Shifting and swifting

The enemy has tried to come in and stir trouble bringing on warfare, confusion, fighting and a hindering spirit. God’s going to release that hindering spirit, hindering from advancement. An assignment of opposition and emotional affliction is being broken. The front-line warriors have been under attack, it’s caused a numbness to faith. Any resistance or opposition to God’s word and His promises, is an assignment of the enemy causing situations to pull you away from God’s presence.

It’s not you personally. You haven’t done anything wrong. The enemy loves to create a feeling of suffocation, a pressure so great, you feel can’t function or think. He wants you to make decisions based on pressure not presence so he can get you off track.

When pressure, stress, or the fight or flight kicks in, it clouds discernment. And discernment is the gatekeeper of your destiny. The enemy is trying to drain your faith. Discern between the enemy and the Father.

What stopped and opposed will now step aside. For the Lord is releasing a hammer against the enemy that will smash the opposition to pieces. Don’t make decisions based on pressure. Stay in His presence until God releases you, then you’ll see unexpected resolutions from unexpected places.

Unforeseen miraculous solutions – I decree and declare I receive this - from a place that no one saw coming. Miraculous situations and solutions. Come to your place of intimacy and receive your unexpected resolution.

The enemy will send people to bring upset and to a place where things will be exaggerated. The enemy wants you to throw in the towel. God says “No.’ Circumstances, issues, drama and storms. When it’s one thing after the other, and you know it’s not normal, you know it’s a power that’s come against you.

You have the capacity to turn things around, for He that is in you is greater than he that is in this world. Lay it before the Lord. It is greater than you can do on your own. Because you are righteous and because you love Him, He will fight your battle for you. The same way the problem and the issue came is the same way the problem is going to step out of your life.

Angels will be released in the night hours to do the unexpected. You won’t have to lift a finger. God will do it. God will smash and destroy and history will be changed. Whatever is connected; financial, health, family – submit the pressure of the situation to the Father and He will release the hammer which will smash the enemy and it will come to nothing.

Be prayerful and don’t let go. It’s been a difficult season for many Christian’s. Warfare has been at the gates, blocking your entry as you try to cross over. The trouble maker is seeking to cause you to fail by wearing you out, bringing combustible incendiary and strife. You’re battle weary from all the obstacles and setbacks. Issues and drama are keeping you distracted and you’re feeling stressed. You question your promise you were given, as you fight just to get through the day.

Trouble on every side. One thing after another. You feel like turning back and it’s the assignment of the enemy for you to think what’s behind is better than what’s in front. Cancel the assignment. God will give strength to those who battle at the gates of entry.

In the name of Jesus, I cancel, cancel, cancel every spirit of Belial that fights me at the gate. We cancel every assignment that wears us out and cancel every problem and issue that’s been sent to stop us. Not on my watch. Fresh wind of the Holy Spirit, fill my lungs with strength so I can win the battles at the gate.

The Lord is lifting the sledge hammer and the Lord is smashing the locks. The hold up over the promises has been broken. The season of exodus has begun; a divine release, a breaking out and a breaking through of what has been holding you in this moment. Even the 'out of season' unanswered prayers will be released in this day for a release has been sent.

In the realm of the Spirit, the Lord is intervening over the battle. A supernatural switch-over is about to take place. An easiness. Your new season begins now; a time that you’ll see, that what you’re waiting for has not been in vain. Nothing can stop what’s coming. Nothing can stop the oil which is positioning you for the new position. You’ll be positioned and promoted in this season.

There’s something stirring in the spirit realm and an angel has broken the chains and locks and suddenly you’re placed in your rightful position. God has come and everything that is out of joint and out of favour will shift. There will be evidence, no more declaration but manifestation. Watch for this evidence.

That pressure of not feeling good enough leaves in this one moment of release, a moment of switch over as you’re shifted from captivity to freedom, as you step into the promise God has given. Your waiting is not in vain. Once the locks have been broken, nothing can stop the divine release. A supernatural manifestation will come down.

