It’s An Un-Pretty Path!

 

Just before starting to write this post, I felt like crying and weeping and crying some more.

Why?

I had just watched The Passion of the Christ.

It is something I like to do every year on Good Friday. I do it because I don’t want my relationship with God to be something I take for granted. I don’t want my profession to be a Christian and the life I live as a result of this claim, to be a light-hearted matter.

I want, no I need, to be reminded of what God and his precious Son Jesus, has done for me. And so here I am today having watched Mel Gibson’s dramatization of the last few hours of Christ’s life.

It’s brutal. It’s graphic. It’s thought provoking. And it’s deeply, deeply moving.

I have been moved.

I would not describe myself as a nominal Christian. Someone who attends church only on a Sunday but has no relationship with God during the week. Nor am I someone who attends only for those occasions such as Easter, or Christmas, weddings, christenings and funerals.

Nor am I what I’d describe as a tick-box Christian. Someone who attends church because it has become a routine affair in their life and they feel it’s the right thing to do, yet somehow that vital connection… that life-giving relationship is not there.

I say all the above to give you some context. I love my Father-God. I’ve fully committed my life to Christ. I am not someone playing at “churchianity”. When I attend church meetings, I do so because I want to connect with God and with the people of God… because I recognise that when you attend, if your pastor or leader is spirit-filled then there’s a protective anointing released over your life.

When I attend, I do so because I want to be obedient to God’s Word… because I want to enter that higher realm within God’s presence, which you only experience when you present yourself with other members of Christ’s body and offer a corporate sacrifice of adoration, thanksgiving and praise.

So, as you can see, I am committed. Some might even say that I’m passionate when it comes to my relationship with God.

Now I’ve watched this movie before. I’ve been touched by Gibson’s portrayal before. And yet today, something different happened to me. And the only way I can describe it, is to say that I’ve been deeply, deeply moved.

Something has shifted in my heart. A new desire has been birthed within me. A new determination to walk, even soar in life, as a purpose-driven achiever.

It occurred to me whilst watching the movie that Jesus came down from his glorious and majestic habitat in heaven, specifically to die. For me. For you. For the entire human race.

As I watched, as sorrow settled in my heart, as tears pricked my eyes and mysterious lumps formed in my throat, it occurred to me that Jesus had both pursued and achieved his God-ordained purpose. Never mind whether anyone wants to believe it or not. Never mind whether anyone wants to accept it as the truth or not. Never mind whether anyone wants to come avail themselves of his free salvation package, or not.

What matters is that he did it! My Saviour pursued his purpose and fulfilled his destiny. He was and is, a purpose-driven achiever.

Now if we accept this, then we have to accept that pursuing our purpose is not always an idyllic path, a pretty picture of success. Using Jesus as an example, let’s reflect on the route he had to travel for us. Let us consider those times when he was mocked, scorned and spat upon, when he was stripped and humiliated, when he was whipped without mercy and all within a hateful, hostile atmosphere. Does this look, or sound like success? No!

Let me reiterate – the path of success is not always a pretty one. It is not paved with primroses and daffodils. It is paved with blood, sweat and tears. And for Jesus, it was literal blood, literal sweat and for his loved ones, literal tears.

You will recall me mentioning I’ve been deeply moved. Having re-read the account of Jesus’ crucifixion and the events preceding it. Having watched Gibson’s graphic depiction of Christ’s Passion. Having recognised that only someone deeply committed to God and to obeying his will would choose to die such a cruel death.

Yes! Deeply. Utterly. Moved.

Dear reader, pursuing your God-ordained purpose and becoming a purpose-driven achiever, may mean you being at the receiving end of betrayal. It may mean someone you’ve been good to, turns against you. It may mean people who do not understand you or who see you as a threat, will attempt to discredit you, even dispose of you.

Dear reader, when the baggage of past negative experiences meet with the pressure of current difficulties, and when the vision of your future seems cloudy, burdensome or overwhelming, you might (as Jesus did) be tempted to ask God to relieve you, to take your cup of troubles away from you. We all want that idyllic path but more often than not, success requires us to travel via a thorny crossroad.

It is at this point of pressure that we face a choice. Do we back away from the path we have chosen, or do we trust God to empower us, to enable us to carry on?

