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Standard Decisions

During quiet time recently, Holy Spirit revealed to me that many are being tested in new levels of prosperity. 

The Lord is saying:

Just as you have been tested in persecution, so, too, will you be tested in prosperity. You will be tested in fulfilling your role in the promises I put in your heart long ago that I am bringing to pass. You will be tested in prioritizing Me in all you have been given and in all you have to do. For to whom much is given, much is required. You will be tested in following Me, depending on Me and obeying Me right now and in your very near future. There is only new wine here and there. You will be tested to be made stronger in Me.

I Am God, who gives and takes away. I have given you much with much more to come, and now it’s time to begin to move into position to do as I have revealed to you. You have known this time is coming. This time of great shift, of multiplicity and great outpouring. It will be as I have said. I have given you what you need. It’s time to decide which way you will go, says The Lord. Will you go your own way or make decisions by My standards? I require commitment. Do you believe Me? Will you trust Me? Will you seek Me and inquire of Me? 

It’s time to shine, says The Lord. My glory Presence will be with you all the way. I will cover you from consequences as you keep your eyes on Me. So, draw near to Me, abide in Me and go forward with Me. I will make your way light. I will be your truth. I will pour out My grace upon grace on you. Even when the enemy sends those close to you to deflect your gaze off of Me, do not engage in the battle. They are being influenced by the same demons sent to provoke you off course during your time of persecution. So, trust Me to fight on your behalf, says The Lord. Bless the people, keep moving forward and that evil will fall away.

I see your heart, says The Lord, and I am reviving hearts. I am bringing the renewal of regeneration and reconnections for those willing to take refuge in Me. I am bringing great joy for those who remember Me. I am bringing the change for which you have prayed and waited. The time is now. So, watch alongside Me, says The Lord, and be awed as I bring you into the greatest manifest abundance you have ever known. Just as it was long ago, when I revealed to you that your whole life would change and nothing would be the same, so it is coming around again. I will renew your life.

There are those reading and hearing this Word, who are wondering, “What about me?” To these chosen ones I say, when you fully confess and repent of your rebellion and defilement, when you choose to obey Me and receive My correction, when you choose to trust in Me and draw near to Me, I will shut the mouths of the roaring lions against you and deliver you up out of the mouths of the devouring wolves at night. For I am in the midst and My mighty deliverance will be expeditious, saysThe Lord. 

When you turn to Me, it will happen suddenly. As fast as it came, it will go. And I will restore your faith for new life (resurrection life, abundant life) swiftly. I will delight in you. Your vindication will shine like the noonday sun. I will dispense My justice on your behalf as you honor Me. Return to me, says The Lord of Hosts. Do it My way. And you will see that I will not fail you but delight in you. 

Scriptures that Holy Spirit highlighted to me are:

Colossians 3:1-4 TPT – “Christ’s resurrection is your resurrection too. This is why we are to yearn for all that is above, for that’s where Christ sits enthroned at the place of all power, honor, and authority! Yes, feast on all the treasures of the heavenly realm and fill your thoughts with heavenly realities, and not with the distractions of the natural realm. Your crucifixion with Christ has severed the tie to this life, and now your true life is hidden away in God in Christ. And as Christ himself is seen for who he really is, who you really are will also be revealed, for you are now one with him in his glory!”

Hebrews 12:2 TPT – “We look away from the natural realm and we focus our attention and expectation onto Jesus who birthed faith within us and who leads us forward into faith’s perfection. His example is this: Because his heart was focused on the joy of knowing that you would be his, he endured the agony of the cross and conquered its humiliation, and now sits exalted at the right hand of the throne of God!”

Luke 12:48 TPT – “For those who have received a greater revelation from their master are required a greater obedience. And those who have been entrusted with great responsibility will be held more responsible to their master.”

1 John 5:21 NIV – “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.”

Zephaniah 3:1-3, 5 NIV – “Woe to the city of oppressors, rebellious and defiled! She obeys no one, she accepts no correction. She does not trust in the Lord, she does not draw near to her God. Her officials within her are roaring lions; her rulers are evening wolves, who leave nothing for the morning. The Lord within her is righteous; he does no wrong. Morning by morning he dispenses his justice, and every new day he does not fail, yet the unrighteous know no shame.”