Your mouth will be full of laughter and joy and it will happen effortlessly. There will be evidence that the God that you serve will back you up with supernatural grace that will shift you. A shifting and a swifting – a rapid move - is taking place.

Personal writing using notes mostly from Kings Way Church.

Soul Over Ego.

Soul Over Ego.

I had a terrific bible study this morning. I was looking up the meaning of a bible passage; Proverbs 13:2 A man shall eat well by the fruit of his mouth, but the soul of the unfaithful feeds on violence.

Feeds on violence – what does that mean? One of my bible’s states ‘shall suffer violence.’ Still somewhat ambiguous to me, so I turned to the internet and this is what I found…

The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said. Ego repels and separates. Soul creates unity. Ego ranks right over wrong, good over bad, you over me. Soul allows, approves and accepts. When functioning from a soulful place, time feels rich and peaceful. Violent behaviour brought through ego, whether physical, verbal or mental, causes disruption.

A violent person’s ego challenges the other person’s credibility, seeing them as inferior. A non-violent person can disagree and will do so in a more humble and optimistic way without judging the other person. To change from violent to non-violent, use the vision of your soul and not the filter of the ego. (If you’re saying; I feel, I want, me this or that, know you’re working through ego.)

We need to understand; revelation and interpretation are often not the same thing. Revelation is the initial word. Interpretation is the meaning behind it. Again, the most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said. It’s the interpretation after the revelation that provides the meaning. Then we strive to apply soul over ego.

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter. Proverbs 25:2.

Eagle in the Sky.

Having been told the property I was living on had sold and completely unaware it was for sale, I was rattled for a couple of days. I was hoping to get one more year here. The following morning after being told of the sale, I woke and said; “Jesus, help. Holy Spirit, help.” That was all I said. I didn’t have any other words. I had planned to visit our daughter and decided to go as planned and I needed to get up and get moving.

After my sparse but poignant cry for help, I got up and put the kettle on. Looking at the view as I awaited the kettle to boil, right above me in the cloud formation was a flawless image of an eagle; detailed feathers outspread in the sky, faultless hooked, razor-sharp beak, the dark bead of an eye in exactly the right spot and exactly the right shape, sitting within the exquisite, clear-cut curvature of the head. Not a wisp of cloud out of place. He was gazing my direction. Too perfect to be coincidental. I knew God’s hand was in this image; a heavenly message on the earthly plain.

The eagle; a symbol of divine strength, God’s power and protection, spiritual vision and an ability to soar above challenging situations.

Isaiah 40:31 “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.”

A perfect vision and a perfect word for this moment in time, one which did bring a settling to my heart and one which I will cherish for a long time to come.

This is a storm in a teacup.

There’s more to this story…

Angry at myself initially, because I was so rattled by the whole thing, I did ask God’s forgiveness. It was then I remembered the words – I laugh at disaster and famine (Job 5:22); a verse used to describe a state of security and confidence through God’s protection. Shortly after, I came across a clip, an interview Lisa Bevere gave with Jordan Rubin (author of; The Biblio Diet).

Jordan Rubin was given a diagnosis of cancer and decided to treat it with prayer not chemo. He said every time he received test results, he was so scared, his hands shook. His hands shook so much that one day he dropped the glass of water he was holding and it shattered in pieces on the floor.

I imagined at this time, that he may have felt the shattered glass to represent his life in this moment; if he’d have allowed that thought to remain and take hold. I don’t expect he did allow that thought for long, if he had the thought at all.

A husband and father of young children, it was almost too much for Rubin to bear. His doctor had told him if he didn’t do treatment, he had a 100% chance of dying with this type of cancer. With prayer and a healthy diet only, he is now cancer free.

The fact that the incident rattled him helped me enormously. It rattled him but he stuck to his guns and became an overcomer. This selling of the property without even telling us rattled me, but I kept holding onto the vision of the eagle and of my new home, one promised to me twelve months ago.

I do have money to buy a place but I want to hold on until I see the house God has shown me, which I’m not expecting to come forth until next October. For a brief instant I felt that vision slipping quietly away, as I thought I’d need to buy now and not wait, however my daughter has kindly offered to let me stay with her, until the required wait time is up.

