The Narrow Gate

It is in the difficult seasons, we are pressed, squeezed and tested. This not only shows us where our faith lies but helps us understand our weaknesses. The difficult seasons are the pruning seasons because all the extra baggage that we carry does not allow us to fit in a narrow path. Something must be left behind so that we fit His design and not allow our design to fit Him.

We, in our human nature, tend to lean towards the easy, the broad and the fast way. The least risk, the better right? Actually no. That is not the kingdom way, but it is the way of the world, which does not serve us at all. This broad way is comfortable, you may even say peaceful, but it is a false peace and security. Those who love their lives, are the ones to choose the broad gate to keep their earthly vessels and desires. This way leads to death designed to keep us from reaching the life Jesus died for us to have.

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. “
Matthew 7:13-14 CSB

One thing I began to understand from reading this scripture is that the narrow gate brings our earthly vessels to die while our spirits live. We lose our life to find our eternal one full of His promises. The life that God intended us to have before we were ever formed in our mother’s womb. A life that may at times seem so uncertain and unsecure, but full of promises of hope, peace and reward. A life that flourishes and thrives, not a life of barely getting by and trying to survive.

Jesus didn’t just choose the narrow gate, He is the narrow gate. He previously instructed us to follow Him, which will lead us to eternal life, but I firmly believe He is saying going through Him is the only way to enter in. Few will find this narrow gate because they are looking for the easy life that is to say that it is going to be feel lonely and difficult, but taking up our cross was never promised to be easy. He actually says “the way is hard that leads to life”.

He was persecuted, pressed, mocked and scorn. He took the way full of trials, obstacles, but He also received His eternal reward (life after resurrection), this same reward that He made available for us. We will also face trials, obstacles, scorn and mockery (each of us to a different degree) because we chose the narrow gate, when we chose Jesus. BUT He also said to be of good cheer because He overcame each one of them and by this so will we.

So let me leave you with one last thought:

“We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed: we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down but not destroyed–“
2 Corinthians 4:8-9 NKJV

But Test The Spirits

Test the spirits has become such a weapon against the prophets and prophetic voices. Many have taken this word not as a sword, but a battering ram to their fellow brethren all in the name of “being biblical.”

Test the spirits does not give anyone free reign to bash, accuse, slander or judge the person. I’m pretty confident in saying that this verse tells you to test the spirit FIRST before ever partnering with it. Not judge it AFTER you have believed it and didn’t come to pass. There has to be accountability on both ends. The one giving the word and the one receiving it.

If you received the word given, partnered with it and prayed into it then you would know the spirit it was in. But if you just took it at face value with no testing on your end, why blame someone else? You don’t get to have NO accountability for not doing what the word told us to do beforehand and then use this same verse to judge or slander the person afterwards.

Discernment has to come before you partner with any word given or you’ll end up partnering with the wrong spirit and operating in it as well. Remember our battle is not against flesh and blood.

Light Be

The nation is full of darkness and things are looking bleak. Some may even say that it is void of hope, faith and even God. But for me, I have a different perspective. My eyes are not blind to what’s going on around me, but my heart is. My heart is focused and intent on seeing only God.

We are all waiting on what God is going to do and quite a few have just stopped waiting and accepted what is. That’s not me at all. I’m confident in what He spoke and His word does exactly what HE says it’s going to do.

So let me flip the script a bit here, what would you say if I told you God is waiting on what YOU are going to do? Do we really believe that God just says and does and that requires us just to sit, wait and not do? I really hope not because that is exactly the kind of mindset that kills faith and hope.

I believe God is seeking and searching to draw out His light so that He can proclaim “Light Be”! This will cause His glory to be manifested for the nation to see. But if that’s the case, what light is He seeking and searching for, well that would be us.

We are His light and we are to be. As in come in to existence, to fill the void and penetrate the darkness casting it away. Our nation is groaning for the sons and daughters of Light to be manifested on earth. The very darkness of the hope deferred is crying out for light, for us to show them Hope again.

He is saying my creative word (light) needs you to come into existence (be) so that I can manifest My glory. (Light Be).

God is looking for those to partner with Him in this hour. Those who will be and not tarry until He comes. He is looking for His light-bearers who are ready to carry His light into the darkness.

Rest in this Moment

As this year is winding down to a close, I feel there is a need for us to rest. Abba is about to do something momentous in the new year and this resting moment is vital for us.