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

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God’s Vision

During quiet time one morning, Holy Spirit guided me to Isaiah 43 and impressed upon my heart that what has felt delayed for a long time is coming on the scene as a gentle lead-in to a restored foundation expressed. In other words, there are outward foundational blessings that God is bringing us into as He has restored our foundations inwardly (Is 33:6).

Can you see Him leading you accordingly in what He prompts you to do right now? It may be toward a new reconnection of an old relationship that’s just beginning again. It may be getting organized for a scheduled relocation. How is God inviting you to come closer right now to Him in what He has for you?

Where it looked dry for a long time, those promised streams will flow as new life comes forth right before us. It will be beautiful, and even more so, than it was as you remember, because God is doing a new thing (Is 43:19). 

The key precept here is Isaiah 43:19 TPT, which asks, “Don’t you perceive it?”

These Words are purposed to invite us to focus on God and see as He sees to be guided in His right direction. His direction will continue to lead us into greater fullness and glory in new-life and even new-legacy areas. 

God is reminding us that what we perceive we will also receive. We are very close, so it’s important to keep our focus on Him. It’s all a leading into promised dreams coming true—the ones He put in our hearts and purposed, even long ago.

God is re-establishing us in all that makes up this new life He has for us, nothing missing, nothing broken. Shalom-wholeness is our portion, and beauty will surround us.

Holy Spirit is even opening our eyes to see this in part now, as He leads us through His new life order. As we continue to work unto Him (as worship), He is clearing a path, making a way for us to enter in even more, and He is giving us understanding in advance as necessary.

In this light, Holy Spirit showed me that it’s important, right now, to accurately discern distraction from elements of what is truly of Him. What may initially appear to be a distraction can actually be a revealing, a clue of the fullness forward. We must see as He sees to know the difference, and this comes from Holy Spirit alone. 

He will turn our mourning into dancing, while He turns evil shouts into mourning (Is 43:14). He has reversed curses and set us up to step into rewards forward. He has lifted us and fitted us with new garments that are more becoming of Him. 

There are people we will meet and re-meet that we couldn’t before because of un-resolve in our souls. By God’s goodness, the areas in which He has grown us—or delivered us incrementally—will be the areas in which He will bring us into the maturity of His new expressions for us. He has all kinds of nouns—people, places and things—waiting for us. Wellsprings of His goodness in areas where we’ve had to re-dig and become re-established. 

These people will have anointings and other giftings to advance us beyond where we can go on our own. They will know God’s heart on matters and how to accomplish His will. They will offer us their best abilities, knowledge and heart connections. They will work alongside us as assigned, not getting in God’s way or ours, but in step with Him as sent ones to help us. Their earnest hearts will prove out as a type of kinsman-redeemer.

We will know them by their fruit, and it will be as God foretold us. We will experience His Presence of peace, His lovely grace-ease. These redeemed ones will be a significant part of our journeys—life- and legacy-changing. Yes, in this new-life order, God is restoring our legacies to be more like what He originally intended. The fullness of what past generations began will be ours when Holy Spirit breaks us through barriers to entry and enables us to steward God’s treasures according to His will. 

We can remember that God’s Presence is everything—in vision and execution. We can remain in the peace of God to know what to do and where to go and when. We can let the past fall away to the extent that it becomes distant, just like it is for God in Isaiah 43:25 TPT, where the prophet Isaiah says God “completely erases” our sins and never sees or remembers them again. Because God has lightened our burdens, we can rise with Him as our greatest Treasure forward, the same Treasure found in His sent people, places and things. 

Pray with me if you will . . . 

Dear Lord, 

Thank You for Your heart of blessing for me. Help me to see what and how You see. Help me not to miss anything that’s of You for me. Help me to discern what is truly of You right now and forward. Help me steward my time and attention according to Your will in all things. Thank You for bringing me into Your best promises fulfilled.