Are we truly committed to our Father-God so that honouring him, obeying his will, takes priority over our own desires, disappointments and discomfort? Are we focused on the bigger picture, knowing that once we achieve success, it equips us with the means to bless others?

You are perhaps familiar with the saying “no pain, no gain!” Well Jesus embraced it. Jesus lived it. Jesus modelled it.

Having endured the pain and shame of the cross, Christ emerges as a purpose-driven achiever. He achieved victory over a desire for self-preservation. He achieved victory over Satan. He achieved victory over death and sin. He did it for you and for me.

Purpose-driven believer and dream achiever, whilst it’s right that you should pursue the best life you can live as a Child of God and be the best person you can be as a disciple of Christ, in all your pursuits, in all your endeavours, your aim in life should be for God to use you to liberate others—from pain, from lack, from sorrow, from darkness.

Dear reader, I’d like to take the opportunity to encourage you on this special day of remembrance, on this Good Friday.

I’d like to remind you that if it were not for Christ’s sacrifice, you and I would not be in a position today to take advantage of God’s goodness, mercy and loving-kindness. Furthermore, I’d like to encourage you with the wise words of one of my favourite actors, Denzel Washington, who said: don’t just aim to make a living, aim to make a difference!

Dear reader, as you pursue your dreams, consider Christ’s example and remember—to be a purpose-driven achiever is to make a difference to the lives of others—whether family, friend, or foe.

Wishing you a happy Easter!

Best wishes,

Carol

“…If you love what you are doing, you will be successful” – Albert Schweitzer

—–oooooo000oooooo—–

PS: Have you been to my Easter Blog Hop party? No?

Then don’t delay – hop across today!

Here’s the address:

 

CREDITS: All the above CCO images are courtesy of Pixabay.com

 

You are not a victim!

Today I saw a youtube video that called to mind Peter’s stark warning to all Christians. He said:

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour

(1 Peter 5:8 KJV)

But praise God! We need not fear.

This is the video which inspired today’s post.

 

Granted our personal situation may not be as dramatic and heart-stopping as the baby bear’s but we would do well to take heed of Peter’s warning in the quote above.

Thank God that should we fail to be vigilant, should we feel our circumstances have us hopelessly cornered, when we have the presence of mind to cry out for help, or we seek to stand our ground against the Enemy, our Heavenly Father is quick to respond.

So remember dear Women of Warfare followers and readers, whether you are the target of relentless opposition, or whatever difficulties you may be facing – you are not a victim!

 

 

The darkness you have been through

My God is Able!

CC0 Image – courtesy of John Hain (Pixabay.com)

 

Fear not, for I am with you;

Be not dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you,

Yes, I will help you,

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

(Isaiah 41:10 NKJV)

 

It was 4.00am on a work day morning.

I lay wide awake in bed. Fretting.

My concern related to a new occurrence of an age-old problem, which looked as if it would never, ever be resolved. I could see no way out. No way around, or over this problem.

And God didn’t seem to be doing anything about it! Despite my repeated requests. Despite my firm stand of faith.

Fear began to voice its opinion.

What’s the point of carrying on with this project? – they’ll only undermine you anyway! No one’s really interested in what you have to say, so why bother?

Then self-pity put in her 10 cents worth.

Opposition is too strong, too much. Face it – they’re winning! And you know they are determined you won’t succeed. Is it worth putting yourself through the agro (aggravation)?

Then unexpectedly, up came bubbling within my spirit a chorus I used to sing years ago. It went like this:

God is able, more than able

To accomplish what concerns me today

God is able, more than able

To handle anything that comes my way.

God is able, more than able

To do much more than I could ever dream

God is able, more than able

To make me what he wants me to be.

The Holy Spirit had stepped in with his calm, cool, soothing voice of comfort. Isn’t it beautiful when that happens?

Immediately, I felt encouraged. God is with me, so who can successfully stand (and permanently maintain that stance of opposition), against me? After all, as is so clearly shown in the Bible, to stand against the people of God, is to stand against the God of his people and since I am his child then a stand against me is a stand against Him. Anyone foolish enough to try and oppose God is bound to come a cropper—eventually!

And since God is confirming that he is with me, I can cast ALL my concerns on him. I can leave him to sort everything out. Deal with what needs to be dealt with. Thwart those who need to be thwarted. I just need to be patient and wait on his timing.

