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Overcoming Hinderances
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Overcoming Hinderances

by GOD TV
written by GOD TV

Hebrews 12:1 tells us to throw off every hindrance and the sin that so easily entangles and run the race marked out for us. That word ‘sin’ in that scripture is ‘to miss the mark.’ So we are holy and blameless, we are forgiven. We are seated in the heavenlies, but we can miss the mark through things that we have done, or that have been done to us that have caused us to walk in a way that’s missing the mark of the glory that we are called to.

We can walk in a lesser reality. That sin is simply missing the mark of God and what He has and what He has, whom He has made us and what we’re called to be in Him. And that other part, that throw off everything that hinders, you know, we don’t grow up in perfect families. I certainly didn’t. And we can inherit, if you will, iniquities that slime us, that cause us to live as less than we are in God. So I want to just encourage you. If you’re like me and you need to be cleaned up, you just need to work on some things, to get rid of some lies or to let God heal some wounds that have hindered you or been a weight. Like God says, throw off everything that hinders. It’s like a yoke on your neck, or it’s like this, this heavy thing that’s put on you. That is not you. If that’s you, I encourage you to be courageous and to take steps to actually get help. I had to do that. I had to go through a lot of inner healing and counseling and deliverance. And there’s no shame in that. It’s just part of the human condition that we need others. We need the body of Christ. People have walked through healing. People have walked through deliverance to help us. So I encourage you, if you have something that is a weight that’s hindering you from running the race that God has for you to run, that purpose, that calling that thing that’s in your heart that you say, that’s what I’d like to do, but you can’t get there, and you stumble to try and figure it out and to get there. I encourage you allow people to come and alongside, reach out, take steps, and don’t give up. Even if it takes time, even if it takes a year. What’s a year of pursuing help to get free so that you can run that race that God has for you to run?

Let me pray for you, if that’s you. God, I just pray that you would come alongside this one who’s hearing this and knowing I have things that hinder me. I have sin that causes me to miss the mark of who I am in God. I pray God, that you help them. Give them heavenly courage to take steps and connect them with people that they need that will be mature fathers and mothers in the faith, or those who have the training and the experience and the spiritual discernment. Connect them with those people, either online or in their lives. Bless them, open the way so that they can find the pathway so that they can run the race that’s marked out for them. I bless them with the courage, in the Name of Jesus, to take the next step.

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Street Preacher’s Courage And Devotion Triumphed Over Arrests

by Christa
written by Christa

Pastor John Sherwood, who was recently acquitted of “hate speech,” shared his sentiments about continuing to preach the Gospel. The street preacher’s courage triumphed over the fear of potential arrests he may face when sharing the Word of God.

Public Disorder charge

Last year, police officers arrested Pastor Sherwood on charges of of alleged hate speech. Many complained of his “homophobic” message about Genesis 1:27-28. In contrast, Pastor Sherwood was only expounding on the passage of God’s original design for families. He boldly declared that a family unit consists of a father and mother, not two fathers or two mothers.

Prayers of support brought together the Christian community for the open-air preacher. Thankfully, Pastor Sherwood won the trial held last April 7.

In his interview with Christian Today, he recalled his experience on the day of the trial.

“My experience in the many months leading up to the trial was not a happy one,” he shared.

But the fearless pastor rested on God’s sovereignty. He took shelter on Jesus’ word in John 19:11. Before the crucifixion, Pontius Pilate told Jesus that he was powerful enough to have him released or not. But Jesus replied, “Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above.”

With this, Pastor Sherwood calmly faced the trial believing in the God who reigns overall.

Street Preacher’s Courage

Today, he encouraged pastors and preachers to be bolder and not fear the persecution that may come with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

He referred to Acts 4, where apostles Peter and John were also arrested because of the message of Christ. When warned not to preach again, the two apostles said, “We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:20)

“I accordingly believe that, despite the threats of the establishment or despite their wanting to control our activities, we must continue to preach the word publicly at every opportunity,” Sherwood said.

Moreover, during the apostolic times, disciples of Christ rejoiced when they were counted worthy to suffer for Jesus’ sake. Sherwood said that the delight remains today.

“I firmly believe that biblical teaching should not be compromised because of pressure from the man-pleasing dictates and the fashions of the day,” he added.

Reference: Christian Today

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thinking strategy
Faith

The 5-Minute Thinking Strategy for Confidence And Courage

by Kyle Winkler
written by Kyle Winkler
5-Minute Thinking Strategy to Grow Your Confidence and Courage

The human brain is an amazing and complex organ. It’s the control center for our bodies, both physically and emotionally. That’s why the Bible cautions to “guard your thoughts because they are the source of true life” (Proverbs 4:23, CEV).

Science is constantly learning how the brain works. What we know for sure is that God designed it to be moldable. The technical term for this is plasticity. As I illustrate in the video above, what you see, hear, taste, smell and feel all work to shape your brain, causing you to expect certain outcomes and respond in automatic ways.

This design is brilliant for positive things like learning languages or instruments. But because we’re broken people living in a broken world, our brains do the same with the many negative experiences around us.

For example, a person who faced repeated rejection in the past often battles fear of rejection in the future, simply because their brain learned to expect rejection. Trauma works similarly, causing people to react at a reminder of past pain or even the possibility of experiencing it again.

