Ascend & Dwell

Very recently, I had a dream early in the morning. It was a nightmare, actually, that was so vivid, I knew God was speaking to me through it. The short of it is that I was out on a vessel in the ocean with someone I knew from my past. It was dark everywhere. At one point, I realized I was in danger and tried to escape. So, I ran up a staircase that appeared out of nowhere. But when I got almost to the top, I ran face-to-face into a demon that stood between me and the door to freedom. Then, suddenly, I woke up and looked at the clock. It was just after 4 a.m. 

I didn’t have to pray for an interpretation, because God revealed the meaning to me as I experienced the dream. I believe it’s not solely for me but for others for whom it may apply. This is the interpretation:

The enemy has stood at the door, between you and Jesus in a certain area, using your flesh against you in terms of you wanting your way, your lack of knowing a better way, your distrust of God, and your fear of letting go. But the enemy at the door cannot stand in your way when your way is Yahweh’s and Jesus is your Door. It’s time for the strongholds of old tethers and coping vices to go. These compromises, these false compensations can limit God from bringing forth His true recompense. They have been causing anxiety, because they have held you in bondage (Pr 1:32 NLT).

But Holy Spirit is now shinning His light on the root to set you free. 

Where you were submerged in deep darkness in this area of your life and the enemy’s “sub-version” has tried to play out, he has now been exposed! I AM is here for the repentant. I AM is The Door of your escape. You can be set free from this falsehood that I AM never intended you to bear. One prayer and the enemy has to go! Where he tried to come between you, as the bride of Christ, and Jesus this cannot remain. I AM is greater. I AM is stronger. I AM is your defender. I AM is your Avenger. I AM is The Living God of Justice, who offers the only true way.

So, friends, our Lord is dealing with a final issue that has prevented some of us from entering into our promised land. He is delivering His beloved from lingering root-level issues, especially ones we’ve held onto out of deep grief for so long that they became part of our normal. These are the underlying enemy operations that have brought a slow despair and delay. 

But God is saying, “Trust My way.”

He is bringing breakthrough once and for all for His beloved ones who awaken to His truth, choose repentance and follow Him up and out of darkness into His marvelous light to dwell with Him in this area. His way will require full submission, nothing withheld, like Caleb, who had a different spirit and a whole heart. 

His invitation is to His higher holiness. His scripture is Psalm 24:7 TPT, which says, “So wake up, you living gateways! Lift up your heads, you doorways of eternity! Welcome the King of Glory, for he is about to come through you.”

Holy Spirit is inviting us to trust Him with our most precious losses and move forward with Him. It’s time to hand them over fully so we can be set free and move into all God has for us. It’s time for the limitations we brought upon ourselves to go because grace has lifted from them.

God has bigger and better fruit forward. It’s time for grapes so big that men have to carry them on poles (Nu 13:23). “How much evidence do you need?” asks The Lord of Hosts. “Shift your eyes and heart onto Me. Trust Me and I will provide more than enough.” 

God will make things right when we surrender our “hold-outs” to His will. We can do what He says, knowing He’ll take care of it all. 

Some call this passing the test. I like to think of it as finding Jesus in the midst to help us get past bondages and rise above limitations. When we choose to go “past and above,” it’ll manifest in our lives, according to God’s timing.

I love the Words of Psalm 118:17-20 MSG that reveal a beautiful new beginning. They say, “I didn’t die. I lived! And now I’m telling the world what GOD did. GOD tested me, he pushed me hard, but he didn’t hand me over to Death. Swing wide the city gates—the righteous gates! I’ll walk right through and thank GOD! This Temple Gate belongs to GOD, so the victors can enter and praise.”

Pray with me if you will . . . 

Dear Lord, 

Thank You for saving me from myself, from the pain and lies that limited Your will in my life. Where I have chosen selfishness and refused You, I repent and choose to submit to You. I lay my sin at the foot of Your cross, Jesus. And I renounce all agreement with darkness and command it to go now, in Jesus’ Name. I choose to receive Your light of life deep into every fiber of my being. 