It’s the unknown; Rubin had to have faith God would heal him, in spite of not knowing for sure. I have to have faith God does have a home for me, in spite of not knowing for sure. For that is what faith is; the hope of things not seen.

In spite of moments of terror, Rubin was healed. I was pleased to see, not that he had these terrors, but that God blessed his faith even with moments of fear throughout his ordeal. My hope is for the same; the house to come through, in spite of the major setbacks I’ve had in waiting for this home; in spite of my own terrors through the hiccups in attaining the promise, for this is the third major hurdle I’ve had to contend with on this promise of my own home.

Satan and his itty-bitty cohorts are trying their best but my God is the greater God. Great and mighty is my God.

Prophetic Warfare.

Pre-emptive warfare.

I'm going to tell you what I wasn't told - The closer you draw to God, the greater the push-back from the enemy. I wasn't aware of just how far this could escalate.

You know you're in warfare when you feel spiritual shifts in the atmosphere - heaviness, strange static, interference, interruption in prayer. When you feel oppression not glory. Sudden anger. Annoyance. This is felt not in the soul but in the spirit and it's a warning sign that something is going on. When you find it hard to focus or concentrate; it's the first waves of witchcraft. 

While I don't call myself a seer, today I asked God if seers aren't just natural at it and don't need teaching? Then this clip found its way to my feed and it showed me; yes, teaching is helpful. What I have found though, are similar experiences between what goes on in a seer's life and what's happened to me of late.

If you find the atmosphere changes, pause and engage with God. Ask what's going on. That pause is a difficult thing to remember in the heat of the moment. You only have a split second to ask.

Unusual/intensified dreams are a pre-curser to spiritual attack. Before an attack you may experience disturbing/symbolic dreams. It's the devil stirring the pot.

If you're seeing demonic figures and night visions, dreams of hindrance or nocturnal warfare, they're warnings or impressions seen upon sleeping/waking.

When the enemy plans an assault, the enemy plans to do it through the spirit realm. It's easier to attack you when you're asleep.

God uses dreams to reveal what's coming and the enemy counterfeits with a similar dream. If your dream suddenly becomes chaotic, it's a warning from the enemy, who's now overplaying his hand.

If you feel sudden emotional pressure with no natural trigger, it comes before an attack.

A creeping sense of dread. A sense of fear for no reason is an evil foreboding that the enemy is creeping into your life. Unexplained anxiety; you're picking up on demonic movement.

Irritation/agitation for no natural reason. Sudden emotions are signs and trigger warnings. The enemy would love you to think you're just depressed. He'd love you to blame it on anything else but him.

A sense that something is going to happen, or a feeling of overwhelm, but not knowing why. This is spiritual pressure. Matt 26:38 Then He [Jesus] said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow..."

Seers feel spiritual pressure before it manifests. If you aren't aware of this, you'll think it's you.

Distraction, interference and strange delays are signs of imminent attack. Important conversations delayed. Sudden confusion. Miscommunication. Mental fog. Unusual resistance to simple tasks. Everything is taking longer than usual - this is spiritual warfare!

When a major attack is forming, distractions are false flags to a larger attack.

Increased spiritual sight with darker edges. Vision and impressions take on darker tones. Shadows or snakes seen in a flash; this is strange demonic movement. You'll also have an inner knowing that something is targeting you.

Shadow feelings, like you're being watched or followed or your words are being recorded. This comes before a major attack; a sense of being watched. A feeling of a presence in the room or something lurking at the edge of your vision.

Sudden conflict, misunderstanding or relational friction come right before a major attack in order to weaken your unity, or bring you into isolation. Feelings of isolation in general. Tension in the home. Old wounds resurfacing; ones you'd long thought you'd dealt with. Leviathan will twist words to divide and distract. Seers experience this because they pick up on changes before the storm.

If you feel the python spirit crushing the life out of you, causing you to feel constricted in any area of life (finances, relationships, health, joy, peace, work...), shake it off. Shake off those feelings as soon as you notice them. Command that spirit to leave in the name of Jesus and continue moving forward.