There are plenty of other examples. But the gist is that the persistent thoughts, feelings and behaviors you hate are likely the results of how your brain was wired by what it experienced in your history.

You Don’t Have To Stay This Way

Though negative emotions can be strong, they aren’t hardwired into you. The same design that allowed the mind to be wired for negativity, may also be used to rewire the mind for positivity. The Bible calls this mind renewal, which is a process of “[becoming] a new person by changing the way you think” (Romans 12:2, NLT).

That’s a huge idea! But not just any thoughts positively change you. It takes consistent thoughts of truth—the kind only found in God’s Word.

Fix your thoughts on what is true. … Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
—Philippians 4:8, NLT

Undoubtedly, many Christians have heard about meditating upon Scripture. But most never actually experience its transformation because they lack a strategy for how to do so.

I’ve been there. For too many years, I used Scripture aimlessly, and therefore never realized the full power of it to change my life. That’s until God taught me a simple “thinking strategy” founded upon the science and Scripture we just explored.

The 5-Minute Thinking Strategy

To begin, select a time of day that’s best for you. It doesn’t need to be much more than five minutes, but it should be when your mind is most fresh and distraction free.

Then, …

Step 1: Read

What consistent emotion or reaction do you battle? Search Scripture for a truth that relates to it. If you need help finding one, use my Shut Up, Devil! app, the index at the back of a Bible or a scripture journal. When you find a related truth, simply read it.

Step 2: Reflect

Here’s the crucial part of the strategy, and what you should spend the most time on: reflect upon what the scripture means.

To aid your reflections, I recommend answering three questions:

  1. What does this truth mean about me?
  2. What does this mean about God’s character?
  3. What does this mean for my situation today?

Step 3: Rephrase

Using your reflections, rephrase the truth into a personal declaration that you speak aloud. (In the video above, I give an example of what this sounds like.)

Though it might feel strange to do at first, be sure to really say it. The act of speaking truth in a personalized way is what especially helps it stick with you.

Step 4: Repeat

Throughout the day, at the end of the day, or both, return to your reflections and your personal declaration. This repetition is what physically rewires the brain by creating new pathways. As the apostle Paul emphasized: “Fix your thoughts on what is true.”

Stick With It!

There you have it! The “thinking strategy” that rewires your brain comes down to four simple steps: read, reflect, rephrase and repeat.

Finally, though the process may take you less than five minutes, this isn’t a one-and-done kind of solution. The key is to stay dedicated to it for however long it takes to see change. Like repeated negative experiences wired your mind for negativity, it takes repeated experiences with God’s truths to rewire your mind to think and react more positively. But with your commitment and God’s empowerment, in time, as you change your thoughts, you’ll change your life.

(Want guidance in the process? I’ve created a 30-day reflection journal that includes scriptures alongside prompts that inspire you to see yourself and your situations in positive ways. Check it out at kylewinkler.org/journal.)

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Faith

“Until I Deborah, Arose.”

by Corine Channell
written by Corine Channell

Deborah

I really never studied about Deborah of the Bible. But I knew her name meant “bee”. I knew this because of a little girl named Maren Deborah and all the bee tokens I have bought her mama in her memory since she passed away 17 years ago. Funny, I just realized that the tiny bee has been waiting for me to notice its silent significance, or maybe it is just time. Sometimes it is the tiny things that will stand out the most – like a flicker of candlelight in the darkness. It is time to meet Deborah.

Deborah was a judge and the ONLY female judge mentioned in the Bible. She was also a prophetess. And, (are you ready for this) – a military leader. So, a judge, a prophetess, and a future military leader. Talk about Wonder Woman!

Here is a quick rundown of some Deborah moments. At the beginning of Judges chapter 5, it describes a time when fearful Israelites stayed in their houses and there was no one out in the streets. They were hiding from their Canaanite enemies, held captive by their fear. Judges 5:7 says, “Villagers in Israel would not fight; they held back until…”

Until.

I love that ONE word here. Until. It is a transition word. And it means something changed – something happened! It is followed by only THREE words, so a total of four words that changed that whole scenario. Ready? “Until I, Deborah arose.” Wait. What? That was THE change? Yes. ONE woman’s fearlessness to stand in the face of fear and an impossible situation; to be willing to make a difference – alone. (Insert YOUR name. “Until I ______ arose.” And see if YOUR situation could change because of YOU. Just sayin’.)

Mother In Israel

Let’s finish that verse – “Until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.”(Judges 5:7) Did she arise a mother? The term “mother in Israel” means – “Restoration of motherhood.” At the beginning of a war, the first thing to be awakened in her was MOTHERHOOD?

In Hebrew, the word for “mother in Israel” is ‘Shakamti’, which means “healing and mending.” (And THAT beautifully sums up motherhood.) So in her ONE statement, she presents herself as the mother of ISRAEL and announces the restoration and liberating power of MOTHERHOOD.

Mothers heal and mend. We all are mothers whether to natural-born children or to others who need a mother very badly. Get this right here – Women ARE all mothers – we are equipped by God to be powerful and courageous – we blaze new trails, we save lives, we fill in the blank spaces, we love fiercely, and it ALL makes us WARRIORS like Deborah.