I ask You, Lord, to infuse me with Your loving-kindness to the extent that all false things will seem as though they never were. Thank You for faithfully forgiving me. Thank You for leading me back to life again to ascend and dwell with You. Thank You for filling me afresh with Your Spirit. 

Help me to trust and obey You for Your glory.

In Jesus’ Mighty Name,

Amen.

This devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.

Sweet Moments

Within four days, very recently, our family laid two very special aunts to rest. All of my many aunts were like second mothers to me growing up. Each one was unique and strong and poured their very best into my young life. And each one inspired me to do the same.

As my large, extended family came together for these homegoing services, I was reminded to look for God’s beauty in everything: the tears, the memories, the flowers, the love through so many hearts and the legacy through these two aunts, who are also mothers, grandmothers, sisters, wives and daughters.

In this, death’s bitter moments were made sweet by God.

“Sweet” can mean “good” (NAS Exhaustive Concordance #2896a).

As in His invitation to “Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him” (Ps 34:8 NLT)!

The Word “good” in this verse means “pleasant” and “agreeable” (Strong’s 2896a).

Psalm 34:10 NKJV reminds us that “…those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.”

Here, the Word “good” means “benefit” and “welfare” (Strong’s 2896b) as well as “happiness” and “prosperity” (NAS Exhaustive Concordance).

So, when we seek God, agree with His truth and ways and take refuge in Him, we will experience sweet moments of life that include His good benefits, no matter what our hearts’ desperation.

“Moment” is defined by Dictionary.com as “a particular time or period of success” It can mean a “stage” of a “course of events.” And It factors in importance and effects, such as consequences or rewards.

Proverbs 14:14 TPT assures us that “a good person receives a sweet reward.”

“Moment” can mean “day” in relation to “point of time” So, as we call out to Him and receive His moment-by-moment provision for victory, He can shift us from darkness to light instantly (Ps 138:3 TPT).

In this way, sweet moments magnify God and His Name. Sweet moments are victory in action.

As we release our pain to Christ and agree with His sweetness or goodness every moment, we align with His victory above darkness progressively to the point of completion, knowing He’ll use our circumstances for the good of His Kingdom. (Ga 5:22).

At my aunts’ homegoing services, God aligned my family on a new level of reconnection. He touched our hearts to override any absences or differences with His outpouring of what’s most important: Love.

To be more aligned with the heart of God is what my aunts would want.

God’s way above it all.

His truth.

His prevailing Presence and presentation of victory over death.

Psalm 34:7 NKJV tells us that “The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.”

So, we never have to fear death or unpleasantries when we remain close to sweet Jesus. His Spirit of truth and grace is stronger and empowers us in any situation, even when loved ones cross over into eternity.

In Psalm 138:7 TPT, King David says, “By your mighty power I can walk through any devastation and you will keep me alive reviving me.” In verse three, he says, “At the very moment I called out to you, you answered me! You strengthened me deep within my soul and breathed fresh courage into me.”

Friends, we can face any difficulty when we are filled afresh with God’s Spirit above being full of ourselves.

We can rejoice and come up higher, according to Psalm 24:7 TPT, which says, “So wake up, you living gateways! Lift up your heads, you doorways of eternity! Welcome the King of Glory, for he is about to come through you.”

Friends, we can rise and remain living in the ascended life Jesus died to give us by trusting and obeying Him to make our moments sweet.

So, let’s look to His every rainbow promise that bridges us to His fulfillment, as we abide with Him for every sweet moment.

Pray with me, if you will…

Dear Lord,

Thank You for Your heart of love that brings Your people together. Help me to remain in Your truth, to abide in You in all things. Please “Give me revelation about the meaning of your ways so I can enjoy the reward of following them fully” (Ps 119:33 TPT). Help me to choose Your righteousness over my own ways and reap the benefits of Your rewards. Thank You for Your sweet and fruitful moments in my life. I pray that You will multiply them.

In Jesus’ Mighty Name.

Amen.

And now, I declare that “The Lord is my Strength and my [impenetrable] Shield; my heart trusts in, relies on, and confidently leans on Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song will I praise Him” (Ps 28:7 AMPC).

To God be the glory.

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.