All of the above are an invitation to respond. Shift immediately to prayer, ask for clarity and shut any open doors. Cover your lives, your sleep, your atmosphere in prayer, peace and protection. Reach out to trusted intercessors. You are not at the mercy of an attack. The armies of heaven are backing you. Look long enough to see those who are with you.

Don't be afraid. These things can rattle you. It's not just you. It's a pattern or a cycle of demonic activity. Start paying attention and journal. Write down what you're seeing/feeling. Then you'll begin to connect the dots because an enemy exposed is an enemy defeated.

What you're seeing and feeling are signals from heaven, or warnings that the enemy is being careless, that the enemy is nervous. At this point, something powerful is on the horizon.

Engage the enemy and the attack will backfire. Recognise there is a war, be watchful, run to God. Don't allow things like anger or unforgiveness. Put on the armour of God. Soak in God's word. Repent. Listen to what God is saying. Pray. Call on your intercessors. Isolation and idleness draw you away from what is good and meaningful. Don't allow the accuser to get to you. Take every thought captive. Proclaim Christ's victory.

The Christian life is a battlefield and we need to be ready. Satan does not play fair. He's out to kill, steal and destroy.

*Notes from: "What Seers Experience Right Before a Major Spiritual Attack." By Jennifer LeClaire.

The above has been my story for the past 6 to 8 weeks. One onslaught after another. Overwhelm, fear, anxiety. During a couple of those weeks, everyone who served me in stores, appeared cranky at me. I've never had that in my life before and I knew it was something I was carrying.

At one point I felt like God had given me a crash course on how to overcome fear and I've drawn heavily on those lessons this past few weeks. I don't think the battle is over. I still have work to do but now I'm armed with knowledge on what to look for and what to do about it. And, isn't that a good thing!

Answered Prayer.

I passed a woman in town. She appeared to talk to herself and I wondered if she lived in a care home. She said hello as I walked passed and I replied the same. She asked how I was, I said good, how are you? You could hear she didn’t speak English well.

Having done what I needed to do while in town, I wandered back to my car and here’s this same woman, swinging on the children’s swing set at the park. She looked at me and said “Chip.” Still thinking she’s not quite all there (after all she is swinging on the child’s seat in a park), I apologised and said I have no chips.

The woman said “No, chip, chip.” She made what looked to be wave like motions with her hand. In very broken English, she said “Cambodia, chip, I very sick.” I twigged then, oh, ship. “You’re from Cambodia and came by ship.”

“Yes, very sick and sunburn on chip. I sore legs and swing for exercise.” So, she was quite normal, mentally, just poor English. Ahhh, that explains why she’s swinging away on the children’s park set. I asked if I could pray for her. She asked how old I was. I thought she didn’t understand me. I told her I was 60. “Oh, 60. You very good. No pain?” “No, I have no pain,” I replied.

“I pain, lot pain in legs.” Again, I asked if I could pray for her and she agreed, rolling her trousers to her knees. I prayed, just a minute or not even that really. She thanked me for taking the time to listen to her and I went on my merry way. As I was getting into the Ute, I heard; “Hey! Hey, hey!” I looked across the road and here she was, jumping up and down, and running on the spot, arms waving.

“All good, look, all good,” she yelled across the road to me. “No pain, no pain.” To which I replied, “Praise Jesus. How wonderful!”

My adult daughter suddenly came down with an ear infection. She was in so much pain, she was in tears. I prayed and the pain left. I thought all was done. Apparently, while I was praying, in Olivia’s mind, she only asked that the pain go. She wasn’t exactly healed, but wasn’t feeling any discomfort.

Of course, in the meantime, we’d rung the local doctor. Being a Saturday morning, they couldn’t get her in. However, for $150 they could fit her in. They asked what was wrong and she said she had an ear infection. All of a sudden, the fee doubled. They’d see her for $300 at most. (This is a single income family. If $150 was out of the question, $300 was more so.)