The Song Of Deborah

Deborah was ready when her day of destiny showed up. This is key. Remember, she was already a judge, a prophetess, and an awakened mother to her country. So, all of Deborah’s ready skills prepared her for her NEXT task which was to become a military leader! I love everything about this. Come on! Look at her resume – talk about HERO status.

The one thing that stood out to me in this story is that she sang. No really, she SANG. “Awake, awake Deborah; awake, awake, utter a song… “ (Judges 5:12) She was awakened to then go PROCLAIM! When a sleeping lion is awakened what does it do? The Bible says she broke out in song – a song of victory BEFORE the victory. Judges chapter 5 has even been called “The Song of Deborah” down through the ages. She made the roll call of heroes of history!

This song in and of itself was the beginning of the victory the Israelites had over their Canaanite enemies. She enlisted the help of a general named Barak and all the Israelites followed their lead. Oh yeah, and they WON! I doubt there is anything that makes our enemies madder than us singing a song of victory in their faces.

The Deborah Calling

I just want to make a list of Deborah’s attributes that I believe we each can have. She was apparently a worship leader, motherly, empathetic, humble, a wise leader, trustworthy, knowledgeable,
trusted, faithful, fair, had a servant’s heart, direct, brave, did NOT micro-manage, had organizational skills, and was a woman who loved and honored God day after day after day. These attributes of character then enabled her to be a judge, prophetess, mother, and military leader. I also just learned she was a keeper of tabernacle lights. She kept the lanterns lit in the tabernacle. So cool. (and symbolic and rather deep, if you think about it.)

So I hear you – you’re saying I am NONE of those things. Ah, but you are. Maybe not officially with working papers, but by character – yes, yes you are. And in this day and hour, we desperately need all of the above, in one way or another, and no matter how small of a part you may play.

Deborah’s role was to lead people out of their houses to fight their OWN enemies. People always need a leader at the helm. Why not Deborah? Why not YOU? Because of her leadership and courage and heart, the land of Israel not only won the battle but it was followed by 40 years of peace. 40 years. One woman. The math only makes sense with God in the mix.

Deborah. My hero. I would have loved to have been friends with her. And I think she would have been on the front line of the 2020 Jesus movement with her ONE WAY JESUS button and her BIBLE, singing with the thousands on the beaches of California. I think her favorite song would have been I RAISE A HALLELUJAH and her favorite line in that song would have been SING A LITTLE LOUDER. And she would have! Let us do likewise!

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ArticlesFaith

Is Your Faith Rock-Solid?

by Henrietta Decruz
written by Henrietta Decruz

The unimaginable happened at the beginning of 2020. World-systems came to a halt. As believers, we know our God is our Protector, Healer, and Provider. No matter what happens, we are covered by our God. The Israelites in Goshen did not suffer seven out of the ten plagues of Egypt. Similarly, the blood of Jesus covers and protects us. The question is, “Do we have rock-solid faith?’

Jesus said in John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.”

Warnings in the Word

Jesus warned us about perilous times. In Matthew 24:7-8 He said, “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in place after place; All this is but the beginning [the early pains] of the birth pangs [of the intolerable anguish].” Jesus calls it the beginning of the birth pangs. We have already seen these signs.

There are many more signs that are visible to discerning believers who study the Word of God. God shared these secrets for a reason. He wants to prepare us, so we can face the situations ahead. He has shared prophecy after prophecy and revelations so that His children won’t be caught unaware.

Make your Faith rock-solid

Proverbs 24:10 says, “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.” We need to strengthen our faith muscles and buckle up. This is not a time to take things lightly. Romans 10:17 says, “So faith comes by hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the preaching [of the message that came from the lips] of Christ (the Messiah Himself).” We need to fill ourselves with His Word and strengthen our faith so it is rock-solid.

We are going to see more unimaginable things. Matthew 24:29 says, “the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not shed its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” God is preparing us. Just like we could never imagine how the world would come to a standstill and it really happened, these things that we cannot imagine now will happen someday in reality. Matthew 24:35 says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.” So, we need to buckle up and get ready for the time that is coming. 

Obey God’s Word and Be Safe

Jesus said in Luke 6:47-49, “For everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words [in order to heed their teaching] and does them, I will show you what he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug and went down deep and laid a foundation upon the rock; and when a flood arose, the torrent broke against that house and could not shake or move it because it had been securely built or founded on a rock. But he who merely hears and does not practice doing My words is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation, against which the torrent burst, and immediately it collapsed and fell, and the breaking and ruin of that house were great.”

We need to take the Word of God seriously so we can tide through these difficult times. If we scoff at the prophecies, we stand to lose everything, even our soul. Jesus wants us to be like the five wise virgins who were prepared with oil and ready. Be ready. We will suffer. Those who hate Jesus will hate us. Let us run our race such that we can overcome and receive a crown that will last forever. Become rock-solid.

 

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Articles

The One Who Asked For More

by Corine Channell
written by Corine Channell

Achsah. A friend of mine had a baby years ago she named Achsah. I remember telling my husband we should have another little girl and name her Achsah. He said – “Yes, and her middle name could be Dent. Achsah-dent!” Then he laughed and laughed at his own humor. I just shook my head, and we had 5 more kids but ALL boys. So, no Achsah.