In Jesus’ Mighty Name,

Amen

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

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Goodness Anew

Recently, our Lord highlighted a scripture to me and gave me a Word. 

The scripture is Joshua 6:15 AMP, which says, “Then on the seventh day they got up early at daybreak and marched around the city in the same way seven times; only on that day they marched around the city seven times.”

The Word of The Lord is this: 

Many are on their seventh-day march. This is the day the walls fall and you step into the dominion for which you have contended. By His Spirit, God is destroying barriers to entry and you shall stand above what stood above you to offer up to God what is His. “I AM with you,” says the Lord of Hosts. “I AM bigger and more powerful than any other fortress.” 

God is breaking yokes and removing burdens for a major new beginning, A day of His power and righteousness revealed. A day of His glory shinning all the way through. A day of manifest victory for the army of God. 

In His goodness, our Lord is fulfilling His promises and restoring people to what they once lost. He is making a way for them to experience better, giving them a fresh start, having made them wiser and stronger in Him. He is rebuilding their confidence and delivering them into destiny.

A True Fortress

God, Himself, is a true fortress and none are stronger.

In Colossians 2:5 AMP, Paul describes us as a fortress, as one that stands with God by saying, “For even though I am absent [from you] in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, delighted to see your good discipline [as you stand shoulder to shoulder and form a solid front] and to see the stability of your faith in Christ [your steadfast reliance on Him and your unwavering confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness].”

In 1 Peter 2:9 TPT, Peter reminds us who we are and of our purpose by saying, “But you are God’s chosen treasure —priests who are kings, a spiritual “nation” set apart as God’s devoted ones. He called you out of darkness to experience his marvelous light, and now he claims you as his very own. He did this so that you would broadcast his glorious wonders throughout the world.”

Fit and Enriched

Clearly, it’s God’s goodness that makes us fit for use, morally excellent and a vessel through which God can enrich the lives of others. God’s goodness is a powerhouse of mercy, fueled by selfless love for divine missions.

In this light, we can remember 2 Corinthians 5:18 TPT, which says, “And God has made all things new, and reconciled us to himself, and given us the ministry of reconciling others to God.”

So, He’s giving us a breakthrough opportunity to reach out and change lives in new, expanded ways. He’s helping us establish new territory. He’s settling matters of our hearts as we go, finish the work at hand and offer up to Him what belongs to Him. 

God is blessing us even more in this new-life cycle. The foolishness we faced yesterday will fall away and we will be enriched to enrich others. The march will be worth it. The circumcision of heart will be worth it. The separation from the old flock will be worth it. And the wilderness experience will be worth it all. 

Like Joseph

Our Lord brought to mind Joseph and how God’s goodness was poured into him through his earthly father, Jacob. That goodness contained loyalty that stuck with Joseph. We see this in Egypt, where Joseph expressed this favored blessing to others. It was accepted, valued and honored by them and also was, ultimately, returned to Joseph. So, even though Joseph’s brothers didn’t receive God’s goodness through Joseph initially, others, with whom God connected him, benefited from it. 

Likewise, when our hearts are aligned with God’s goodness, He makes a way for an outward expression of it to reach others for whom we have a heart. It may come in an unusual way or even in an unlikely place, but God will lift us into His marvelous light to be a blessing right where we are, wherever He takes us and also back home in the lives of those we’ve held in our hearts, as we continue to seek and honor Him. In this, we can be certain. 

So, pray with me if you will . . . 

Dear Lord, 

Thank You for a merciful new beginning to experience You in a new way for new assignments. Thank You for lifting me above obstacles to enter into more of Your will and purposes. Thank You that Your goodness makes me fit and enriches my life to enrich others. Help me to fight forward with You to build Your Kingdom as You would have it. 

In Jesus’ Mighty Name,

Amen. 

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

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Time Zone

Sometimes, we forget there are four spiritual seasons, just like there are four natural seasons. The four spiritual seasons are sowing, reaping, pruning and storage.

We may hear of sowing and reaping most often. And we are made painfully aware of pruning seasons when they come. But there seems to be little mention of storage seasons. I don’t know about you, but storage is the season from which I’ve been transitioning.