I wasn’t there when Olivia made the call, as I was with her young daughters, otherwise I’d have paid for it. Olivia told me about it later. In the meantime, we did some more prayer and she felt ok.

Monday morning came around and Olivia made a regular appointment, without that exorbitant fee. She had no pain, but her ear was still blocked and by now she was vomiting. Not a good sign. Her doctor was mortified and said how serious her condition was. He was perplexed as to why Olivia was feeling no pain.

At the end of the day, a few antibiotics later and all was well. Next time, Olivia will know to pray not just for the pain to go, but to also be healed.

I have to tell you the story about the flies.

Whenever I’m out at our little weekender, my husband and I go for lots of walks. Oftentimes he’d have flies bothering him. He (the non-believer) would be shooing them, cursing at them, swatting them with a branch and I (the believer) would have no flies around me. None at all.

A few times over the years, he asked, “How come they don’t bother you?” My reply was always the same; “Because I’m blessed.” He’s since stopped asking.

Last time I was out there, we were eating dinner. John had all these flies around him and his plate of food. He unloaded half a can of insect spray (ok, maybe not quite half a can), while carefully avoiding spraying the food, but as this is a three-sided shed, they were soon back again. In his frustration, John vehemently blurted out; “Jesus Christ!”

All the flies left.

I laughed. I couldn’t help but point it out; “You can spray the flies all you like, but it wasn’t until you called on the name of Jesus that they left and didn’t come back.”

Gave him pause for thought.

My daughter’s dog got out recently. My daughter called me in a panic. This is a husky pup and doesn’t yet come when called. Plus, she is a bit of an escape artist, able to work out weaknesses in the fence that no one else has yet spotted. The last time Willow escaped, it took two hours to catch her and Olivia lives on a main road. Car horns were tooting and tyres were screeching as Willow darted between the traffic evading capture each time.

So, Olivia called me in a panic and I prayed. I told Liv to leave the front door open and she’ll come back when she’s ready. Olivia was stressed and I mentioned for her to lean into the prayer, trust God and not to worry. Within a few minutes, in waltzed Willow. Not a care in the world.

Fortunately, on this particular day and for the first and only time, Willow actually went up the side lane and not across that busy road. Eventually the fence weaknesses were all mended and all was well.

I feel the need to add another story, for God is the God who answers prayer. My 3-year-old granddaughter got her fingers caught in the cupboard. My daughter had to use some considerable force to open the now jammed door.

Heidi’s little fingers came out bent and at an odd angle. She was, of course, screaming. Big sister was crying because Heidi was so upset. Mother was also crying and trying to comfort the Heidi. I prayed straight away. By now my daughter had taken my granddaughter into her room and was cradling her. I was in my other granddaughter’s bedroom, comforting her, as I prayed for her sister.

I said to Stell, “It’s ok, Heidi’s fine.” I heard the Holy Spirit whisper quietly in my ear; “Stell doesn’t believe you.” So, I rephrased my statement, “Well, she’s not fine but she will be in a minute because I’ve prayed.” As soon as I said that, my daughter piped up from the bedroom; “Oh, look! Heidi’s fingers just straightened out.”

The chaos of the moment soon came to a halt and everyone was happy once again. 

I have many more stories I could tell but I shall stop here. If you wish to see results like these, pray for Jesus to come into your life. He never refuses when asked.

Bitterness.

Bitterness.

Bitterness is an ugly thing and we need to work on eliminating it from our lives. Our job, as Christians, is to be at peace with all men. Stay undefiled by the spirit of bitterness. Do not to let bitterness take root and grow.

Many people have horrific tales to tell; awful things said and done to them. When we focus on those stories there is no liberty – we must forgive. No matter how deep the hurt, we must forgive. The Lord will forgive us our trespass, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

Forgiveness of sin isn’t for the other person, it’s for us to better let go and heal, moving forward in the process, eliminating bitterness and hate from our lives. Bitterness and hate bring sickness.

Hebrews 12 has a lot to say on the issue of bitterness and the trouble it causes in one’s life. Perhaps you might take a moment to look this up in your bible and read it for yourself, so you know exactly what’s at stake.

