Category: Video-Devotions

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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.

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Heart Filled

A heart of faith-filled promises produces a heart full of gratitude (Ep 3:17). 

As God reveals His ways and purposes to us in the transition of His promises we’ve held in our hearts, we can expect Him to awaken us to a deeper gratitude of His how, what and why. 

I believe many will be astounded as He surprises us with His revealed mysteries of how He will fulfill His promises to us. Herein lies the treasure of deep gratitude.

Luke 8:10 TPT reminds us that we “have been given a teachable heart to perceive the secret, hidden mysteries of God’s kingdom realm.”

As our souls are impacted by His methods, we must keep giving every opposition to Him—all heaviness of fear, loss and false responsibility. As we submit to His ways and delight in Him, our souls will awaken to more of His rich, abiding love (Ep 3:18).

We can come into agreement with His truth of Psalm 119:24 TPT, which says, “Your commandments are my counselors; your Word is my light and delight!”

Recently, I saw “Light is might” in a Word-vision. The sense I had in my spirit was that God is bringing about life-changing lift as His light of promise is fulfilled in ways that only He can (Ep 3:16). And His mighty ways will not fit into anyone’s box (Ep 3:20). 

Our strength in the midst of transition is the focused mind of Christ, our willing obedience and the joyful delight of His high purpose in His outpouring of greater goodness. Oh, to know Him more in the breakthroughs!

2 Peter 1:3 TLB says, “For as you know him better, he will give you, through his great power, everything you need for living a truly good life: he even shares his own glory and his own goodness with us!”

Isaiah 26:3 TLB says, “He will keep in perfect peace all those who trust in him, whose thoughts turn often to the Lord!”

So, our declaration can be “My heart and soul explode with joy—full of glory! Even my body will rest confident and secure” (Ps 16:9 TPT).

We must receive God’s perspective and hold to His truth as His best for us, even if it means letting go of former things. When we do this, we can receive His new things to operate in His greater abundance forward. 

One of the beauties of John 10:10 is that He leads the ones He made stable into another level of abundant life. 

Right now, God is extending invitations to us daily to come closer to Him and go deeper with Him to receive the revelation understanding we need to remain solid in the transition.

Proverbs 25:3 TPT reminds us that “The heart of a king is full of understanding, like the heavens are high and the ocean is deep.”

We know that we do not walk alone in deep places and that He is with us and will reveal Himself to us. It can also help to know that others will be transitioning too and that many on the side of where we’re heading have an anointing to pray us through. 

So, we can ask God to order our steps to receive through them. But our best, most fitting counsel will come directly from Holy Spirit to us. Because, when it comes directly from Him, we don’t have to strain to understand and we tend not to doubt. 

His revelations are lightbulb moments that surpass our own thinking. He makes our testimonies unique as He brings us into more of what’s new to us. 

As we seek Him and find Him in the midst, He’ll be there to lift our heads and hearts to see and know as He does. He will help us continue to follow Him with childlike faith that accesses miracles of new life along our Divine destinies. 

Much will happen as He shifts our perspectives to see His workings His way—both old and new. Our knowledge of things past will ascend to a higher viewpoint to cause us to be open to the changes He’ll bring in our lives. What we thought we knew before, we will now begin to see as Divinely purposed. And it will make sense to us.

Proverbs 23:15 TPT says, “My beloved child, when your heart is full of wisdom, my heart is full of gladness.” 

And isn’t this what we desire most? To please Him. To honor Him. To remain steadfast and make wise decisions that reflect His Heavenly nature on the earth.

Pray with me if you will . . . 

Dear Lord, 

Thank You for the light of life You’ve given me and for restoring my appreciation of the journey. Help me to continue to fight “an excellent fight” and keep “my heart full of faith” (2 Tim 4:7 TPT). Help me to continue to receive Your truth that produces freedom and deep gratitude toward You for who You are and what You’re doing in my life. May “my heart and soul explode with joy—full of glory” (Ps 16:9 TPT)! Thank You for helping me live in Your abundance.

