Posted on

What can hold us captive?

Isaiah 61:1 (AMP) The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed and commissioned me to bring good news to the humble and afflicted;
He has sent me to bind up [the wounds of] the brokenhearted, to proclaim release [from confinement and condemnation] to the [physical and spiritual] captives and freedom to prisoners

This is the verse Jesus read from the scroll in Luke 4. I am in the process of putting all of my notes together for the message this Sunday. For the past six years I have brought the message on Mother’s Day. This year I plan on sharing a little about my past and where I believe the root of abandonment, rejection and feeling unloved came from. Yet Jesus came to set the captives free. How do we get free from things we had no control over from happening in the first place?

As I have been meditating on how to put this all together, my sleep last night was disturbed. I had pictured myself in an old gymnasium. There was a microphone in the middle of the room and I was to share from that point. There were faces that I recognized and some I did not. The funny thing was as I was trying to teach I was also cooking a meal. I started to feel overwhelmed and could not finish. I was trying to do too much. Then fear came upon me.

2 Timothy 1:7 (AMP) For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].

The fear was not of God. It never is when it comes to something like that. To reverentially fear God is completely different from the fear that will try to paralyze you. What God is telling us is to slow down and keep the focus on Him. We can be doing all the right things, teaching and cooking are good, but it took my focus off of what He wanted. When we do that we can start to feel overwhelmed. Why? I am doing things in my own power. I have stepped back into captivity. My mind is not calm, well-balanced and in self-control.

Ephesians 2:1-2 (NKJV) And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience

Ephesians 2:1-2 (AMP) And you [He made alive when you] were [spiritually] dead and separated from Him because of your transgressions and sins, in which you once walked. You were following the ways of this world [influenced by this present age], in accordance with the prince of the power of the air (Satan), the spirit who is now at work in the disobedient [the unbelieving, who fight against the purposes of God].

When that feeling of being captive comes back up, we have to remember what we have been set free from (Galatians 5:1). A lot of people like to focus on the enemy, the prince of power of the air. How about we also look at the ways we once walked. We cannot forget what we have been set free from. What I have been set free from is different from what the church of Ephesus has been set free from. They did not walk the course of this world like I do. We are from a different time, place and generation. However, the same promise to them is the same to me. I do not have to be a product of the times, customs and societal pressures of this age.

In my generation we had to take care of things ourselves. Our parents worked and we were left home alone for hours at a time. We spent long hours outside. During the summers, we had to make our own breakfast and lunches, we even had to get dinner started. I did not have someone to take me to a friends house, if we wanted to see them we had to ride our bikes. There were no cameras to keep an eye on things. If we called our parents, while they were at work, too much, to ask for permission, we got in trouble. We are the generation that knew what it was like to be in the analog era and what it was like to be in the digital age.

All of this could hold us captive. Why, because it is the ways of the world that influenced us. Once we are in Christ, we have a new way of living. I am to remember where I came from, so that I can press on to where I need to be. When some of those old ways try to hold me captive, knowing where they came from can help me take them off and put on the new way.

Ephesians 4:21-24 (AMP) If in fact you have [really] heard Him and have been taught by Him, just as truth is in Jesus [revealed in His life and personified in Him], that, regarding your previous way of life, you put off your old self [completely discard your former nature], which is being corrupted through deceitful desires, and be continually renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh, untarnished mental and spiritual attitude], and put on the new self [the regenerated and renewed nature], created in God’s image, [godlike] in the righteousness and holiness of the truth [living in a way that expresses to God your gratitude for your salvation].

So what can hold us captive? Our minds. Our minds reverting to the course of this world that Jesus set us free from. I have to renew my mind and remind myself that just because that is what I came from, does not mean I have to live there. Just because I had to take care of everything on my own, does not mean I have to keep doing it that way. I am a part of the body of Christ. It is no longer MY responsibility, it is OUR responsibility. He has placed me in a family. I no longer have to survive this life, I get to thrive in this life. I do that by functioning according to this new way. I live in a way that expresses my gratitude to God. No longer isolated, but now a part of the Light shining out of the darkness (John 1:5). Recognize what captivity looks like and allow the work of Jesus to take you out of it. We do this in our surrender.