My times (my past, present and future days) are in God’s hands, under his control. He has not shut me up into a ‘no way out’ zone with the Enemy, or with those whom Satan uses to do his dirty work (Psalm 31:8).

Thank you Father God!

WoW followers and visitors, don’t be, or don’t remain a victim of negative circumstances. Don’t entertain those thoughts that are contrary to God’s Word and will for your life.

When the Enemy sows those thoughts of defeat and discouragement (and believe me he will), you have a choice:

• agree with him   OR
• resist him!

To successfully resist Satan and his tactics within and against your life, engage the help of your Comforter and Helper. Ask the Holy Spirit to lift up a standard against the flood of contrary thoughts sent to swamp your mind (Isaiah 59:19b). Ask him to help you gird your mind with the truth of God’s Word (and ask Him to give you some scriptures to memorise and stand upon during times of attack). Then when Satan throws those thought bombs, you’ll be prepared and you will not become a casualty.

 

(PS: I was not able to find out who wrote the above chorus)

 

Dear followers and visitors, have a blessed and victorious week.

Did You Pray Today?

Image from Pixabay.com

  

Whilst on this earth, Jesus said: “…men always ought to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1 NKJ)

And so I would ask you to examine yourself today and answer the following questions honestly:

• Do you have a consistent prayer life?
• Do you feel your prayers are effective?
• Do you believe a diligent prayer life is important to your relationship with God?
• How happy are you with your prayer life?

In Matthew 6:5-7 Jesus uses the words: “…when you pray…” 3 times. He does not say “if you pray”.

Jesus therefore expected his followers to pray and, as we have read above, he requires that we always pray.

Prayer is not a last resort. Nor is it merely a spiritual means of God getting me out of a fix, or granting my desires.

Prayer is often associated with intercession, petition, supplication and spiritual warfare. However, it is not just these things. It is also communion or fellowship with our Father God. It is spending quality time in his presence, simply for the pleasure of being with him and wanting to know him better.

Prayer is a privilege. Are you availing yourself of this glorious opportunity to draw closer to God?

Now, if having answered the questions above, you feel that your prayer life is lacking, make amends without delay. Take a leaf from the disciples’ book, who asked Jesus to teach them to pray (Luke 11:1) and whilst you’re at it, ask the Holy Spirit to help you pray consistently.

 

Make no mistake, as women of warfare who aim to walk victoriously in life, an active and diligent prayer life is indispensable.

WoW! followers and visitors have a blessed week!

 

 

 

 

Are You Reading The “Good Book”?

 

An unread book

The other day I came across a book I’d bought. It was the Bloomsbury Good Reading Guide – What To Read And What To Read Next. I’d bought it way back in 2003 because I had a desire to become more widely read. Now over a decade later, I’ve neither read it, consulted it, or used it in any way, shape or form.

Do you have books on your shelf that are unread, or only partially read? What about the greatest Book of all books – your Bible, the Word of God? How often do you read it?

 

A much-loved and much-read book

Once upon a time, when I first made a serious commitment to the Lord, I had a brown leather-bound King James’ Bible which was so well-used, its pages became dog-eared and fragile. To make matters worse, the binding began to disintegrate and quite a few pages subsequently become loose. I resorted to using sellotape to repair torn pages, causing some leaves to cleave obstinately together from the sticky residue of the sellotape applied.

I loved that Bible and whilst I may not have known the actual reference for a particular scripture verse when quoted, I knew whereabouts in my bible I could find it (i.e. whether Old or New Testament, which book and the general location on page). This old bible was annotated, arrowed, circled, cross-referenced, highlighted, underlined and every blank space (front and back) filled with notes— choruses, definitions, prayer reminders, any valuable nugget I could record. That old bible meant just as much to me as an old favourite toy or teddy bear can mean to a young child and it was a tug for me to finally let it go and move on to a new one.

 

A neglected book?

Now recently I’ve read various posts challenging and provoking Christians to read their Bibles regularly. As prayer warriors, the spoken Word of God is an essential part of our armour—it is the sword of the Spirit. However, we cannot declare, proclaim, or pray God’s Word with confidence, if we do not know what it says.

If we are going to be effective as prayer warriors, if we are going to reign victoriously over our circumstances, if we are wanting to appropriate this abundant life that Jesus Christ paid such a dear price for us to have and enjoy, then we need to be familiar with, and understand God’s Word. The onus is therefore upon us to read, meditate upon and study the Bible.