To You, Lord, be all glory, honor and praise. 

In Jesus’ Mighty Name, 

Amen. 

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

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Beginning Anew

Recently, as I awakened one morning and looked out the window, I saw a clear sky over treetops in a way I never had before. This continued over the next few days. 

From the very first sunrise, our Lord began to speak to my heart. He revealed that these sunrises of new days are for those with child-like faith and wonder—those who have awakened to Holy Spirit’s revelations over the years. 

These beloved ones are beginning to come into the manifestations of their hearts desires, even greater than they imagined as a child. God has made their futures bright and is leading them now to continue to show them the way. They will see that the wilderness they once found themselves in has become the stepping stone to their expansive freedom.

God has come in with a consuming fire to burn up obstacles that once came against them—the same obstacles He didn’t cause but purposed and used to bring them higher in Him. “They have served their purpose,” says The Lord of Hosts. What used to plague them no longer will. They are free from what was sent to hold them back. They have been made strong in Him for such a time as this, beyond what they could see back then.

God’s fire will also help these beloved ones not look back. He has set them on a clear path at a new altitude and range with eagle clarity and focus, heading straight into His promises. Nothing below them concerns them, as God has broken them through into a beautiful new life that will honor Him in a new way. These beloved ones will experience His beauty of a new day and in a new area to them. 

Our Lord reminded me of a key scripture that He highlighted to me and that I clung to ten years ago, which is Song of Songs 2:13. It asks us, “Can you not discern this new day of destiny breaking forth around you? The early signs of my purposes and plans are bursting forth. The budding vines of new life are now blooming everywhere. The fragrance of their flowers whispers, ‘There is change in the air.’ Arise, my love, my beautiful companion, and run with me to the higher place. For now is the time to arise and come away with me” (TPT version).

In this passage, the “signs” of His purpose and plans are described as “early.” The “vines of new life” are described as “budding.” But now, the day of destiny is right in front us. It’s in clear sight from a higher perspective. 

In this passage, the early signs have given way to the latter signs of right now, just before big-shift promises are made complete. Do you see these latter signs? Do you also realize that you still need to continue to come away with Him as you navigate the soar? For only in Him do we live and move and have our being.

In addition to this key scripture, Holy Spirit also highlighted Matthew 11:30 to me four times, confirming that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. He’s revealing that much has been lifted off of His beloved ones to live and move again as He intended in Acts 17:28, which is to function forward, knowing our identity in Him. 

“It will be as though it never was,” says The Lord of Hosts regarding the pain of the past, “as you continue to step into My glorious future for you.”

The Lord then took me to Isaiah 35 to remind me of His glorious promises for His redeemed. As I re-read this chapter, He reminded me of specific promises that are about to come on the scene as He brings about big shifts. 

In verse 1, He speaks of the desert blossoming “like a rose” and rejoicing (Is 35:1)! He says in verse 2 that “Every dry and barren place will burst forth with abundant blossoms, dancing and spinning with delight!” He speaks of “magnificent beauty” and “awesome glory.” He cites “the beautiful grandeur” of Himself.

He goes to say in verse 4 that “He is breaking through to give you victory! He comes to avenge your enemies. With divine retribution, He comes to save you!” He says in verse 10 that “Ecstatic joy will overwhelm them; weariness and grief will disappear!”

All of this is for those who walk with God and have allowed Him to do deep work in them. I encourage you to read Isaiah 35 and jot down what Holy Spirit reveals to you, specifically, about His purposes and strategies forward. 

Pray with me if you will . . . 

Dear Lord, 

Thank You for deliver us up out of former places into our futures. Please help us to continue to abide in You to produce as much fruit that pleases You. I trust You to navigate us all the way into Your completed promises. 

In Jesus’ Mighty Name, 

Amen. 