Rest is to cease from action and we know that 2020 has brought a lot of action especially in the form of warfare. We’ve been full of motion, constant motion at that because it was as if we slowed down one bit, we would lose the ground we gained, no matter how big or small. I know for me, this is how I felt and it’s been a weary warring season, but holding the line was the position I had to take…. until now.

I’m reminded of 2 Samuel 7:1 when King David was given rest from His enemies. Rest in this verse means to draw breath. I really feel this impression that Abba is saying that we need to draw His breath and we can only do that in the position of rest. He is inviting us into an intimate rest with Him so that we can lean in and receive His pneuma.

Velocity: the speed of something in a given direction.

A few months ago, and most recently I heard Abba say that He is “coming in full velocity”. 2021 is going to be a season of acceleration and we have to be ready for it. If we fail to stop and catch His breath now then we will be struggling to catch up instead of being caught up. Don’t get me wrong, we still have lots of work to be done, but this is our “take a breather moment”. He is giving us a respite and we’d be foolish not to take it.

Make no mistake, 2021 we are going to hit the ground running. It’s going to be full of momentum and we have much to gain. Loss is not our portion any longer. We have endured, we have stood, we have warred and now it’s time to possess. We need to be able to run and not grow weary, but in order to do that we need to bind ourselves to Him first.

Accept His invitation of intimacy and rest. Breathe Him in and let His spirit revitalize yours and enjoy this moment to just be. There is a moment to rise up, but today He is saying “be still.”

Changing of the Guard

When Moses struck the rock the 2nd time (Numbers 20:11) not only did he disobey the Lord, but God didn’t find him to be trusted to regard Him as Holy to bring this assembly into the promise land. Moses deprived God of His glory as he exalted himself and misused His authority (rod) by striking the rock. He was to make a decree before the people that would bring forth the Holy waters of Jehovah to the people and they would glorify God. BUT Moses made it about him and not about God, by doing what he did before and not the new thing God told him to do.

This is how I see the current state of the church is. They are misusing their authority and exalting themselves instead of God. They are withholding the living water and the not declaring the Word of the Lord. The water is from striving and laboring creating their own flow and not His. They are trusting in what has worked before and not moving in obedience leaving the church parched and weak.

Let’s be honest, we’ve all reached a point where we just want to hit something and there’s nothing wrong with that (unless it’s someone). Maybe Moses was tired or he was frustrated with the people constantly complaining. The problem was Moses admonished the people out of his own heart and misrepresented God’s. God doesn’t want leaders misrepresenting Him, exalting themselves and most definitely doesn’t want someone in authority who doesn’t follow His.

LOOK FOR THE JOSHUAS.

I heard the Lord say He is raising up Joshuas in this hour to bring this church into the promise land. They are those God is entrusting to not only lead, but regard Him holy to the people. These Joshuas will be filled with the spirit and carry a portion of Moses’ authority. They are those, who in the wilderness lingered in His presence. They are filled by His spirit to lead them out of the wilderness and bring them into the promise land.

The Joshuas will be of strong mind and determination to keep the command given to them by the Lord. They will prove to be prosperous in the way of The Lord and not the world. The Joshuas will lead the church to posses what the Lord has given into their hard. They will know when to decree and when to strike. They won’t be moved by trying to appease the people, they will only please God.

The church will possess what God has promised, but He needs Joshuas who will lead without fear and confusion. Those that, no matter what it may look like, they know God is with them wherever they go. They will lead the church into battle and know when they need to be still.

The Joshuas are coming out of the wilderness with an army with them. They will move forward not looking to the left or the right. They are those who God is setting apart to bring reformation and once again establish His name as Holy and above all.

It’s time for a changing of the guard.

We Are His Ekklesia

Back in June of this year, Abba was really speaking to me about the church, our identity and our purpose. I’ve held on to these words and never shared them with anyone except my husband, but I feel it’s the season to release. As we prepare to leave 2020 behind and move into 2021, our identity and purpose must be established.

The Word of the Lord: “You have been established by me. You shall be established in me and you will establish my purpose. The year of Peh is the year of establishing, creating, executing, commanding, breathing, declaring framing and proclaiming by My spirit. There are those who establish and those who will deconstruct what I am building. My words create not destroy. My words breathe not choke. My words speak not muzzle.”