 

Benefits untapped

Going back to the Bloomsbury guide referred to at the beginning of this post, I’m sure there are dozens of books this guide could point me to, which would enrich my reading repertoire and thus assist my aims and ambitions as a writer. Whilst it remains on my bookshelf unread however, I cannot avail myself of its commentaries, editorial suggestions and literary expertise.

Likewise, as Christian believers, as prayer warriors, our ability to become intimately acquainted with God, our ability to know His will, plan and purpose for our lives, our ability to withstand the lies and wiles of the Enemy, to pray and intercede effectively, is dependent upon how much of God’s Word we know, understand, put into practice and stand upon in faith.

And so fellow believers, if you are guilty of habitually neglecting God’s Word, please be aware that you are walking around with a blunt sword. Please be aware that a vital element of your armour has become useless. Please be aware that without the complete armour (as described in Ephesians 6:11-17), you will not have the spiritual strength to resist Satan’s schemes and strategies unleashed against your life and against the lives of your loved ones.

 

The last word

Women of Warfare followers and visitors, if Jesus has the words of eternal life (John 6:68), if God’s Word is to be effective as a lamp to your feet and a light to your path (Psalm 119:105), then I would encourage you to take stock of your personal engagement with God’s Word and if deep down in your heart, you know it to be lacking, then make amends. Don’t delay, don’t ignore, don’t make excuses. It could be a matter of life and death—the health and vigour of your spiritual life and the putting to death of carnality!

 

 

A Spiritual Warrior’s Declaration

CC0 Public Domain – image from Pixabay.com

 

I am a victorious overcomer.

I’m taking back control. Yes. I’m taking back control of my life, of my state of mind… of my thought patterns… of my future… of me. I am taking back control. I have the power to do so because I’ve been given spiritual authority by the blessed and only Potentate—the King of kings and Lord of lords (1 Timothy 6:15 NKJ). He has granted me power of attorney to act on his behalf. He has entrusted me with the weapons of spiritual warfare – the name of Jesus, the blood of the Lamb, the Word of God.

Jehovah-Tsebaoth* is on my side. He has legions of angels at his command. He is the Lord of hosts. The resources of heaven and earth, yeah the entire universe is at his disposal and operates at his command.

God (my God), the omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent God, is supreme and superior. Satan is therefore no match for Him. How could he be? Satan was created by God. Therefore, in comparison with God, Mr Diablo is an inferior being. He, a mere member of creation, cannot be greater than the Creator! This emboldens me.

No weapon forged against me, thrown at me, designed to disempower me, provoke me, alienate me (whatever!), can be irredeemably successful in its intention. I have an impregnable shield around me. It is the shield of faith. I have a highly potent substance which covers me from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet. It is the precious, efficacious blood of Jesus. Satan and his cohorts have no immunity against the blood of Jesus (Hallelujah!). And because I dwell in the secret place of the most high (through regular fellowship with Father God), I am hidden under the shadow of His protective wings.

Yay! I am not a victim. I am a victor. I am an overcomer. I am an anointed woman of God, a spiritual warrior. I choose to reign over my circumstances – they will not reign over me. They will not crush me into a place of impotence, or permanent defeat. I will not allow them to push me into a place of perpetual despair, discouragement or distress. I will not allow my circumstances to cower, or imprison me within Fear’s hostile habitation. I am a victor!

Heaven and earth may pass away but God’s Word will never, ever pass away. His covenant with me will not (indeed cannot) be broken!

The Lord my God is Yahweh. He is Jehovah. He is the great I AM. He is not like mere man. He does not lie. He is not flummoxed by what the future brings because he stands at the edge of time. He inhabits the very eras throughout all eternity. He knows the end from the beginning. He knows the destiny he has planned and earmarked for me. Therefore Father God (my God) cannot make me promises, which circumstances he did not expect or foresee (I speak in jest!), render him incapable of fulfilling.

Unlike politicians, my Father God does not make promises he cannot keep. He does not have ulterior motives that benefit only him. He is not disingenuous. He is holy. He is gracious. He is generous-hearted. Yeah, he is just, merciful, full of love and altogether lovely. He is my God!

How wonderful that he should care about me, about my progress, about my future. How wonderful that he should watch over me, treat and keep me as the apple of his eye. How wonderful that He even cares about the sparrows, feeds them and is aware of each one’s fate – that’s how loving, how caring, committed and mindful my Heavenly Father is of his creation.