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

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New Order

Recently, I watched an interview with Candace Cameron Bure, in which she said our Lord gave her a Word for 2023. The Word was “Joy.” 

This brought to mind someone close to me, who also does the same—asks our Lord for a single Word for the new year. 

And so, I decided to do it, too, one morning. Immediately, Holy Spirit showed me the Word “Order” in a Word-vision. 

I wasn’t surprised, because it’s what He has me doing right now. Also, I’ve been realizing that the work of bringing order is going to take some time. 

Right now, order for me looks like reorganizing and repairing my home space in preparation for big shifts ahead. With this new order, God is making my load light, as in Matthew 11:30. 

He is our God of order.

Order pleases God. It is His desire and nature. It is His wisdom. It is harmonious and facilitates the proper function and sequence of purpose, change and time.

Order is the state or condition of a thing (Webster’s). Right order is often the result of obedience, submission and walking with Him. 

Order is what Jesus trained His disciples in and what He left for us to awaken to and practice in our unique circumstances as we seek more of Him in our midst. 

According to Holy Scripture, order reflects discipline and commitment of our faith in God (Co 2:5). It reveals our position of dignity, rank and character (Strong’s #5010). It can be an arrangement in time that expresses a position of fashion, quality and style that generally depends on one’s God-given talents, experiences and resources (Thayer’s Greek Lexicon).  

Order is a verb.

I think of order mostly as a verb, since it’s a dynamic, ever changing framework, into which blessings fit as we grow. Order doesn’t prevent us from coloring outside of the lines in expressions of creativity. But rather creates boundaries that facilitate our enjoyment of God’s goodness as He continually expands it in our lives.

So, for me, order is pretty exciting. And those who have a gift of administration may enjoy the organization element of it, too. But for others, order may not feel so extraordinary. 

Here’s how it can benefit you . . . 

Since order is linked with authority in governing, to bring order is to be aligned with authority over that which God places in our stewardship. Therefore, order is an invitation to synchronicity and increased efficiency with God. 

Order is a kind of expression of being the head and not the tail. To reign with God victoriously, void of the downward pull of confusion. 

New order comes with a purposed grace to actually help facilitate space for God’s newness in our lives. 

Re-order comes with mercy, relative to how God has grown us and where He’s calling us. It’s an invitation to come up higher and reign in peace, knowing He has purposed our endeavors. 

We can have purpose without peace, but when we do, this should awaken us to the need for more order. God will show us the way as we walk with Him in faith.

As our capacity of blessings changes, order must correspond to facilitate peace. Therefore, building order facilitates the flow of life, freeing us to be available. 

Beautiful Order

1 Corinthians 14:40 TPT instructs us to do “all things in a beautiful and orderly way.” Here, the Word “beautiful” means respectful and “with the right design” (TPT study note). 

Over the years, God has restored many back to His “right design.” And He fiercely safeguards this righteous order from those who would try to tear it down through disrespect and discouragement (1 Co 5:11). He invites His restored ones to participate in greater expressions of His right order outwardly.

Lift & Shift

Several years ago, Holy Spirit said to me very clearly, “Get your house in order.” Thankfully, He gave me the understanding of what He meant. He was bringing about a big shift, and He desired that heavy burdens of the extraneous be lifted from me. 

So, with His directive, my husband and I began at the foundation level (garage and basement) of our home and made our way to the attic to clean out items that needed to go. We went through plastic tubs, drawers, cabinets and closets. It took us a year-and-a-half. 

When we finished, God moved us out of state into new roles of blessing, where we remained for eight years.

Now, here we are again: cleaning out, storing and re-storing—bringing new order to the level that pleases God for another big shift forward.

Pray with me if you will . . . 

Dear Lord, 

Thank You for bringing a better order into our lives. Since order is a beautiful facilitation of new life for us, bring it on. Thank You for helping us make room for all things new that are of You for us right now and forward. 

In Jesus’ Mighty Name. 