We are His breath, His speech, His creation and therefore we do not destroy, choke or muzzle His purpose. We are His word, which does not return void. We will prosper and will accomplish all that He sent us out to do. It’s by His spirit and power in us that gives us the ability to carry our identities and fulfill His purpose.

The Church is not a building. The Ekklesia is MY building.

His building is speaking of us being His workmanship. (For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10.) But not only are we His building, we are His builders too, which leads us to Isaiah 58:12-13. I did a word study and this is what I got:

“Those from among you (the followers of Jesus) shall build up the old ruins and raise up the foundations (building who’s foundation alone remains) of the past generations. And you the prophet shall be the hedge in the breach and restorer of the pathway that leads those to sit in heavenly places.”

As His Ekklesia, we sit in heavenly places with authority given to us by Christ Jesus. This is our call. This is our purpose to bring the church back to its original mandate: to sit in Heavenly places and to once again have dominion and subdue the earth. It’s only by His spirit that we partner with prayers, decrees and words of past generations to raise up an remnant that will establish His will on earth and not compromise or settle for anything less.

We are reformers. We are trailblazers. We are sent ones. We are the voices carrying the keys of Heaven and the blueprints of the Kingdom. We have the authority to bring Heaven down to earth and as we lead others to their position of authority, we will accomplish what He has commissioned us to do. We will be His governing body, His ekklesia.

“I give you the name Peter, a stone. And this truth of who I am will be the bedrock foundation on which I will build my church—my legislative assembly, and the power of death will not be able to overpower it! I will give you the keys of heaven’s kingdom realm to forbid on earth that which is forbidden in heaven, and to release on earth that which is released in heaven.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭16:18-19‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Embrace My Pressure

The other morning I woke up with this intense desire to be in the presence of the Lord. Every distraction that could possibly be, was. From my dog barking without ceasing, my cats deciding at that moment to fight outside my prayer room, to the neighbors across the street playing music so loud and honking this loud annoying horn continuously was frustrating.

I was determined and was not going to be deterred by all these distractions, so I just sat and worshipped until everything began to fade into the background and I felt this stillness and peace enter my space. I had a lot on my heart, but first and foremost, I was in desperate longing to just be in His presence. That was all my heart desired.

After a few minutes, almost immediately The Lord began to speak and it was like a gush of waters coming forth, my hand could hardly keep up writing it all down. It was like He had been waiting for this moment. I’ll be honest here, I definitely hadn’t been keeping our secret place moments lately. No excuse I could say would validate me, so I won’t give you one.

My pressure becomes your driving force for breakthrough..

One of the things I heard the Lord talking about was pressure and how we tend to fear it. We see it most of the time as this force that leaves us crippling and weak. But Abba said “embrace the pressure. Embrace MY pressure because it becomes the driving force for your breakthrough. My pressure doesn’t cause you to buckle, but causes you to birth. The pressure is needed to push through so that the new life can receive My breath upon it.”

Then He gave me a vision of a child being birthed. In that vision, I understood why our perspective of pressure must change. It’s His pressure that is bringing forth a new beginning and when we embrace His pressure we will embrace what He has birthed in us. Our hearts become entwined with this new life that we would do anything to protect and nurture so that it will flourish. It’s not just something we carried, but it also carried a part of who we are.

Just like in child birth, the pressure is when the birth comes. Sure it’s painful, it’s uncomfortable, but the joy of embracing that new life is worth temporary discomfort. So don’t detest the pressure and don’t shy away from it. Recognize His pressure and embrace it.

“We are like common clay jars that carry this glorious treasure within so that the extraordinary overflow of power will be seen as God’s, not ours. Though we experience every kind of pressure, we’re not crushed. At times we don’t know what to do, but quitting is not an option.”
2 Corinthians 4:7-8 TPT

My people perish…

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…” Hosea 4:6

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge…” Proverbs 1:17

We’ve become a house of worldly culture built on the fear on man. Vying for relevancy, popularity and being “woke”. The problem is not being “woke” it’s having ever fallen asleep to begin with. We veiled our eyes and shut our bibles and became comfortable with “tips to live a good christian life” seminars. A life that is so full of ourselves that we have little or no room for Him. Inspiring pep talks that don’t bring transformation, but rather conformation.

