Over the course of these past years, we have received a common thread from many of God’s people who are seeking to walk into breakthrough physically, emotionally and financially. The frequent theme seems that arises surrounds some kind of struggle they have to find that breakthrough. It might be in business, family, ministry and/or many other areas. Some have fallen into deep discouragement, when in reality, their breakthrough is right around the corner. Yet the current headlines seem to cloud the thinking of many, causing them to wonder, what is God up to?
Although I am not attempting to slap an easy answer on very real situations, but I do want to share what God has been putting on my heart over the years.
If we do not press into the ways of the Kingdom at a whole new level, we may miss the full potential of what God wants to do in and through us. Even worse, many will fall into a spiritual coma–where their faith is stifled and the overcoming heart is quenched.
The Enemy’s Message to You: “Back Down, Quit or Find the Easier Route”
It is obvious to me that the enemy has an assignment to attack and buffet God’s people with an attempt to wear us out and drive us into quitting. His evil desire is for us to let go of the dreams and visions that God has seared upon our hearts—causing us to back off from what God has told us to stand firm for and press on towards. Whether it is starting a new ministry, developing a new business, seeing your family saved or the provision of a new job, there are numerous dreams that many of you have received from God. It seems that every dream is BIG; every vision seems to be humanly IMPOSSIBLE and every journey CANNOT BE DONE ALONE. This is actually encouraging to me because it communicates that God’s people are dreaming with a higher level of faith. Yet with that new ability to dream has come a deeper assignment of attack from satan. Please understand, when the enemy sees God’s people running out of the caves of passivity and complacency, his response is to bring an immediate onslaught to discourage and drive us back into those caves.
Divine Perspective is Critical
Now more than ever, we must hear what the heart of Father God is saying. This is an assignment that we cannot delegate to other people or even to just the key leaders in the Kingdom. We must press in and find God’s heart to receive His love and rely on it, while being confident in what He wants to do in our lives. When push comes to shove; when the attacks seems to be overwhelming, it must be the love of Father God and His vision for our lives that we stand upon. To anyone who wants to join the army of spiritual change in the land, trust me, you and your dreams will be tested and assaulted by the enemy.
A great attack seems to come on God’s people to keep us busy and extremely active; deceiving us into believing that busy activity equates to spiritual productivity. Yet we cannot bypass the necessity of resting in the Father’s love and receiving peace about what He is doing in our lives. I exhort you to press in deeper than you ever have before, to receive His perspective. Don’t walk on until you get it.
Turning the Tide
We are in a season of turning a tide that has for a long time, moved in a different direction. Please recognize that many of you are interceding and contending for a culture that for the most part, is not the majority in many areas. You are believing for a revival mindset and you are seeking to invade the culture with the mindset of the Kingdom of God. In doing so, encourage yourself by understanding how big this task is—and it will take some time of investment and sowing to make the change. Realize that we are working towards long term change, not simply a short burst of results. This is also not just a change we are seeking for us, but for the next generation that will take it to the next level.
Let me say this word to some of the older saints that feel they are on their way to winding down. I feel this very strongly within me: you are critically needed. For many of you who feel you are in retirement years, you are actually in your most fruitful opportune season where your harvest and influence can accelerate. We desperately need spiritual fathers and mothers to help ground the younger generation in the ways of God; so that they do not fizzle out over the long haul.
It’s About Where You Are Going
This is the season to alter our personal atmosphere to reflect where we are going, not where we are. Because the way of thinking coming through the news and media often communicates an antichrist mentality, we must move towards have an inward atmosphere that is not affected by the thinking of this world. In order to do this, we cannot rely on the news for our thermostat of perspective. In fact, God’s ways often directly oppose the thought systems that are dominant in our world. The world is saying, “Be afraid for your finances.” God would say, “Keep sowing and step out in faith.” Those who step out in faith will actually see the fruit of provision while others experience what they feared. This is the season for the transfer of wealth to move from the wicked to the righteous who have chosen to not walk in fear.
I must give a warning. A big mistake can occur with believers who go through tough financial times or times where their God promise is not coming to past. The problem is that they can become used to dryness they are in, lose perspective on where God wants to take you and become used to living in a barren place. You prevent this not by living in denial, but by thinking and living according to where you are going, not by where you are currently. This will affect the way we think, the way we talk and the way we act. It’s time for a personal spiritual makeover so we can produce a cultural makeover.
Pruning and Sifting
This is the season to let God prune off the roots and branches that are keeping us from being fruitful. Allow God to remove those areas of offense and bitterness. Forgive those who have wronged you. Let Him reveal the areas where a lens of rejection has been a dominant voice. Stop blaming others and let the change start within you. Face the fears that have limited you and step out in faith towards God provision.
I encourage you to come before God and break the generational patterns that are keeping a lid on your fruitfulness and victory. Break off the poverty thinking that wants to keep you living like you will never have enough. Break off the occultic patterns of confusion and calamity. Remove strongholds of criticism, gossip and slander. Move in the opposite spirit so that we don’t keep walking around the same mountain of bondage and fruitlessness.
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1 (NKJV)
Enter into His Rest
The temptation during times of uncertainty is to either jump towards drivenness and striving or to passivity. Many who struggle to remain in the rest of God find themselves running to either extreme or bouncing between the two. Drivenness is based on what we can do, yet passivity waits for lightning to strike to finally step out in faith to do something. Drivenness will produce burnout, while passivity will cause us to quit.
Divine rest is a state within that is not dependant on outwards circumstances, but on trusting in the love of God and His grace working within our lives to lead us into His ways. It’s a state where we step into daily refreshment. It’s a lifestyle of working in harmony with the Spirit of God in our life. Divine rest allows us to believe that God loves us and is at work on our behalf. It involves faith to where we step out to receive what God has for us. Remember there remains a rest for the people of God! Remember, this is a daily practice.
There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.
Hebrews 4:9-11 (NKJV)
Kingdom Minded Relationships
This is the season to network and seek for Kingdom relationships. I think that just about everyone I minister to has a need to connect with other Kingdom minded people in relationship. I am learning more and more in my life that in God’s world, it is ALL about relationships, especially divine ones that He places into your life. Make it your prayer that God would bring the right people into your life who can help to sharpen you and encourage your journey. Make yourself available for those relationships to present themselves.
Press In Further!
If I could only say one thing, it would be what I have heard echoed from the heavenlies. “Do not quit!” No matter what comes or what you face, make it your determination to stay the course. Keep pressing into His presence, keep sowing and giving, keep seeking and above all—keep living in His love.
Although you may feel like you are alone . . . you are not alone. Like Elijah, there are many prophets and people of God that are contending as you are. Let’s press in and do it together!
We love you and thank God for you regularly. Let us know how we can support you further and add to your spiritual equipping.
Be free in His love today.