Father, our God and our Creator, we want to honor You today with our thoughts, our words and our actions. You are so Marvelous and Wonderful. All that we have is Yours. Thank You for Your Son. He set the captives free, that means He set us free. Thank You for the Holy Spirit, the seal of our freedom. We repent for going back into captivity, by living the ways from the course of the world set before us. We know now that Your Son set us free from living that way of life. We are choosing to take off that old nature and putting on the new by the renewal of our minds. We thank You for the Word and the revelation of Your Word. Many times we go through this life thinking we are just going through the motions. We recognize that is part of the captivity that the prince of this world set in motion. We are free. As free people we want to see other captives set free. As we walk in our freedom, let us be the light out of the darkness for others. Our desire is not to abuse our freedom. Let no unwholesome talk come out of our mouths. Let us see others with compassion. Let us be the people that tells others of the Way, the Truth and the Life. We choose forgiveness today. We choose hope today. We choose joy today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Posted on

Lazy Faith

Jeremiah 29:11 (AMP) For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

I believe this is one of the most quoted verses in the Bible, next to John 3:16. You see it everywhere. You see it on pillows, shirts, wall decor, etc. It is the focus verse for many ministries and organizations. It is a wonderful verse of hope. However, it can be an excuse for the lazy person to put their life on pause. Yikes! I used the word lazy to describe some people. I like lazy days that I don’t have to get out of my pajamas. That is my favorite outfit to wear. However, if I do not get out of my house, and my comfort, how can I fulfill this verse in context.

Jeremiah 29:5-10 (AMP) ‘Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there and do not decrease [in number]. Seek peace and well-being for the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf; for in its peace (well-being) you will have peace.’ For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Do not let your [false] prophets who are among you and your diviners deceive you; pay no attention and attach no significance to the dreams which they dream or to yours, for they prophesy falsely to you in My Name. I have not sent them,’ says the Lord. “For thus says the Lord, ‘When seventy years [of exile] have been completed for Babylon, I will visit (inspect) you and keep My good promise to you, to bring you back to this place. 

Everything must be judged against the Word of the Lord. Jeremiah was a prophet, but he was not the only prophet among the people. The Bible even calls them out as false prophets. He said a true prophet, “prophesies of peace, when that prophet’s word comes to pass, [only] then will it be known that the Lord has truly sent him” (Jeremiah 28:9). Was it through war or through God that they were going to be brought back to Israel. God moved on the heart of King Cyrus, his name was prophesied long before they were brought out of exile (Isaiah 44:28). We want God to move quickly, but we forget that He still gave us a job to do. What if the Israelites did not go on with their lives while in captivity? What if they did not seek peace with the city they were exiled to? We want so back to live for self and fight for our rights that we often hurt the ones that God has called us to reach. We are told to be a blessing where ever we go.

John 15:17 (AMP) This [is what] I command you: that you love and unselfishly seek the best for one another.

Galatians 5:14 (AMP) For the whole Law [concerning human relationships] is fulfilled in one precept, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, you shall have an unselfish concern for others and do things for their benefit].”

Remember, the promise in Jeremiah 29:11 was given to a nation, a group. We have personalized it so much that we have rationalized not doing this commandment to love unselfishly. Collectively know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Do not forget what comes after the verse.

Jeremiah 29:12-14 (AMP) Then you will call on Me and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear [your voice] and I will listen to you. Then [with a deep longing] you will seek Me and require Me [as a vital necessity] and [you will] find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ says the Lord, ‘and I will restore your fortunes and I will [free you and] gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,’ says the Lord, ‘and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.’

God has a plan. Do you want some keys to help ward off depression and discouragement in your life? Acknowledge that God has a plan and bloom where you are planted. Do not stop growing just because your circumstances are not what you expected. Keep God’s promises close to your heart. His precepts are true. His Word is true. Do something useful. There has never not been an excuse not to serve. If a dream that you believe He has given you does not bring you to love others unselfishly, or tells you not to yet, then I need to question that dream. He will not contradict His Word.