Storage is when God stores you up for something greater ahead. He separates you out and zones you off unto Himself for a time of intimacy with Him. He pulls you aside to set you apart from something and for something that’s important to you but feels far away, even geographically. This something often involves our biggest, most anticipated dreams-come-true.

Some describe it as a hidden season or a wilderness season. But it’s a gracious time of preparation in which we can revel with God and be transformed by His Word and Spirit of Truth. It’s a time of deeper enjoyment of Him as our greatest Love.

Ecclesiastes 3:11-12 tells us that “He has also planted eternity [a sense of divine purpose] in the human heart [a mysterious longing which nothing under the sun can satisfy, except God]—yet man cannot find out (comprehend, grasp) what God has done (His overall plan) from the beginning to the end. I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good as long as they live.”

So, just as in the natural world in which we live, each of God’s seasons flow into one another. And as one facilitates the other, we experience His sequence of time, purpose and corresponding actions. We can know that, according to Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, there is a time for everything and that God makes everything “beautiful and appropriate” in its time (Ec 3:11).

Living this out, we can see there’s no use in struggling to make things happen in our own way and time. We are to be satisfied with what we have at any given time until God brings change. At the same time, we are to hold onto hope in our hearts for more of Him to pour into and out of our lives. As we look for the new, He will add and take away what He knows we need. In doing so, we are made new; and we grow in making Him our greatest priority.

It seems, each year, when the calendar is about to roll over, there’s a spectrum of predictions by well-meaning people. Some are truly Words of God and some are hopes and dreams expressed. But God’s truth is that He has a timing for it all. And He will often reveal His timing for key events to us in advance as it benefits us.

I’ve read prophetic Words on social media that list shifts that will happen in individuals’ lives this year. And if I didn’t know God’s timing for me, personally, 2023 would end in disappointment, as His timing for each individual often varies.

His timing is intricate. There are appointed times and fixed (due) times for events. There are births and deaths. There are mega shifts. There are needs. And in-between these markers, God works in, through and for us incrementally, bringing us into higher holiness. In fact, in all my times of praying for people over the years, I’ve never seen a sudden miracle that didn’t have a trail of increments attached.

We prosper as our souls prosper. And as we seek God, we grow in Him and come closer to the “suddenly” He has for us. For an event to occur, much needs to be worked out in our lives and in the lives of others, who are assigned to be a part of our events. This requires patience and faith in God.

So, it’s imperative that we sync with Him in His timeline for us as individuals and also realize it’s not just about us. Many events simply will not happen until it’s God’s time, because for them to occur, God has to align others, too. They are important to His heart, and the effects are significant.

In this kind of time zone, where we have been set apart, waiting for our big crescendo moments to occur, we can remember that He will not fail us. We can know that we are well-prepared and purposed for what’s right in front of us. And we can trust Him to make it all happen in His standard of time, knowing we’ll respond appropriately and beautifully.

Pray with me if you will . . .

Dear Lord,

Thank You that, as You process us through life, we can know and rest in Your timing for us. Thank You for zoning us precisely where we need to be at precisely Your right time for precisely Your purposes. I trust Your heart for me, including Your timeline.

In Jesus’ Mighty Name,

Amen.

Two days after I wrote this devo, our Lord gave me a Word to share . . .

MANY ARE ABOUT TO BE TESTED IN NEW LEADERSHIP ROLES

There are things God has assigned you to lead but not until His time for you. At times, in your immaturity and impatience, you have felt frustrated. But God is about to open your gate; and when He does, you will know precisely what to do. The strategic downloads, full of wisdom, have already been given to you by God. And just like Joshua and Caleb, you will need to walk them out with a commitment to careful obedience and a whole heart. You will find that you are well able. You will find that you will know what to do, unlike times past. You will find that, even when troubles hit, they will not have the negative impact on you they once did. They will roll off quicker, and you will rise as you run to Me to pour out your heart for the comfort of further guidance.