Well, I am the crowning glory of his creation. I am his poetic masterpiece. He therefore sees me as so much more valuable than the sparrows. So much so, He even knows the number of hairs on my head. How mind-blowing is that!

My God is for me. He loves me. He has made generous provision for me. His individual thoughts concerning me (should I be able to count them), are more numerous than the grains of sand. He desires intimate fellowship with me and delights when I come into his holy presence – me! His banner over me is LOVE. He loves me and loves me unconditionally.

There have been poems, plays, songs and stories about love – “true” love, unrequited love, puppy love – but the greatest love story, is revealed in the greatest book – the book of all books. It is the love of all loves. It is sacrificial, unconditional, everlasting. It is the agape love of God for mankind (or humankind – if you have a problem with masculine language). It is the agape love of God for you and for me. He is love. He is LOVE!

And so, His love for me makes me more than a conqueror. His love for me makes me an overcomer. Therefore, I can boldly declare that I am not a victim – I am a victor!

*Jehovah-Tsebaoth = The Lord of hosts

 

***   ***   ***   ***   ***

 

What declarations of faith do you use to encourage yourself?

 

 

 

All Hallows Eve – Celebrate!

Halloween. It’s that time of the year again where witches and warlocks roam the earth – and I’m not referring to the ghoulish fancy-dressed men, women, boys and girls who indulge in Halloween parties and neighbourhood trick-or-treat visits.

I’m referring to the spiritual underworld, comprising evil spirit beings and their flesh-and-blood counterparts, who gather in covens and secret societies to worship Satan, practice their noxious arts and target Christian leaders.

Edmund Burke once said:

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men (and women) to do nothing.

So what can we do?

We can repossess this 2-day event, which Pope Gregory III had appropriated for the Church calendar. No need to stand helpless and watch the Enemy commandeer this historically hallowed occasion for his purpose.

As women of warfare we can resist Satan’s insidious ploys to spoil, sully and snuff out the lives of God’s creative masterpiece – us! Men, women and children put on this earth to reign, rule and usher in His Kingdom of righteousness. We can thwart our Enemy’s attempts to extend the reach of his foul kingdom.

How?

We can PARTY:

Hold a Hallelujah party. You can make it low key, or a full blown fiesta – the choice is yours. Make it a time of celebration, fun and thanksgiving. It can be adults only, include children, or it can be a private affair – just you and the Lord.

Can’t have a party on your own you say? Yes, you can! It’s a wonderful opportunity to get together with God, link up with Jesus and become better acquainted with the Holy Spirit. And anyway, who says you can’t party on your own? How many times have you held a pity party? Did you invite anyone else along? No? I rest my case!

We can PRAY:

Ask God to divinely protect you, your loved ones, colleagues, friends and neighbours. Stand in the gap for members of your local fellowship, prominent Christian leaders and their families.

Entreat your Heavenly Father to protect your nation, to avert or diffuse any hidden dangers within its borders. Plead the protection of the precious blood of Jesus over your district’s transport network, seas and skies, school grounds and university campuses.

Petition Abba Father to grant journeying mercies to your friends and loved ones. Request peace, divine protection and an assurance of his presence for overseas missionaries.

Solicit Almighty God to deliver you from the schemes, snares and strategies of Satan.

Thank Jehovah for his daily mercies, for preserving our lives to date, for granting us authority over all the power of the Enemy and for his promise that the gates of hell cannot and will not prevail against the church that is established upon revelation truth.

We can PROCLAIM:

At Hallelujah parties or church gatherings, speak out with boldness. Shout your praise declarations. Pay tribute to the goodness of our great God. Encourage and make room for your children to do the same. After all, Psalm 8:2 (NKJ) says:

Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants

You have ordained *strength (i.e. praise)

Because of Your enemies,

That you may silence the enemy and the avenger.

*According to the Greek Bible from which Jesus quoted, a better translation of the word “strength” is praise.

Dear reader, please understand, I am not denying the underlying darkness of this cultural tradition. I am simply saying enough is enough! Why should we continue to allow our voice to be silenced, the Christian heritage of our nations to be eroded? I’m saying let’s take a stand. Let’s frustrate the forces of darkness with our praise, our prayers and our proclamations.

