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“God Is Meeting Us In Our Faith”In this season, God is breaking through the fear of man. He is causing us to embrace the authentic joy that comes when we meditate on Him and His Word. In addition to the armor God has given us, He is generously giving wisdom and discernment to those who humbly ask for it. He is equipping His sons and daughters for battle and leading the way forward. You have been empowered to intentionally speak life over yourself and your situations. Stand in confidence that you have access to faith that can move mountains. It is time to step out in that faith and trust God to meet you.
Undignified Joy
“I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.” (2 Samuel 6:22)
Joyful people can sometimes feel offensive or off-putting because it feels rare to find someone exhibiting authentic joy. So often we think of joy like happiness and that it’s conditional upon circumstances, but that’s not what joy is. I have always thought of happiness as more of an emotion that is largely dependent on my situation, whereas joy is more of a state of being. The Bible (Nehemiah 8:10) tells us that the “joy of the Lord” is our strength; joy is also listed as a fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22), which is to say that it manifests as a fruit in our lives when we are living connected to the Holy Spirit (or as evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit at work in our lives).
We have been largely conditioned in society to believe that life is hard and there’s no reason to have joy. You have to be super intentional and focused in order to maintain a lifestyle of joy, and it’s quite rare.
God is breaking through the fear of man, and in doing so, He’s emboldening people to not be so focused or concerned about what other people think of them, and to embrace the joy that He’s given to us when we meditate on Him and His Word.
This word is for people that feel like their joy has been stolen, or like they’ve never known true joy. Spend time in God’s presence. Just be with Him. Surrender to His ways, to His Word, and to what He’s speaking to your heart. His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11:30). Ask God if you need to let go of something in order to receive the joy that He has for you!
Equipped for Battle
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12) (Photo via Piqsels)Some people in the Church are paralyzed or handicapped by the fear that they will be deceived. This deep rooted belief causes them to not be open-minded as they encounter new ways of thinking or different beliefs. Although God tells us through the Bible that we are in a spiritual battle, He has also given us tools to fight. In addition to the armor of God that is outlined in Ephesians 6:10-18, we also know that God generously gives wisdom (and discernment) whenever we humble ourselves and ask Him for it (James 1:5). God has given us the tools that we need for battle.
We, as well as those around us, are influenced by spirits other than the Holy Spirit all the time. In navigating this, it is helpful to know the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22)—as a measuring stick to the influence on a person. Fruit doesn’t lie. We can also ask ourselves questions like: How do we feel when we’re around this person? Do we feel the presence of God when we’re with them? Do we feel like what they’re saying is coming from a place of love?
God is very active and always speaking, using our senses to help us discern. Knowing that we are daily in a spiritual battle shouldn’t incite fear in us. If we’re scared then we are aligning our beliefs with the wrong kingdom. We must know who God is and who He created us to be and stand firmly in that truth.
Our battle is not against flesh and blood. We can’t approach a spiritual battle like we are a victim or we will be handicapped before we start. If we identify as the victim we will be tossed about and victimized by the forces at work. We must rise up and be the victorious sons and daughters of the King.
God is showing us that we have the tools that He’s already given us, and that He gives generously anytime we ask Him. This word is for people whose beliefs are being questioned. They may have come up against someone who has a different belief system, and that experience has caused them to feel tossed about or double minded (James 1:8).
If this is you, take a step back when you feel anxious or afraid, threatened or tossed about. Focus on the presence of God to gain your balance. Ask God to reveal to you the truth about your situation. Ask God to show you the tools He’s already given you to navigate your way forward.
Strengthen Yourself in the Lord
“And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.” (1 Samuel 30:6)
Sometimes when you feel like you’re in a storm, it is important to corral your resources and be intentional about the words you use, the people you surround yourself with and what you believe. There are seasons when we need to draw on others’ faith for our situations, and ask them to stand with us in faith for our circumstances.
There are seasons when we know others who have a testimony about the particular storm (financial, health, family, for example) we are in, and have more faith for our situation than we do. Some of the people in our lives (even our family) may not have the strength and the faith to face our challenge with us, and it’s important to recognize this when we are seeking support. This can also be a time when we focus on the goodness of God and even prophetic words we’ve received in the past.
God is calling us higher…to be who He made us to be. He created us and spoke life into us to empower us to take hold of His goodness and peace, and to see the fruit of that in our lives. The journey of realizing who we were created to be can be uncomfortable and challenging, but He’s there with us, right beside us. Just like a friend, in order to know Him intimately, we must spend time with Him, enjoying His presence. (Photo via Unsplash)Imagine God as your personal trainer. He’s telling you to lift the 50 pound weight because He knows you can do it and that it will be good for you, but you may only believe that you need the 25 pound weight.
This word is for people that feel like they’ve been living out of stress; some may even be feeling overwhelmed or like they don’t have what it takes. If that’s you, choose to lay down your agenda and then spend time with God. Enjoy His presence. Be intentional about how you talk about your situation, knowing that your words are declarations—speaking life or death.
We become what we believe we are, so we need to intentionally choose to speak life-giving words. Be creative with the words you choose and how you speak, standing in faith for your situation. Be intentionally selective of those to whom you tell your situation and whom you invite to stand with you. Make sure they are full of faith!
Stand in Faith
“And without faith it is impossible to please God…” (Hebrews 11:6)
Faith looks like something, and it often looks like standing. We know that it is impossible to please God without faith, and we also know that our words are powerful and can create worlds when we speak (Proverbs 18:21). When we enter into a situation that we don’t have faith for, we cannot hope for success. God meets us in our faith.
If you don’t have faith for a situation, try taking a step back and figure out what’s blocking your faith. If you don’t know, ask God to show you. Try making declarations that are full of faith over your situation. If you don’t know what that looks like, ask God what He wants to do in that situation, or try thinking about it from a Kingdom perspective. Understanding that our words can shape what happens, choose to speak words of life instead of any doubts rooted in fear.
God is meeting us in our faith. He’s inviting us to trust Him and to not come up with a plan B. Our confidence and faith in His goodness will be rewarded. This word is for those who have lost sight of God’s best in their situation. We know that God’s plan is always redemptive, and often restorative. Perhaps that outcome feels elusive to you.
It’s time to step out in faith and believe that God will meet you. In your stepping you can be confident that not only will He meet you, but He will also grow you into more of the person He created you to be.
Declarations:
• God is restoring joy to me.
• God has equipped me for battle.
• I am strengthening myself in the Lord.
• My faith pleases God.
• My Kingdom outcome is redemptive!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. She is known as a prophetic visionary with the drive to accomplish her dreams. 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 Texas.
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