Further down the road of life I myself was prayed over that I would be an Achsah. Oh, and THERE was that beautiful name again. All I was told was that Achsah, daughter of Caleb was given land by her father, and she asked for more. She requested a group of springs of water called ‘upper basins’ or the ‘nether basins’; they were springs of water that would never run dry!  I remember thinking I need to research her history and what that means for MY life. Who knew that it would take many seasons of life before that word would come up again in my heart, and feel like it was a NOW word. Lesson learned again, that God is NOT on our time table and His word NEVER returns void or is wasted.

So having said all that, let me tell you about Achsah and how she had something we can ALL attain. It was not a word just for me; it is just my word to share with YOU.

Bursting through!

First of all the name Achsah is Biblical, and means: “Adorned, bursting the veil.” Whoa. I felt that hit my heart as I read it – burst the veil. In the Old Testament the veil was over the entrance to the MOST holy place – Jesus Himself was the only One by which the veil was rent (torn) in two when He died. So, the name Achsah means bursting the veil. It means that we too can come into God’s holy presence because Jesus opened that entrance way for US!

If I am called to be an Achsah, so are YOU.

We ALL have the same invitation to desire God’s presence and then to be IN it. Do you get that? We can BURST through the veil. That sounds bold to me. Visualize bursting through something. This sounds like my 5 year old granddaughter when she comes busting down my front door to show me a new toy or tell me she loves me or ask me to take her for a walk. There is NO hesitancy – she doesn’t stand at my door and question if I care if she comes in – she doesn’t worry she is bothering me – she doesn’t have any fear about asking me for anything. She bursts through the door to get to ME.

I want more; please and thank you!

You could call Achsah’s request a greedy request – she was asking for more, and asking for the best. Well? Isn’t that what God actually deems for His children, to be able to come boldly and ask? Ask for what? His best. This discontent or even seemingly greediness was not from an impure heart of selfishness. This was the upper springs of water that she desired, which represents the living waters that never will run dry. She wanted more of GOD Himself. Just like my granddaughter wants all of me and then some! She comes boldly because she knows she can, and she rests in my love for her. Bingo! THAT is what we can all attain in our own relationships with Jesus. We can ask for more of Him, and receive it. THEN, share it with others.

“If you, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much MORE will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:11)

Give me a blessing!

What IF we all could learn to really see God that way? What IF we could all be like Achsah? Joshua 15:19 tells us exactly what Achsah asked for – “Who answered, Give me a blessing; for you have given me a south land; give me ALSO springs of water. And he gave her the upper springs, and the nether springs.” Wow. I so want to finally be the child of God who comes to Him in complete trust and love and reckless abandon, and asks for MORE! I don’t want to continue to stand on the outside only peeking into His presence. I want to BURST through the veil straight into His ams! It has taken a lifetime to get here, but I am here. Anyone else want to burst through with me?
#ItsForAllOfUs #GiveMeABlessingPleaseAndThankyou

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your secrets
ArticlesFaith

Slay The Dragon Of Your Deep Dark Secrets

by Corine Channell
written by Corine Channell

Don’t let your secret turn into a fire-breathing dragon.

Once upon a time in a kingdom far away – or not really far away at all, there was a fair damsel in distress. There was also a fire breathing dragon holding that damsel captive to her fear.

We ALL live in some kind of a kingdom. We just may or may not have ever had to face a dragon. Our kingdom may be decked out with fancy art portraits, scrumptious desserts in the refrigerator, and there may even be a crystal clear pool to swim out past a beautiful redwood deck. It may just be an upstairs un-airconditioned apartment over neighbors who bang on their ceiling at you all day long. Wherever you call home, it is the place you return to at the end of a day.

Home SHOULD be a refuge, where the welcome mat is always rolled out for your return. Home should be comfortable, where you can laugh as loud as you want and people enjoy the sound of your laughter. Home is where you go to escape the demands of a crazy merciless world. Home has a longing we come imbedded with – like a gps chip – that always has us looking to find our way there. Home should be the place you sleep the best because you feel the safest. Home represents security and safety. Home is defined as: “a protected refuge”. Sadly though, many kingdoms have dragons lurking in the shadows.

Your inner life should be a safe place

I wish I could assure you that there are no fire breathing dragons in any of these kingdoms; that no dragon will ever come out from under your bed to scare you or breathe a fiery breath over you in the dark. No one should ever have to try to figure out in the dark how to stay clear of a fire breathing dragon. I hope to show you how to begin to save yourself and how to be your own sword-wielding hero.

The word ‘wielding’ means you handle your tool or weapon effectively! (Take THAT, dragon!) Like any heroic knight protecting the fair damsel in distress, you too can have great power in your own kingdom, as you protect its most priceless, precious treasure – YOURSELF!

Part of slaying dragons is exposing them! Picture yourself on a balcony in a high tower with brave knights or princesses throwing open their door to the night sky, and taking back their kingdoms. It means no more lies, no more secrets, and no more fear.

When you don’t feel free

Why do people feel shamed? Forgotten. Lost. Hopeless. Maybe even suicidal. Because they don’t feel free to tell the truth! Because they fear judgment! Because they hold onto their secrets.

