of My grace. It is sufficient for you. Receive, beloved.

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Reflect the Son Brightly

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (TPT) …Love… finds no delight in what is wrong…

Beloved, the world would have you believe that doing what is right is boring. It paints sin as lush and exciting – experiences meant to indulge in and enjoy. But beloved, the world doesn’t have your best interests at heart nor is it accurately accounting the truth.

One could paint touching a hot stove as exciting and an act of freedom, but without acknowledging the resulting burn and the amount of painful time spent healing (the momentary “positive” act of freedom weighed against the lengthy negative), the truth is not being reflected.

By painting sin as fun, joyous, and exciting, others are drawn into the trap. Refuse to bring others into bondage or needless pain by delighting in that which is evil.

Choose instead to walk in a manner that aligns with My word knowing it is the path of light. True joy and fulfillment are there. And any hardships along that path are for your benefit, to grow and be refined. You are a child of the day, so walk in the light and reflect the Son brightly. Continue reading “Reflect the Son Brightly”

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The Power of My Presence

Psalm 68:8 (VOICE) The whole world trembled! The sky poured down rain at the power of Your presence; even Mount Sinai trembled in Your presence, the presence of the True God, the God of Israel.

Beloved, never underestimate the power of My presence. It causes darkness to tremble, the dead to come to life, it brings manifold change and tremendous breakthroughs. I AM God Almighty – El Gibbor, the Mighty God. My presences changes things. My presence will change you.

As you stand basking in My overwhelming love, allowing My joy to refresh and heal you – how can you not come away changed? Make the time, be intentional, and soak Me in. Allow Me to saturate you in the oil of My Spirit.

Then prepare, beloved. For the power of My presence brings forth response. It brings about action. You cannot know Me and spend time with Me and stay the same. It’s not that a response is required as much as it is inevitable.

So prepare to take new ground. Pour out your fresh oil with the knowledge that I AM always pouring back into you – just step into My presence and be filled – heart and hands open, beloved, receive from Me – then go forth. Expand the Kingdom.

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Character Building

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (TPT) Love is not… quick to take offense…

Beloved, I AM slow to anger and rich in mercy, my grace knows no bounds; and you were crafted in My image. Refuse to allow your flesh to mandate your responses. Refuse to indulge pride or self-righteousness. Instead be steadfast in humility, grace, and compassion, allowing the fruit of My Spirit to be manifest in your walk as you submit your character to the fiery trials of testing.

Remember, beloved, My Spirit is at work in each of you. It isn’t your job to ensure someone learns a particular lesson, that role is Mine. Leave it to Me, knowing if I desire your assistance, it will never be when you’re operating in the flesh, so persist in dying to it daily that the beauty of Me in you might shine brighter day after day. Continue reading “Character Building”

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No Toehold

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (TPT) …Love is not easily irritated…

Beloved, purpose to walk in humility, grace, and compassion. Let little annoyances and inconveniences roll off your back without effect. Refuse to give them credence or room to have impact.

Be so thoroughly saturated in My love that pesky things don’t even annoy. Be so filled with My joy that nothing can steal it. Have your eyes so full of Me and My vision that everything else is put in proper proportion. Refuse to give a toehold for the enemy to leverage; nor allow pride, thoughtlessness, or foolishness to injure any relationship. Continue reading “No Toehold”

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His Depths Know No Bounds

Job 36:26 (TLB) God is so great that we cannot begin to know him. No one can begin to understand eternity.

Beloved, I AM limitless. My depths know no bounds. There is always more – always more love, always more revelation, always more wisdom, always more mysteries – always more of Me. You cannot reach the ends of Me, for I AM greater than you know – but how worthy of pursuit!

Choosing to spend your life plumbing My depths is a life well spent. Bear in mind, My love, that the journey is the point. All of those precious revelations and moments along the way may not be an ultimate destination, but they are the primary purpose. Relationships are always built in the moments. Choosing to “waste” your moments on Me is never the wrong choice.