I know this post will really encourage you today
Over the last year i have been really challenged and I want to share this with you to encourage you today that even though i'm a Pastor I face challenges.
Due to circumstances that have come my way, different circumstances, have kind of pulled at me and tugged at me and have given me a need to really trust God more.
I was challenged with my faith, my belief, everything!
I was challenged with my faith, my belief, everything!
There where a lot of ifs, buts and whys and it challenged my faith... different things challenged my faith in God but the very last thing that challenged me was the death of one of my spiritual daughters.
And I was like why God?
And I was like why God?
But immediately as I asked God, the question, why he said to me, somethings only go through prayer and fasting and I thought..oh, well, we had fasted.
But then I realised, you have to be trusting God in everything that you do, and literally fast continuously there's got to be a continuous time when you take time for God.
And so what I've realised as well. I mean I realised this quite some time ago, the enemy. His main goal is to distract us, and to keep us from our purpose; our purpose is something that God has given us to achieve and do it if he can keep us off track, he will do that.
And I keep reminding people that don't you remember, the Bible says the enemy is hovering around the Earth seeking whom he may devour.
Some people are under the illusion that the enemy is actually in hell already; he's not in hell, he's on the earth. His main call is too get us to go with him but the enemy's main goal is to keep us from fulfilling our purpose. So he distracts us when we go through something. So the things around us pull us away from our focus, but one thing I did this year was come back on track, every single time.
He (the enemy) is like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour , his objective is to devour you, devour your purpose, devour your vision to take you out of line; Because he knows his destination is hell and he wants you to be where he is. But God wants us to be, where God is, to be seated in heavenly places. That's what God wants us to be.
I was reading about David in the bible and I was looking at how David's character was. He didn't look at Goliath as something that was a challenge; He knew that he had already defeated the lion and the bear. So those of you who may not know the story go and have a look. David already knew that he had defeated the lion and the bear.
So he wasn't looking at the skills that he had with with the bow, he wasn't looking at any of his natural skills, he knew that God had helped him to defeat the lion and the bear. So he looked at who he trusted in, and who he had a relationship with. Because he had a relationship with God, he knew that God would bring him through and that he could defeat, something that was much bigger than a lion and a bear.
Goliath was laughing at the people and Goliath was saying, I'm going to kill who ever has the others' land, but David depended on his relationship with God and the fact that his focus was not on himself because of his experience with God and because of his experience of God helping him defeat the lion and the bear, he trusted God beyond measure. So he defeated Goliath, based on those factors. He didn't trust in himself. One thing I've learned through this particular time is that we cannot trust in our selves, we have to trust in God.
But how do we do that? Psalms 119:105 say "The word is a lamp unto my feet and a light on to my path" (King James version) and in the messenger version, he says "By your words, I can see where I am going, they throw a beam of light on my dark path."
So what am I trying to say to you. The only way we can effectively stand and fight and be victorious, is through the word of God.
We can't be victorious through our own mindset or our own thoughts or how we think we can win. We have to know the Word of God. The Word of God says "Thy word have I hid in my heart that I will not sin against thee God." "Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path". It's the thing that we actually have to trust in. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and He will direct your path" This is what we have to understand, when we've got the word in us we can do anything. I remember some of the scriptures that I was meditating over was, "I could do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
I was thinking on those scriptures realising that I can only look to God. For the last three years I've had a lot of losses and there has been other things, and I want to be open because I want you to realise, even as a minister, we go through stuff. We've got to understand that we go through various challenges throughout life.
So what am I going to say to you today is I'm going to encourage you today. The word of God says: "Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your heart and mind through Christ Jesus" So we've got to really trust God.
Lean not on our own understanding and he says in His word, call on me and I will answer. So you've got to understand that as we go through, we've got to lay aside the weights and put our trust in God. God walking us through every single situation. There is nothing that is impossible with Him but we have to trust Him; just as David trusted God, we have to trust him and believe in Him.
There should be a purpose on our life, and if there's a purpose on our lives, then we're going to be challenged.
Although I said at the very beginning I said, I was challenged this year. Yes, I was, but I can truly say that I feel so victorious in God now. I feel as if I can make it through, even though, as I entered my new year. There were other challenges.
For I know that I know that I know that God will bring me through and there's nothing, that the enemy can do. I trust God enough to believe I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Because He says to me, I must fear not because He is with me. What I'm trying to express to you, is that it's impossible for us to develop commitment, without knowing God.
It's impossible for us to believe or trust, without knowing him, and the only way we can know it is through the word. The only way we can understand Him is through the word. That is the only way.
The giants will come down, the battle is not ours, it is God's. The giant, will come down. The enemy will try to use the things of this world that we hold dear and he's going to use the things that are surrounding us to influences us, distract us and take us from the place where we need to be.
God is going to bring things into alignment and the only way he can do that is through his people. So we need to remain focused - tunnel vision, not looking to the right or the left but be focused.
Because every challenge that you have, you can overcome, every single challenge that you have, you can overcome. You're more than victorious. You have it all in you. Have the confidence in God that you need to have, believe Him.
He said He's a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. This is not about you. This is about your purpose, to do the will of God and for peoples' lives to be saved. The Bible says we must go into all the world and preach the gospel.
We've got to have been on a journey for God to be able to use us, because the people out there need to be able to identify with us. So let's be an identity of God. Let's be that person that is able to look at somebody and identify with them, their journey, what they're going through, and being able to encourage them, not on a level that they can't understand but on a level that they will understand. God has chosen you for purpose, God has chosen you, because you are on His radar and He's going to use you for His glory. What we have to do is trust Him, read His Word and develop ourselves.
One of the things I was looking at was, we've got a lot of teaching out there, but I felt that sometimes we just need to go back to basics of trusting and believing in God. My mom was somebody who trusted God and believed God and everything she did she brought it to Him in prayer.
What's happened is in society today, we've got so caught up in how much knowledge we have, which is good. Knowledge is not bad, but we've got so embedded in this knowledge that we've become of no effect, so let's be of effect. Let's look at our experiences and look at our challenges and be truthful to ourselves but not only to us but also to those around us so that we can help people understand who God is, and that he rescues and protect us from harm. So I pray that we walk in consistency and that we will overthrow the enemy and walk in the power of God.
So father in the name of Jesus, I thank you for your children that are just at a crossroads and thinking where can I go, what can I do, but I ask you father in the name of Jesus to give your children, consistency, because we know that when we're consistent in something, it brings forth fruit .
So Father, right now in the name of Jesus, I ask to give us a consistent heart, give us a durable heart, give us a focus that we have never had before, let your people, understand who you are. By just focusing on who you are and I ask you to break down every wall, in the lives of your people. Break down the walls of bitterness, of anger, of strife. Bring peace in households, bring joy in households. I speak life into every household of those who are reading today.
I speak peace, I speak joy. I speak your word. Let your word be manifested in your children.
I ask as we as your children trust you and believe your word more, give us an understanding of you that we've never had before , speak to our hearts. So God, let your voice speak to your children's heart.
Let us hear your word. Your word declares my sheep hear my voice and they follow Me. So open our ears so what we can hear you clear. Open our eyes so we can see you. Just as David saw you as his source to overthrow Goliath. I give you the glory the honour the praise for what you're going to do and how you're going to do it, because I know that I know you are the God that restores that heals and delivers.
God has gotten much more instore for you. So believe it, believe that change has come. Let him know who you are, be truthful with Him and He will come through for you.
God bless you, love you all.
Prophetess Otensia