You are not going to tell someone your deepest, darkest ugly secret if you think they will reject you. You are not going to tell your family. Or your relatives. Or your church. Or a boss. Or anybody that you are pretty sure will cast you aside. Whether intentionally or not, you can be made to feel that it is NOT okay to tell the truth. Strangely, you can be the victim but be made to feel like the abuse done TO you was somehow YOUR fault.

So you carry your secret. Your dragon accompanies you to the secret chamber of your soul. And no one knows. But the secret will eat you alive from the inside out. It never goes away. Ever. This then carries into every crook and cranny of your life, and into the small things that you never share. No one knows you check under your bed for monsters, or that you are afraid of the dark, or horrified of spiders, or being stuck on high bridges. And then it carries into larger things like hiding your mate’s secrets to protect them or your kid’s secrets. Your life becomes shrouded in lies.

Hiding your secrets

We learn by example that the truth is too painful and too much to bear. It may not be intentional, and certainly not done out of malice or cruel intent. It is just learned behavior, all born from that fire breathing dragon of (and here is his name) – Abuse. And on and on it goes from generation to generation.

BUT somewhere down through the ages there WILL arise heroes to rescue those locked away in their own private dark dungeons, and to protect generations to come. (Remember – the hero in this story is NOT the fire-breathing dragon!)

Trust betrayed destroys you as a person and it changes who you will become. In order to ever find your way back to some place of innocence (before it was stolen), you must see the abuse as the powerful dragon that it is – that has breathed its fire down on you for so long – and you must slaughter it. You must see that you are not a victim to your secrets any longer.

When it takes residency

A fire-breathing dragon could come in any shape or form or vibe. They could show up just once, or they could take up residency. They are after what they want, and how they get it is irrelevant to them. BUT if someone IS coming at you more than once, they are going to most likely be smoother. It is kind of the terrorist mentality of laying in wait for the right time for the attack, no matter how long it takes. The dragon will always start out by being nice. Of course – you catch flies with honey. Or candy. Or a few bucks. Or new toys. Or sadly, just that little bit of attention every human craves.

With any kind of abuse – you can be triggered right back to that moment by a familiar setting. The kicker is that somehow it can all get twisted to where you think it was YOUR fault! You have to excuse yourself for having been naïve, or for being afraid for your life, or for covering for someone else, or for simply being a child who didn’t understand what was going on.

There IS hope, and it comes from breaking the silence! Fire-breathing dragons need to be banished from our kingdoms! Somewhere there has to be a hero to ride in and save the day, and more times than not it will have to be the actual person who needs saving!

Picture what you think it would look like for a knight in shining armor to come in on a white horse to save you. Would he make a lot of noise, pushing all enemies out of his way? Charging in to save the day, wielding his sword in defiance? IF we would break the silence the dragon wants to keep us in, yes – we could be our own knights in shining armor!

At the end of the day, who wants to save you more than YOU?

If a dragon has chased you down – it is time to SCREAM! Go tell someone! Make a lot of noise! Silence gives the dragon power to grow – like blowing up a balloon, your silence inflates it to grow to unspeakable heights.

Secrets breed more secrets

The ugly dragon of abuse rules and governs one’s opinion of their own self. It destroys relationships. It spits its poisonous venom all over things you hold dear. It huffs and puffs – until one day there comes that moment – maybe it is brief BUT it is long enough for you to lift up your head that hangs down, look the dragon square in the eye – and say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

It is finally when the child inside of you, long beaten down, stands up on the inside! You know, the moment you acknowledge it and face it, it begins to immediately start to lose its power over you. The guilt and the shame was NEVER yours to carry but the more you carried it around and kept the abuse a secret, it was like it fueled the fire in the dragon. It inflated his ego.

There finally comes that day when you are just DONE.

You are courageous

Maybe you have tried for years to just get a frail whisper up from your soul. Maybe you tried to scream and nothing came out. There may be no rhyme or reason why all of a sudden a rush of reckless COURAGE comes reeling out of your broken soul, and you take that first step to come back to life.

Dragons want you to believe you are less than, that you are weak, that you don’t have a voice, that you don’t deserve pure love, that you are the wad of gum on the bottom of a shoe. Dragons are bullies. They prey on those who have not yet had time to become strong – particularly children. Children need to be defended, protected, cherished and when adults fail them, I have come to learn and believe the child WILL rise up in defense of itself.

It may take years but there WILL come a day when the voice of that inner child who was abused WILL scream: Finally! NO MORE!

That inner child will finally have the strength and the courage to stand up for themselves. What they could not do in their early years, will now come to the forefront.

The first step to becoming a dragon slayer is to admit there was a dragon. Stop trying to hide it. This just feeds it and makes it stronger, and then it will NEVER go away.

Take back your life

You need to literally say things like this out loud: Yes I was molested. Yes I was bullied. Yes I was abused. Yes I was raped. Yes I wanted to kill myself. Yes. Yes. Yes. This should immediately light a fire in your heart to begin to stand your ground. Hold your head up, even just a little and scream out – IT WASN’T MY FAULT!

Stand up for yourself! Someone abused you? How was that ever your fault? Someone bullied you? How was that ever your fault? Someone raped you? How was that ever your fault? Someone molested you? How was that ever your fault? Time to take back your life. Even if it is in bits and pieces and shattered, it’s YOUR LIFE! Take a deep breath and reclaim what is rightfully yours.