Trust Me, says the Lord of Hosts. I will direct you. I will command you. I will continue to set you apart for greatness. The great mysteries that are found in My Name, I will reveal to you. You will know what to do and even more quickly than before. I have made you a sharp instrument. Have confidence in this. You will not fail because I will not fail you. Depend on Me, says The Lord of Hosts. Everything you need is found in Me. Turn swiftly to Me. I will be there, waiting for you, as I have been here, mighty man and woman of God. I love you. And I will respond quickly.  -Your Heavenly Father

Jeremiah 33:3 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.”

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

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Selfless Voice

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I read Christmas advent books into January and Valentine’s Day. This year, there’s one I’ve gotten stuck on . . . in a good way. It’s Pastor Rick Warren’s The Purpose of Christmas.

About midway through, there’s a brief chapter titled, Jesus Came to Save You from Sin and Yourself. 

For me, this says it all. At least right now. 

You see, God has been highlighting selfishness to me lately. And, if you’ve known Jesus for any measure of time, you know that we have to give up to go up. 

We’re always a work in progress. The transformation never ends. Just when we feel like we’ve overcome some major area of resistance, Holy Spirit shows us something else. I feel like I live in daily repentance. And that’s a good thing. 

Before I even began reading this book, right around Christmastime, Holy Spirit had me write a devotion titled, New Order, with “Order” being my key prophetic Word from Him for 2023. So now, as I walk out this physical transformation, I’m realizing, even more, the transformation He’s doing in me. 

And so, it goes, as I work to bring my house into a new order, He’s working in me as His house, His temple. And just like a piece of furniture that needs to be pulled out and cleaned behind, He’s exposing another area and layer of selfishness that has to go. 

I’ve had to discipline myself to not neglect His house as I’ve tended to my own. Holy Spirit spoke to me clearly, several months ago, saying, “Don’t put your house before Me.” I sensed in my spirit that something was coming up ahead, where I needed to have my mind set on what was most important to Him. He knows it’s easy for us to let priorities get messy during transformations, especially for those of us who tend to be task focused.

We know surrendering to Him means that we have to lay down our own ways. 

So, now when surfaces and spaces are made messier in the midst of establishing new order, I’ve had to block out the mess long enough to focus on Him; and make myself sit and be quiet right in the middle of the mess. It has been seriously slowing my natural, hurried pace, but it’s obvious to me that He’s bringing me into a greater Martha-Mary balance and, ultimately, peace.

Holy Spirit confirmed all of this in His Word:

First, in John 14:15 TPT, He says, “Loving me empowers you to obey my commands.”

And secondly, in Matthew 16:24 TPT, which says, “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If you truly want to follow me, you should at once completely reject and disown your own life. And you must be willing to share my cross and experience it as your own, as you continually surrender to my ways.'”

Recently, I wrote in my journal that “I need to please God above what pleases me.” Sometimes, we need to be reminded of this and realize what following Him looks like for where we are now. This leads to a key element, which is discernment.

The verse Holy Spirit highlighted to me in this regard is Romans 12:2 TPT, which says, “Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.”

For me, this means to stop occupying myself with activities that focus my mind on anything less important, especially social media and news briefs during work breaks. Some of the images and stories I see there have proved to be distractions in my mind in the sense that they shift my focus off of God and onto pop culture. And since we know that we become what we focus on, this kind of “little thing” has the power to shift us off course over time. So, it’s really not a small thing when we give it too much influence in our minds.

But when God’s selfless voice is the loudest in our heads, He transforms our thinking to align with His. Only in this place of His Presence and Word can we rightly discern what pleases Him most. It’s how we’ll be able to walk with Him, obey Him, follow Him, and live for Him in this new order of life.

He promises it will prove to be more beautiful and satisfying than we could ever do our way. His way is and will always be superior to ours and, graciously, for our benefit. 

So, pray with me if you will . . . 

Dear Lord, 

Thank You for the new life You have for me. I know that remaining close to You is everything. Therefore, let Your voice be the dominant one in my life, so that I remain aligned with You and speak Your true Words for Your greater purposes. Help me to quickly respond to You. And keep me under Your protection. 

In Jesus’ Mighty Name, 

Amen. 

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