Instead of shunning this day as a time of consummate evil, let’s seize this moment, this opportunity, as another occasion to celebrate our Lord, who triumphed over the devil and over his realm of death and destruction.

To the children/parents that come knocking at your door this year, why not add a spiritual element to any treats you offer? For UK residents, you can take advantage of a free resource, The Bag of hope, available from United Christian Broadcasters (UCB). There is no limit to the number you can order. However, post and packing charges will apply.

For those not residing in the UK, perhaps you can obtain some simple tracts, or other Christian resources for children and make little goody-bags. Whichever option you choose, pray over these bespoke bags, asking God to prepare the hearts of recipients, so they are open to His gospel message.

Finally, share this post and spread the word to your Christian friends, family, followers and social media connections. Help make the weekend of 30 October – 1 November 2015, the biggest celebration of our King of kings, and Lord of lords. He is surely worthy – don’t you think?

WARNING: please ensure that you seek God’s divine protection in accordance with Psalm 91 and apply the blood of Jesus to your life and the lives of your loved ones, before attempting to battle with the Enemy and his evil forces of darkness.

Potential Prayer Warriors

Queen Boadicea

What do you think about when you consider a warrior? Do you see someone like Boadicea? Deborah the prophetess, or David in the Bible? How about yourself? No? Well why not?

The Bible says the Kingdom of God suffers violence and the violent take it by force (Matthew 11:12). Of course it’s not saying you are to go out and mug anyone! It does however imply there will be a perpetual fight on our hands. Ephesians 6:11-18 is even more enlightening. It states categorically that we are in a fight and that our fight is not with humans but with evil spirit beings – super-powers!  Aargh! Potentially scary stuff!

Yet there’s no need to be afraid. We’ve been given spiritual armour and this armour not only protects us, but also enables us to go on the offensive against the Enemy (aka Satan). Once you are on a battlefield there is no going back. Once you are confronted with the enemy, there is no retreating. You have to stay, fight and conquer, or you could end up getting wounded, or even die.

Whether you like it or not, believe it or not, as Christian women we are in a battle.  By virtue of the fact that we are Born-again believers, Disciples of Christ, Followers of God, that makes us the Enemy’s target. And so we have no choice but to fight (either that or risk being trampled on). The great news for us is, it is not a fair fight! We have already been given the victory. Jesus did that for us. We merely have to enforce that victory because believe me the Enemy will not give up, or lay down and die. He’s been around a long time. He’s aware that some of us don’t really know who we are in Christ, or realise the authority and power we have been given, or that some of us don’t have the tenacity to stay the course. And so, even though he knows we have the advantage, he calls our bluff. He tests us. He attempts to wear us down. And we can be our own worst enemies.

We fail to turn up to training camp, or we forget/fail to employ what we learned in training camp. We are afraid our weapons will not work, or that our authority will be flouted (Jesus I know and Paul I know but who are you?). And when the Enemy resists us (because really, what enemy is not going to give it all he can in order to win – even if he is outnumbered, or knows he has already lost?), I repeat, when the Enemy resists us, we fail to stand our ground and inadvertently or voluntarily give it up. And of course Satan is going to take it. If the boot was on the other foot wouldn’t you?

But giving up that ground is costly. That ground represents you, your loved ones, your church members, those people within the sphere of your influence. People who may not survive, or flourish, or escape eternal damnation without your prayers. That ground represents your God-given dreams and aspirations. And so, I would encourage and exhort you dear precious women of God to become women of warfare. Like the apostle Paul, I would urge you to lay hold of eternal life, to fight the good fight of faith and keep on fighting. Get violent (i.e. get fervid and forceful). Take what belongs to you (your blessings, your destiny, your joy and peace of mind, your victorious overcoming lifestyle) and hold onto it with all your might. Grab that spoil. Dance your victory. Sing your songs of triumph. Shout your testimonies regarding the goodness and greatness of God – like Miriam, like David, like Deborah.

Don’t be afraid because the Lord your God is with you. You are more than a conqueror – this means you have already won! I repeat. Get violent. Vent your godly fury against the Enemy and his cohorts. You have the members of the Godhead on your side. You have legions of angels surrounding you. You have a great cloud of witnesses (our predecessors of faith) cheering from the sidelines. So, go girl! Go get (and hold on to) the abundant life you deserve.