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“A Victorious Awakening Is Happening in God’s People”In this season, I believe there is a renewal taking place on the earth. Things that have been destroyed are being rebuilt and what has been lost is being restored. There is a victorious awakening happening in God’s people and those who can feel the tangible pull are rising up.
It is time for us, as a Body, to decide that we hold the key to the rebuilding. As we stand in faith, our ways of rebuilding will be misunderstood by the world. In times of uncertainty and pain, we get to choose to remain confident in the goodness of God. We will worship and praise Him in the midst of chaos. When we are left with little, we get to continue giving away to those in greater need. The more isolation tempts us, the stronger we are as we bend toward choosing connection and living in family. Fear of pain will convince us to stay distracted, but we will give into the stillness, allowing the Lord to heal our hurt.
When feelings of confusion invade, instead of retreating, we will be the ones moving closer to God, asking what He is building in the earth. God is calling us to be united in this unprecedented time, and as we choose to stand together in the rebuilding, He will do the heavy lifting. This is our awakening: we will be known as a generous, courageous and victorious people.
Rebuild the Ruins
“…[T]o bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.” (Isaiah 61:3-4)
Some people have been feeling a strong sense of injustice and noticing there is change that needs to be made as they look at some of the things that are happening in the United States. These people are the ones called to rebuild the ruins and raise up the former desolations. God has pricked their hearts because this is related to their destinies. When they hear this verse it is like a defibrillator shocking their hearts, and aligning them with God’s purpose to bring restoration to our land. God is giving a garment of praise as people lay down the spirit of heaviness.
There is a significant call right now to act. It is a time to pull ourselves out of complacency, timidity and hopelessness and partner with what God is doing. It is time to stand up and be the Oaks of Righteousness and the rebuilders of ancient ruins like He’s called us to be.
In our nation (and in the world) we are at a critical juncture on so many levels. The people of God will either stand up or they won’t. Taking a stand is speaking out for justice, and not taking a stand right now is like a vote for injustice. Edmund Burke said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” (Photo via Pexels)At this politically-charged time as we are approaching the election, we must couple wisdom with the Spirit, asking God what He’s doing right now and how we can partner with it. The United States is a lighthouse to the world. They look to us to see how we will handle different issues as they are emerging worldwide.
God is shaking things up. He is using people that have aligned with His purposes. He wants them to carry out His plan, bringing about righteousness to our nation, and ultimately the world. Through the way things go in the United States, other nations will be saved.
The Generous Family
“All the Believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:44-47)
Generosity can change someone’s life. Choosing to give of your time, your resources, your knowledge or your money can make a direct impact on those in need. The Bible tells us in many different ways that the giver will be blessed for giving. Luke 6:38 tells us, “Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
By choosing to step out and bless someone around us in need, we also receive blessing, even if it’s just in the moment, knowing that we’ve helped someone else. During this time it is important to listen and be aware of other people’s needs. Giving will open the door for breakthrough.
What if we saw the Body of Christ as a true family and we stood in the gap for people, making possible for them what was impossible and getting ahold of what they had need of? What if we chose to be intentional with one another, developing community and relationship? What if we committed to live in family – belonging to a small group that knew us and that we knew deeply?
This season, God is revealing the power of family and generosity that is cultivated in that place of community and togetherness. He’s honoring people that choose to cultivate family, extending His blessing.
Called to Be Courageous
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)
Many people have endured traumatic events in their lives. For some, much of their childhood was traumatic, and now they cannot afford, emotionally, to face the pain inside of them because it feels so large and scary. They live their lives by avoiding the pain, thus living in denial of how they are truly doing. Much of the fear and trepidation that comes from avoiding pain is often worse than just facing the pain head on.
It takes great courage to face our pain, but it also takes a lot of trust in God to face it. You need a personal awareness and experiential knowledge that God is good in order to feel like you can trust Him enough to face what hurts. So many of us don’t want to share our pain with God, but He has told us that He’s always with us (Matthew 28:20), and He wants us to trust Him with our pain, hurts and burdens (Matthew 11:28-30). He knows the freedom that comes with sharing our pain and allowing what was once hidden in darkness to be healed by the exposure to the light.