Bitter people can be quite scary, according to Bill Johnson who said in one of his sermons; “The scariest people I’ve ever met, have all been people who carry much bitterness.”

Vices which come through iniquity (heinousness, immorality, evil, injustice, crime, corruption) and unforgiveness, cause a bitterness which destroys life quicker than any other thing. Bitterness swallows the bitter and does nothing to affect the person against whom they are bitter. That person remains unscathed by the bitterness thrown against them.

A tranquil heart is life to the body, whereas bitterness causes a myriad of long-term health issues. We need to work towards having a tranquil heart, forgiving, as God asks us to do. When we do as God asks us, when we extend mercy not blame, showing an act of love and not hate in spite of our pain, we will be victorious. We will be called ‘peacemakers.’ Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

Bitterness is justifiable only to the bitter. We’ve all gone through hardship. Our job now is not to hold on to any resentment. There is reasoning behind resentment, but that doesn’t mean we should cling to it.

Thankfulness insulates against contamination, or stumbling. A thankful heart can eliminate the bitterness in our lives. Even a meal which could possibly hurt you, can be sanctified by prayer in thankfulness. Thankfulness decontaminates a bitter heart. Thankfulness is a fruit. Let it be a favourite fruit of yours.

We’re told not to give place to the devil, or to any influence of the enemy. Bitterness is one of those influences we need to weed out. There are 3 areas that open people up to the demonic; drug abuse - especially hallucinogens - sexual immorality (which continues over time) and bitterness itself. If you’re not a Christian, the devil isn’t too concerned about you. A Christian, on the other hand, is fair game according to the devil and he will take you where he wills.

Bitter people are possessed by the spirit of bitterness, so it’s a spiritual corruption and that corruption can run deep. People have murdered, when in bitterness. Unforgiveness defiles everyone under the influence of the bitter person, including the bitter person themselves. It destroys the vessel it’s in and for this reason we must be mindful.

We ourselves are undeserving of forgiveness and yet He forgave us. How much more should you forgive? We only receive forgiveness according to the forgiveness we meter out to others.

The Lord’s prayer, the very one Jesus taught the disciples, states; “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” Don’t let bitterness take a hold in your life. Forgive. Forgive often. Forgive both large and small hurts.

Make sure you know which side you’re on. We need to know what God loves. God’s anger is aimed at what interferes with love. Be angry and sin not. Anger is natural in certain situations, but don’t let anger lead to sin, to bitterness, to retaliation (which can and has led to murder). Do not let the sun go down on your anger and give no opportunity to the devil (Ephesians 4:26-26).

Your volume increases as your bitterness increases. You begin to shout angrily. The more you talk about your bitterness, the more you reinforce it in your life. Take those bitter words off the table and speak of them no more.

Bitter people are not trustworthy for they are unstable. Commit to live the life of a forgiven and forgiving person. That doesn’t mean what’s been done to you is okay, but you can’t allow yourself to be controlled by bitter thoughts and feelings. Only when you can let go of bitterness can you contribute effectively to society, bringing redemptive solutions.

Staying in bitterness causes you to lose the ability to have a positive effect on the world around you, for even the air surrounding you is tainted with the heaviness of bitterness and people perceive it. You’re akin to a radio, with negative radio waves, impacting the people around you. Those bitter roots can defile people everywhere you go.

If you are bitter and you honestly forgive, your behaviour should be one of peace and not one controlled any longer by the incident. If you’re still feeling angry, you haven’t fully forgiven. Let it go. Move on.

Determine to live as a forgiver. Release people. Refuse to be bound by the actions of other people. You may be frustrated and angry, but you need to go to sleep in peace, so the bitterness doesn’t take root and grow.

Pursue peace as it will transform and sanctify your character. Remember, if your behaviour doesn’t change, you haven’t fully forgiven. Change that radio frequency and send out vibes of peace and joy.

Every problem was slain when you were born again but they can resurface. That doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. It means letting go of the past and sometimes that means letting go again, if you notice you’ve inadvertently picked that bitterness back up.