If you don’t feel like you have any other person in the world that cares, then YOU care! YOU be your own hero! You can SO do this! I am telling you, you CAN! Be your own fan club! Be your own cheerleader! NO DRAGON DESERVES TO HAVE THAT KIND OF POWER OVER YOU! Doesn’t it make you mad to think of someone overpowering you? Aren’t you tired of carrying the secret? Aren’t you tired of being made to feel you could have/should have done something?

Declarations over your life

Aren’t you tired of your secrets being what has defined WHO you have become?

So, Repeat after me:

NO MORE!

I am brave.

I am beautiful.

I am not living in EXILE anymore.

I have no shame. I

am throwing off my tattered, dirty clothes and putting on some royal robes.

Oh yah, and maybe a tiara. Then I shall fearlessly go stand out on my balcony!

I am a dungeon dweller NO MORE! OFF WITH YOUR HEAD, DRAGON! You shall rule me no more. I fear you no more. I don’t give you any more of my time, my heart, my self-esteem, and my memories. I banish you to outer darkness! No more dragons hiding in the corners of MY Kingdom.

No. More. Secrets.

Once it is exposed, it can be done away with!

Oh thou brave dragon slayer, if this is YOU – whether you are 17 or 29 or 72 this is YOUR moment to shine! Your secrets don’t have to rule your life. This is your moment to take back what was stolen from you. This is your moment to end the torment! This is your moment to be the king or queen of your own kingdom!

Many of us are dragon slayers and there are MANY more waiting in the wings to get their swords polished! For the sake of yourself AND generations to come, there are kingdoms to save, dragons to be banished, lives to be reclaimed and futures to be lived in peace.

Remember – You are your own hero, and at the end of the day, no one wants to save YOU more than YOU!

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Attract the Anointing
ArticlesFaithLifestyle

5 Ways to Attract the Anointing of God – Part I

by Mark Becerra
written by Mark Becerra

What is “the anointing”?

Uncomfortable favor. That’s what she (Renee Evans, who with her husband, Joaquin, are our senior leaders at Bethel Austin) prayed over me the other day after telling her about my startup business. “Uncomfortable favor”. And I readily received the grace that was heavily imbuing that prayer – to attract the anointing!

I’m looking for that kind of surprising, awe-inspiring, hope-strengthening, chicken skin-producing, courage-enabling favor of God. I need His anointing to do those things He has put into my heart through encounters, dreams, whispers, lightning flashes from Bible, preaching and teaching and worship and prophetic moments at my church and elsewhere. The rhema word of God to my heart. Don’t we all?

So how do we attract this favor, this anointing, this gift of power and grace? Can we do anything that causes the heavy hand of our God to rest on us more and more, day by day? I want more of Him, and I know you do, too!

Here are 5 things we can do to see Him move more freely in us, through us, and around us, things which attract the anointing of God.

1.Give thanks for what He’s done and what He’s doing

Nothing welcomes Heaven to manifest like praise and thanksgiving. And it’s not hard to imagine why this is. Would you want to hang out with someone who was always griping at you about what you are doing, how it’s not enough, how you could do more, how unhappy they are with life, etc.? No, of course not, that’s no fun at all! It’s really hard to help people like this. It’s difficult to collaborate with them, since their attitude is only on themselves, and not on the possibilities of the moment.

This does not mean our grumpiness (if we are being grumpy; c’mon, let’s be real!) keeps Papa at bay, and distances Him from us. Far from it! Because He is always near us, always close, always ready to help, to encourage, to strengthen and empower us – if indeed our hearts are inclined towards Him.

Thanksgiving is the very house of God:

But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. (Psalm 22:3 KJV)

A habit of non-stop praise and thanksgiving is the door to uninterrupted enjoyment of His presence and power will attract the anointing. 

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. (Hebrews 13:15 NKJV)

2. Order our conduct in a new way

When we begin detecting and discerning what God is doing around us, when He see what He is up to, and join with Him in doing that, Heaven comes. His power is released. This is how we chart our path through life.

Jesus told us how to do this:

Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.” (John 5:19 NKJV)

But how do we do this, how do we know what the Father is doing, how can we see Him so that we can imitate Him? This is not difficult; Papa does not make it difficult! He puts it well within our reach, if we’re willing to look! So here’s how: in addition to living a life of worship and praise we put on the lens of sacrificial love and service. This is how we start discerning His works. He (the Father!) is reveling in the Presence of Jesus, in the environment of the Spirit, in the joy of Kingdom – are we? And He is loving on and serving those close to us 24/7 – are we? Let’s take a look around us, and focus on the people Papa has arranged to be near us. How are we doing in our love and service to them?

Now we can start ordering our conduct in a new way, following Papa’s express desire:

“Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; and to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God.” (Psalms 50:23 NASB)

Our key relationships become hugely important as we develop our time management practices and our core values. What are your key relationships, and what is Papa whispering in your ear about your role of love and service in each them? (Hint: it will look a lot like Jesus’ ministry to others.) Focusing on these relationships will brings Heaven’s life-giving anointing to bear on your love-efforts.