Caution has been taken to not cross the wrong lines so we straddle the fence not realizing that a side has already been chosen. We balk at the idea of teaching anything that’s “controversial or adversary”, not understanding that the Bible is full of both. We misunderstood that peacemaker is not someone who keeps the peace or doesn’t stir the waters. The Bible defines it properly, a peacemaker, bravely declares God’s terms which makes someone whole. How can we make people whole when we are feeding them half truths? We can’t and Jesus knew it.

“Don’t think for a moment that I came to grant peace and harmony to everyone. No, for my coming will change everything and create hostility among you.”
Luke 12:52 TPT

Jesus was the dividing line. Kingdom of God vs Kingdom of the world. Never compromising the Word of God. Never forgetting why He came. Never fearing man. He remained in the fear of the Lord and delighted in His ways always even when testing came.

But us, well we became a people who delight in our own ways and justify our worldly behavior by a number on a quiz. We live by the likeness dictated by someone’s formed opinions instead of the likeness by the One of who we were formed by. We know more about our worldly selves than we do about the One who created the world and who God created us to be. We’ve reduced ourselves to a number type and opinion when we were lifted to a standard of Truth.

Every day that we don’t recognize and honor the Lord is another day our spirits perish. Another day that we become less like Him and more like the world. We become withering trees producing dead fruit having no life.

Friends, I implore you to search your heart as I have searched mine. Lay your fear of man, tolerance and compromise at the altar and repent. Return your heart to Him and bring life back to your spirit. His coming is at hand and I pray that you be found in favor of the Lord.

“I know that you delight to set your truth deep in my spirit. So come into the hidden places of my heart and teach me wisdom. Purify my conscience! Make this leper clean again! Wash me in your love until I am pure in heart.”
Psalm 51:6-7 TPT

Christianity isn’t powerless.

As I look around (social media), I find it very hard to be anything other than appalled. How we who call ourselves by His name, His powerful name, have allowed ourselves to become powerless.

We’ve become so complacent and content to “be the church” society has turned it into instead of the church that God intended us to be. God said the gates of hades would not prevail, yet we willingly walked into that prison and shut ourselves in. Here’s the kicker, the gates maybe shut, but they are not locked. Jesus said He has the keys to hades and death, so why do we remain imprisoned?

It’s because our faith has been compromised. We haven’t been prepared for spiritual battle. We’ve been taught to trust in God to fight our battles, but we aren’t told that we have a part as well. We’ve been carrying our armor instead of wearing it content to just sit on the sidelines and have no part. That’s how we have become powerless.

“By reason of the strength of thy faith thou shalt be my principal support in the establishment of my church”.
BLB

That’s what Jesus meant when He told Peter “on this rock I would build my church”. The strength of our faith is to help make His church unshakable and powerful. If we are weak than we will easily crumble.

The earthly things you stand/fight puts you on Satan’s side not on God’s.

We need to take back our faith and get back our power. I’ve seen many Christians fight for earthly things yet remain silent for Kingdom things. To drive the point in a bit deeper, the earthly things you stand/fight puts you on Satan’s side not on God’s.

His Altar…. not our platforms.

World changers, light bearers, vessels of His glory that’s what we are called to do. We were never asked to be stage performers, people pleasers or self help gurus. Jesus didn’t hand out personality quizzes or try to be relevant to society’s standards. He lived His life in line with the standard of God’s kingdom. A standard that is much higher than ours because we’ve allowed our standard to be reduced to a worldly one.

Agendas, programs and schedules have taken the main stage all in the name of a “Sunday experience” instead of a transformed life. We turned His altar into platforms of catch phrases and wordly counsel careful not to speak His word with boldness to keep from offending our followers. Here’s the thing, Jesus offended people by what He said and by what He did. He laid His life down for the world, not to be accepted in it.

Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you realize you offended the Pharisees by what you just said?” Jesus replied, “Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be uprooted, so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch.””
Matthew 15:12-14 NLT

Jesus zeal was for the Lord and only for the Lord. He was compassionate for the lost never compromising. He lived His life unto the Lord pleasing Him never deviating from the path He was given. Every word, every act was straight from The Father.

“Your will not mine.”

God never intended us to build platforms in His name with no fire or sacrifice. No, we are to build altars unto Him and be the sacrifice that keeps our fire burning. It’s time to get off the platforms and lay on the altar. It’s time to get back to the place where we cried out “your will not mine”.