Amen. 

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

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Successful Ways

When God is with us in our endeavors, we succeed. This awakens fear in our enemies and love in those we lead. 

David is an example. 

1 Samuel 18:14-16 NIV say that “In everything he did he had great success, because the Lord was with him. When Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of him. But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in their campaigns.”

So, the key to success is submission to God. Where’s there’s faithfulness, there’s a powerful synchronicity in relationship that includes honor and grace-favor.

Proverbs 3:3-4 TPT say, “Hold on to loyal love and don’t let go, and be faithful to all that you’ve been taught. Let your life be shaped by integrity, with truth written upon your heart. That’s how you will find favor and understanding with both God and men—you will gain the reputation of living life well” (Strong’s #7922).

We simply cannot lose when we trust and obey God.

Joshua is another example. He was known for his careful obedience. 

God’s instruction to him was “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall read [and meditate on] it day and night, so that you may be careful to do [everything] in accordance with all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will be successful” (Jos 1:8 AMP).

The Word “successful” (Strong’s # 7919) here means to be prudent, to gain understanding, which is to build Godly wisdom, insight, discernment and intelligence. 

Right now, I’m seeing God bring a trail of in-road connections that will support us through some big shifts just in front of us. These connections will help us by warming and strengthening our hearts for new levels of work beyond. 

God is revealing His truth and promises in ways that will get through to us. He’s helping our attitudes along by perfecting us. He’s making us into sharp, swift instruments as we continue to align with His Word. 

Ephesians 4:22-24 TPT are key. They say, “And he has taught you to let go of the lifestyle of the ancient man, the old self-life, which was corrupted by sinful and deceitful desires that spring from delusions. Now it’s time to be made new by every revelation that’s been given to you. And to be transformed as you embrace the glorious Christ-within as your new life and live in union with him! For God has re-created you all over again in his perfect righteousness, and you now belong to him in the realm of true holiness.” 

He is fashioning us to flourish even more. He is changing our anointings.

We’ll find a new boldness that’s rooted in His true strength and power. Gone will be the hard-heartedness of our pasts. As un-resolve continues to be uprooted, no longer will we attract more pain.

Since we become what we behold, Holy Spirit will cause us to release residual falsehoods that once kept us bound. 

Where the enemy intended to bind us by blinding us, the curse will be reversed when we come into more of His truth. Former wounds will be bound and wholeness will prevail.

Where truth is restored, integrity is restored. Wisdom becomes a joy as we are reset to succeed in areas where God can trust us with more. 

This kind of deliverance is, in itself, a type of success, where we prevail over that which once hindered us and our inherent promises by driving out ungodliness and taking possession of what God says is ours (Strong’s#3423). 

We see this in David’s mission and in Joshua’s, where they constantly overcame that which tried to overcome them. 

They built victories into their lives by first dwelling in it.

Willing to lay all down for His Kingdom, they were made strong in our Lord. They understood that their blessings came with persecutions (Mk 10:30). Yet, they were still faithful.

They depended on God for unique strategies that grew them to know Him and honor Him more. They fought their way through opposition and fulfilled their uncommon purposes with these divine strategy. 

They understood God’s priority and timing. They knew when to rise and where to establish. They knew what to accomplish and how to endure. They knew how to take a stand (Strong’s #6965). And they trusted God to lead them. 

They learned along the way by reaching for God to lead them beyond themselves. They experienced incremental successes that led up to the fulfillment of God’s big promises. And we can do the same. 

So, pray with me if you will…

Dear Lord, 

Thank You for being with us along our journeys of rebuilding (Ne 2:20). Thank You for making us successful, for enabling us to dwell in Your victory and for causing us to advance and prosper (Ne 1:11; Strong’s #6743). Show us Your ways, Lord. Give us Your wisdom and help us receive it and apply it all along Your paths for us. For Your Kingdom’s sake.

In Jesus’ Mighty Name, 

Amen.

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