This season, watch as God strengthens those of us that have been avoiding facing discomfort or pain in our lives (from the past or present). He’s there, whispering in our ear over and over, “I’m with you. I won’t leave you. You can do this. You’re not alone.” If we don’t leave Him, He won’t leave us, for He is faithful (2 Timothy 2:13). In facing our fears, we will gain a knowledge of God’s goodness that will carry us through the dark valleys and tough seasons. God is releasing self-awareness to see what we have been unable to see thus far. (Photo via Unsplash)Victorious Awakening
“But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, ‘Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.’ When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, ‘Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.’ And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead. But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, ‘Little girl, arise.’ Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat.” (Luke 8:50-55)
On the morning of December 14, 2019, little Olive Alayne Heiligenthal didn’t wake up. From the pain of that moment arose an army of Believers that stood full of faith beside her parents, Kalley and Andrew, believing for her resurrection. The injustice and tragedy of a child so young not waking up tore at our hearts. Her name, Olive Alayne, literally means “Victorious Awakening.”
We rallied together, contending that Jesus, who is the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25), would breathe life into her precious body. We contended every night in worship together as a Body, fasting, praying and believing. As we worshiped, we chose to believe ultimately in God’s goodness, no matter the outcome that weighed so heavy on our hearts. Our faith in the goodness of God and for her to live was palpable, and it changed us, unifying us in a way that little else had. Revival was breaking out. More reports of miracles were happening all over the earth. An awakening was beginning because of one little girl. One week later, her physical body was laid to rest.
Sweet Olive is now with Jesus, but in one week she unified the Body of Christ, unleashed a revival – a Victorious Awakening, and activated the Bride of Christ to hope once again. We have the opportunity to take a bold, uncompromising stand, ignoring whether we look silly, radical or misguided. We get to examine our hearts and choose FAITH, not building a theology on our circumstances that is separate from God’s character.
In the midst of our contending for little Olive, we were faced with the possibility that she might not live again on this earth, and we had a choice. Would we choose not to take the risk of standing in faith because we might be disappointed or “wrong”? Or would we choose HOPE despite how our circumstances look? Even though she didn’t rise, we still proclaim that God is good. We weren’t worshiping our risen Lord so that He would raise her, but because He is worthy of our praise.
This event marked a moment in time where God is calling Believers to WAKE UP. We can no longer afford to not believe that God is who He says He is. Olive called us higher. She called us to stand together. God is awakening our hearts, calling us to be united during this unprecedented time on the earth. God is with us as we examine what’s within our hearts; what we have cultivated, sheltered and protected deep within ourselves.
Will we choose to humble ourselves, honestly examine our hearts and stand together with the unified, awakened Body of Christ? Or will we decide that God is not good when He doesn’t move in the way we think He should?
Declarations:
• I am aligning with God’s purposes.
• I choose to be generous.
• I am facing my fears.
• I will actively pursue unity.
• God is good all the time.Anne Ballard
The Crowning Jewels
Website: http://www.thecrowningjewels.com
Email: hello@thecrowningjewels.comTexas born, Anne Ballard worked as a nurse for seventeen years before fully embracing her creative nature. Having grown up believing that God only spoke through the Bible, her life was transformed with the personal knowledge that He still speaks today. As she experienced a revelation of God’s love for her and the power of words to transform and heal, she began designing jewelry, partnering with Holy Spirit to create a tangible way to bring Heaven to Earth. This is where her prophetic jewelry company, The Crowning Jewels, was birthed. Many people recognize her company as a business-ministry hybrid. Her mandate is to champion others as they discover their God-given identity and fulfill their divine purpose. After living in Redding, CA for ten years, she recently moved back home and currently resides in Bedford, TX.
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