God asked me this question: What does your heart have to do with your faith? It has everything to do with it. I can be heard-hearted and go through the motions, but my faith does not align with His. I can have all the head knowledge of His Word, but not believe it, because faith without works (application of agape love) is dead. I have heard, “my heart is not in it anymore.” Why? What have your aligned your heart with? Is it the circumstance or our God? I have no idea how long our church is going to be renting a one thirty in the afternoon spot from another house of worship. That does not mean we do not bloom where we are planted. We continue to serve the city and people of our community. It is not making the name Connect Church famous, it is about glorifying and honoring His Name. We have a vision and a promise. We keep going! The promise does not give me permission to pause and become lazy in my faith. That is an abuse of the sovereignty of God. I should still desire to seek Him and to unselfishly love His people.

Jehovah Nissi, Abba Father, we honor You with our worship. Your Presence is enough for us. Your Presence is desired because we desire to honor You. Thank You for sending Your Son to be the Prince of Peace. Thank You for the Holy Spirit that empowers us to bloom where we are planted. The Holy Spirit indwelling us empowers us to love as You have loved, unselfishly. We repent for the times that we have been selfish and lazy in our faith. We repent for taking advantage and abused Your Sovereignty. We know the plans and thoughts You have for us, plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give us a future and a hope. We thank You for the commission to Go. We thank You for Your restoration plan. We are called ministers of reconciliation. We will never stop glorifying and proclaiming Your Name. We choose forgiveness today. We choose joy today. We choose love today. We choose hope today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Posted on

This means war

Genesis 14:12, 14, 16 (AMP) And they also took [captive] Lot, Abram’s nephew, and his possessions and left, for he was living in Sodom. When Abram heard that his nephew [Lot] had been captured, he armed and led out his trained men, born in his own house, [numbering] three hundred and eighteen, and went in pursuit as far [north] as Dan.  And he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his nephew Lot and his possessions, and also the women, and the people.

What happens when countries go into war? There are battles fought. There may even be casualties. What happens to the people that are trying to just go on with life? Sometimes, they are held captive. This is what happened to Lot and his crew. Lot and Abram had to go their separate ways. Separations happen, but that does not mean love is not there.

When Abram heard that his nephew was taken into captivity he gathered up some men of his own to go get him. Soon after a king offered him possessions, riches, to leave Lot and the others in his captivity. Why? The captivity of a people, not just land, shows the grandeur of a kingdom. The devil does not care what possessions you own, he cares about your influence of Kingdom matter.

1 Peter 2:9 (AMP) But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a [special] people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies [the wonderful deeds and virtues and perfections] of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Romans 8:17 (AMP)  And if [we are His] children, [then we are His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His spiritual blessing and inheritance], if indeed we share in His suffering so that we may also share in His glory.

Galatians 3:29 (AMP) And if you belong to Christ [if you are in Him], then you are Abraham’s descendants, and [spiritual] heirs according to [God’s] promise.

What happens when we hear or see a brother and/or sister in Christ go into captivity? They are no longer living the life they once were. They have fallen away. They become hard of heart and calloused to the rest of the body of Christ. What do you do then? Do we shrug our shoulders and chock it up to free will and we are all responsible for walking our own salvation? You are probably right in saying your words would be ineffective. What about your prayers?

Ephesians 6:12 (AMP) For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places. 

Can you imagine the real battle going on right now? Can you see it? The enemy has come in and taken people captive. The battle raging in their minds. Will you go into the war room to fight for them back. Will you pray over their identities? Will you pray for strength in knowing who they are in Christ?

You may ask if this is your responsibility. Ephesians 6:18 (AMP) With all prayer and petition pray [with specific requests] at all times [on every occasion and in every season] in the Spirit, and with this in view, stay alert with all perseverance and petition [interceding in prayer] for all God’s people. This does not just say pray for your children, your immediate family, those who do not know Christ (as we should)…it says to pray for ALL of God’s people. We are the body of Christ and when one of us is attacked the whole army of the Lord should be coming up against the enemy.