3.“Cross over the chicken line”

I am quoting my dear friend Jim Evans, who is one of the pastors at my church ((Bethel Austin, https://www.bethelchurchaustin.com/). He leads a super cool ministry there called Activate (4pm on Saturdays), in addition to heading up the development of our Transformation Center. He uses this term frequently when challenging us to be brave in reaching out to people, to hear from God on their behalf and prophesy to them, to pray for their healing, etc. The idea is that we need to move outside of our comfort zones and get into the Holy Spirit “demonstration of power” zone. Jesus does not command the world to come to us for ministry, He commands us to go to the world with His ministry:

“But go…and as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.” (Matt. 10:6-8 NKJV, emphasis mine)

Trust me when I tell you that this takes deliberate, thoughtful, premeditated action. You have to be looking for the opportunity to bring Jesus to a complete stranger. You have to make a commitment to Papa, saying, “Here I am Lord, send me. Use me. Make me aware of my opportunities.” Check it out! Do this, and the Breath of God will breathe mightily on you – and you’ll be attracting the anointing of the Father!

TO BE CONTINUED…

****

If you’d like to get on our email list for news about free stuff, training and tool introductions, speaking engagements, etc. please write us at [email protected]. Thanks!

Click here for more articles by Mark Becerra.

 

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brave
Articles

Choose To Be Brave

by Corine Channell
written by Corine Channell

My 12 year granddaughter used to be afraid to step foot on a boat, was afraid of the water, didn’t like crowds (almost claustrophobic), and she is one of THE bravest people I know.

Wait. Brave? Didn’t you just say she was afraid of quite a few things? Yes. I watched her get on a big boat, crying and clutching the side with white knuckles. But she did it. Then I watched her progress to climbing in a big rubber raft dragged behind a speeding boat, not crying but clutching the side with white knuckles. But she did it. Then I watched her walk into an auditorium crammed with people, apprehensively making her way through the stifling crowds with some tears and more white knuckles. But she did it. Now she is the one who walks out in the dark alone (in a storm) to feed her barn animals. I was thinking as I watched her – wow. I couldn’t have done that at her age! So when she came in I said to her – “You are so brave!” To which she quickly answered, “I don’t feel brave. I carry a baseball bat!”

I learned something right there. Brave is NOT a feeling – Brave is a choice. She was afraid of boats, so she chose to ride on one. (Now she loves them!) She was afraid of the water, so she chose to be pulled in a rubber raft behind a speeding boat. (Now she begs to go!) She was claustrophobic in crowds so she chose to meet people one on one, face-to-face. (Now she’s sought out by others for her loving heart.) And she chose to be responsible to care for farm animals alone in the dark, so she carries a bat!

David the shepherd boy probably didn’t FEEL brave when he looked up at Goliath (you know, the GIANT). He surely felt very small (literally), BUT he CHOSE to be brave; to be the ONLY one who would face the giant. He CHOSE to put himself in harm’s way. He CHOSE to take a risk. (Again, key word GIANT. I have a visual of how he could have stepped on poor little David.)

We all have moments (or even just ONE) where we can be swallowed up by fear of the unknown, and it can paralyze us from maybe THE single greatest moment of our life.

Maybe you want to write a book, go be a singer in Nashville, become a great artist, feed the hungry, travel the world, join the military, save the dolphins, be a missionary to parts unknown, stand for a cause you believe in, or just be the best security guard in LA. Whatever you choose to do, choose to be BRAVE.

“And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them.” (Hebrews 11-32-37)

The definition of BRAVE is: ready to face and endure danger or pain; to endure being uncomfortable; willing to pay the price.

Don’t just hope to feel brave – CHOOSE it!

In the words of John Wayne, ”Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyways.”

And carry a baseball bat if need be!

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Articles

Queen Esther is IN the House

by Corine Channell
written by Corine Channell

An orphan girl who would grow up to be a queen. Sounds like the beginning of any happily-ever-after movie I have ever seen. But it just happens to NOT be a Disney movie. It is the true story of my own personal super hero: the only REAL Wonder Woman. I don’t have posters of her or a collectible doll in a princess gown or a glittery tea set in her honor. (though this is NOT a bad idea.)

Her name is not Moana or Ariel or Cinderella.

It’s Esther. And THIS is her story. Oh, and it is a TRUE story.

Enter, a little girl skipping through the streets, carefree and happy, and not dreaming about princess gowns and magic wands and handsome princes. She was probably happy just breathing the fresh air, picking flowers, and skipping stones. Then tragedy struck and both of her parents were taken from her, and she became an orphan. This happens every day all over the world: children are left behind as death snatches their beloved parents away.
Stop right here and see the unseen hand of God begin to write a beautiful story.

First of all, you need to know that Esther was born into a Jewish family, living in the land of Persia. Remember this. When her parents died her Uncle Mordecai stepped up to the plate to become her guardian and take care of her, raising her in the same way her parents would have. (THIS is so huge – when there is a void and someone steps into it, it becomes nothing short of hero status. You might be that hero to someone – maybe you have wondered if it matters that you are ‘just’ the stepparent or ‘just’ the grandparent or ‘just’ the voice of reason and love to someone else. It matters. And yes, YOU are a hero. Heroes reproduce heroes.)
There came a day – a day that began a great journey for Esther. It would rival any 21st century reality show, similar to the Bachelor. Hear THIS script! The King of Persia decided he was done with his current wife Queen Vashti, so he sent her packing. He then had his soldiers round up ALL the beautiful girls of his kingdom, to bring them to the palace to spend 12 months in preparation for their chance to stand before the King! Comparable to a Miss Universe pageant maybe? And Esther was one of those girls who went off to have her shot at being the new queen.