Bitterness can be perceived or real. Sometimes the offending party don’t even realise they’ve offended you. You may have misconstrued what was said. You may not, but either way, you’re the one responsible for letting go. Someone else may well have caused it, but still, it’s like a bitter poison to your life in general and visa-versa. If you happen to be the cause of someone else’s bitterness, you need to ask forgiveness if at all possible.

If you hold onto the hurt, it will shape how you view the situation, as our imaginations take us further than we need to go.

Where there are measurable actions; fast, pray, perhaps a phone call to bless and honour, or serve, or give a gift, take those action steps. Come to the place where the hurt doesn’t affect you, because that part of you is dead anyway, for as a born-again believer you should be dead to self.

You need a behaviour change, even if what happened was 20 years ago or longer. You can’t continue doing the same thing and expecting a different result.

If the person is no longer around, bless them anyway, or their family line. Ask God to forgive you, to help you let the issue go and bless the other party. Pray for people who oppose you in some way.

Never criticise another believer of God. You don’t know their story. Pray for whatever they need and give the blessing of the Lord, that they would have children who would serve them with their whole heart.

Stay undefiled, unsullied, unpolluted, by the spirit of bitterness. The world needs righteous people who are not bitter. As you pray for others, try not to pick up the offense – like ministering to the poor and not be offended at the rich. Or a younger generation who doesn’t show respect to their elders.

God cares about all issues. He doesn’t have opinions - He’s right. Simple as that. The enemy doesn’t care about your opinion either, as long as you leave Jesus out of it.

Hebrews 12:12; Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:15; See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no ‘root of bitterness’ springs up and causes trouble and by it many become defiled.

There’s a defiling effect of bitterness on one person to another. God is taking us to a place of love, care and influence. He can only do it if we don’t pick up offences and if you eat of criticism and accusation, you’re being poisoned. Criticism defiles us, bitterness defiles us, thoughts of accusation defile us.

You will manifest when you come around bitterness. It is catching. You’ll feel it. Your peace will leave you. There is no liberty for you outside of forgiveness. Pray for discernment and grace in every environment, including the environment of those who carry bitterness. Don’t allow that environment to permeate through to your soul.

You have to proactively counter bitterness with love and you have to do it purposely. Maintain your awe and respect to the other person. They’re not perfect, but neither are we. Pray aggressively for them and not against them.

There’s a reason the bible says whatever is true and lovely, think on these things. It’s to bring us into the presence of the Loving Father. We cannot afford to be influenced in any way by bitterness. Influence is given only to those who know how to forgive.

Do not give the enemy a place at your table!

On Anger...

There’s a Chinese proverb (one of many) floating around which states; it's better to be silent and thought to be a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt. In other words, it’s wise to stay silent, if you’re unsure or don’t know.

The bible also speaks about fools. According to the bible, anger labels you a fool, for the bible mentions fools are quick to anger. Proverbs 29:11 “A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back.” We all know we should control our temper, but how many of us are doing it?

Better get control of those emotional outbursts, for it shows you to be a fool to the world around you. And while we shouldn’t berate ourselves for having emotions, taking control of our emotions will bring you a more joyous life. Plus, what you don't say, you won't have to apologise for later.

Prolonged anger releases toxic chemicals, elevating blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as increasing your risk of stroke and heart attack. Cortisol is released into the brain during a moment of anger. When cortisol hits the amygdala, it causes you to be unable to read the emotions of others. Cortisol also hits the hippocampus, causing the organ to shrink and this affects short term memory. Besides which, every minute you hold in anger, is a minute less of joy which you could be appreciating.

Learn to control your emotions, or your emotions will control you.

Just as we must control our emotions, we also need to control our energy. Stop wasting energy on things that don’t matter. If in five years it won’t affect you, you don’t need to spend time on it today.

And remember; perfectionism causes perpetual and extreme stress, which also releases toxic chemicals into your body. What if, in pursuit of perfection, we settle for excellent? After all, there’s only ever been one perfect person in the world – Jesus.

Just a little snippet for today.