So I have been going down to the enemy camp, calling out what he has done, and I have been taking back what he has stolen in my war room (times of prayer). I have been speaking the promises of God and what He has destined for His beloved. What the devil had taken captive he will not be able to count as one of his possessions.

Father, You are so wonderful to me. There is nothing else that matters but You. Thank you for sending Your Son so that I may be whole again. Thank You for the peace that He brought. There are many things that I do not understand, but in Your grace and mercy I put my trust in You. Thank you for the people that You have put into my life. I am like a blurred reflection of You, looking dimly in a mirror (1 Corinthians 13:12), growing in Your love day by day. In Your Presence I see You face to face. Your Presence is where I long to be. I come boldly into Your throne room of grace. I know Your angels have been assigned and are awaiting the command. I speak to the strongholds that have kept Your people in bondage. They can no longer remain captive to the lies of the enemy. Satan is the accuser of the body and his lies will not take hold of them. Lord, Your Word is a lamp to my feet, I stand in faith to Your promises. Let any unforgiveness found in me be rooted out. I choose hope. I choose faith. I choose love. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Posted on

He calls my name

Isaiah 45:4 (AMP) For the sake of Jacob My servant, and of Israel My chosen, I have also called you by your name; I have given you an honorable name though you have not known Me.

When we named our first born we had two choices picked out for the day of deliver. We went the old fashioned way and did not find out the gender of both of our children until they were born. We had the name ‘Lillian Michelle’ if a girl and ‘Ari Daniel’ if a boy. Lillian was the name of my great aunt that made an impact on me when I was a little girl. She was strong, independent and feisty. Ari was the name of my husband’s best friend. My husband grew up in Belize, Central America, and being the only white kid, friendships meant the world to him.

We have two sons. Ari Daniel and Eli Robert (Robert after my grandfather and my husband’s father). There is deep meaning in their names. Ari in Hebrew means lion. Eli in Hebrew means high, elevated or my God. I named him after the prophets Elijah and Elisha, I wanted him to have double the anointing.

Isaiah was the prophet during the reign of King Hezekiah. King Hezekiah was a good king and did right in the eyes of God (2 Kings 18:3). He was also the king that showed the Babylonians all the treasures of the storehouse (2 Kings 20:13), there was nothing that he did not show them. This was a big no-no, because they were suppose to remain a secret to the surrounding nation.

Isaiah prophesied, 2 Kings 20:16-18, “Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord. ‘Behold, the time is coming when everything that is in your house, and that your fathers have stored up until this day, will be carried to Babylon; nothing will be left,’ says the Lord. ‘And some of your sons (descendants) who will be born to you will be taken away [as captives]; and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’” 

Why is this significant? In Isaiah 45:3, “I will give you the treasures of darkness [the hoarded treasures] and the hidden riches of secret places, so that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you (Cyrus the Great) by your name.” Who is Cyrus the Great? Why did God call Him by name?

Ezra 1:2-4 (AMP) “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says “‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them. And in any locality where survivors may now be living, the people are to provide them with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.’”

King Cyrus was not even born yet when Isaiah prophesied this. King Cyrus, of Persia, was the reason that Nehemiah was able to rebuild the walls and gates of Jerusalem. He made sure that everything that Nebuchadnezzar had taken to Babylon was returned to the temple. He made sure that temple was going to be rebuilt.

This gave me great courage during a time that I do not see enough people to do the work that God has called my husband and I to do. Those people have not even been born yet, and He has called them by name. I am not talking about a physical birth, I am talking about the new birth when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior (John 3:5; 2 Corinthians 5:17). I do not want some other church’s people, I want the ones that He is calling by name now. We are calling them out! We are inviting ALL!!

He has called you by name, even before you were conceived in your mother’s womb. If you do not know Jesus as your Lord and Savior message me at amanda@desiringformore.org. If you do and you want to know how you can share your faith, message me too!

I pray you have an amazing week!