Uncle Mordecai instructed Esther NOT to reveal to anyone that she was a Jew. Uh oh. Why? Because the Jews were enemies of the Persians, and not supposed to be living in their kingdom. So, mum’s the word for Esther.

“Esther had not revealed her people or her family, for Mordecai had charged her not to reveal it.” (Esther 2:10)

I LOVE this story so much – Esther, the orphan. Gets the chance to become a queen! This leaves all possibilities of this life open wide to anyone!

Historical accounts tell us Esther was very beautiful. I am guessing all the girls were beautiful and the competition was tough. If there are 100 gorgeous girls, who have been bathed in precious oils and ointments, dressed in beautiful regal attire more beautiful than any ‘Say Yes To The Dress’ gowns, then how in the world would Esther even have a chance? It was not her hairstyle or her flawless make up and her perfect figure or her expensive scent or her beautiful gown – it was her HEART. Esther’s pure heart set her towering above ALL the other girls.

“So Esther was taken to  King Ahasuerus, into his royal palace… The King loved Esther more than all the other women and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins, so he set the royal crown upon her head.” (Esther 2:17)

And right there, with the setting of a crown, is the unseen hand of God AGAIN, continuing to write a beautiful story of love and hope and fierce courage.

Fierce courage? Yes. For Esther’s happily ever after to happen, she would need fierce courage. Remember, she is still a Jew living in enemy land. She carries that huge secret within her soul every single day.
Fast forward to the bad guy in this story – Haman. Oh yeah – this story has ALL the stuff a captivating story is made of – the good guys, the bad guys, betrayal, secrets, love, the crowning of a queen, and – THIS. Because Haman was a bad guy he orchestrated an evil plan to exterminate ALL the Jews that were dwelling in Persia, and he convinced the King to make this a LAW – and it was decided and declared that ALL the Jews would be killed. Um, whoa. Remember? His new queen is a Jew. (He just does NOT know this.)

Esther

Mordecai gently but firmly tells her she has to tell the King her true identity. My guess from reading the scriptures is, she was terror stricken. This is the SAME King who threw out his first wife because of a much lesser evil. So, Queen Esther asked her people to pray and fast for 3 days and ask God to intervene on her behalf, because she was going to enter his chambers and tell him that his new wife was a JEW. He had passed an edict/a law that would kill her. She knew she needed supernatural help!
Here comes the fierce courage. Here comes the unseen hand of God again. Why had He placed a little girl in the care of her uncle; why her humility from being an orphan had served her well, why her pure heart was what won a king’s heart, why she was married to an anti-semetic King? See anything like this in YOUR own life? Stories take TIME to play out; trust the process.

THIS is my favorite part of the whole story. THIS is where Queen Esther becomes the Biblical version of Wonder Woman! The doors to the throne room swing open and a trembling, scared to death on the inside young woman, faces what could be her own death. You must remember it was against the law to enter the King’s throne room without being summoned. The penalty could be death. She remembers the words of her Uncle Mordecai who said to her, “Who knows but what YOU have come into the kingdom for SUCH A TIME AS THIS..” (Esther 4:14) She takes a deep breath, and begins what probably seemed like THE longest short walk EVER! Her thought? “If I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:16) BUT I’M DOING IT ANYWAYS. That my friend, is FIERCE COURAGE. It is when you are scared down to your core but you do it anyways! Like Francesca Battistelli’s current song – The Breakup Song – “Fear, you don’t own me – there ain’t no room in this story…guess what ? I KNOW WHO I AM…I know I’m strong, brave and I am free; I got my own identity… Goodbye fear, you will NEVER be welcome here.” Esther and Francesca would have probably been best friends.

And what happened next is the BAM moment. The very short version is: Because Esther had already won the King’s heart and his favor, he extended his scepter of favor to her, and assured her that whatever she wanted, she could ask of him. (whew)

Esther

Finally she was able to expose Haman’s evil plot to kill all the Jews while at the same time exposing her own identity as being ONE OF THEM. (If you want to read all the juicy details, find a Bible and read the book of Esther. It’s only 10 chapters.) She had lived her whole life for this one moment! THIS was her purpose and her WHY.  The bad guy was killed (a public hanging on the gallows) because “…he tried to lay his hand on the Jews.” AND THEN – the King wrote a new decree and spared the Jews from annihilation! “On the day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overcome them, the opposite occurred, in that the Jews themselves overpowered those who hated them.” (Esther 9:1) It is similar or exactly the same as when the enemy of our soul devises an evil plot against us to destroy US, but GOD Himself revokes it.

It is hard to stop talking about this girl Esther. My hero. My role model. The story that makes my heart swell with fierce courage for my own life to accomplish my OWN purpose and my own WHY. I hope it does the same for YOU. One more time: “Yet who knows whether you, [insert your name] have come to the kingdom for SUCH A TIME AS THIS?”

#AndTheyLivedHappilyEverAfterForReal

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