Stay the course!

I had a whole lot that I wanted to say today. A whole lot of observations and opinions that I, Ebony, wanted to share. But every time I started writing, the Lord would only let me get so far before shutting me down. You see, the great thing about God is that when you allow Him to be in control, He won’t let your flesh win. He will ever so sweetly or abruptly, set you straight, depending on how hard headed you are! Today, He asked me to step aside so that He could share a simple thought with you. Ready? Stay the course. Do what He has told you to do and don’t get distracted or tricked into going a different way. Please don’t do it! You see, the enemy works in the familiar. I mean, look at how many people in the Bible were thrown off by people that were close to them. But here’s the thing! What God says about you supersedes any trick or trap that the enemy tries. But you have to remember what He said! If He called you leader…LEAD! If He called you teacher…TEACH! And if He called you to be still…my God, BE STILL! It is OK! Our instructions aren’t always these huge, intricate plans. Sometimes, they are “go” or “sow” or “love”. Whatever your instruction, stay the course. Don’t let the opinion of man or their interpretation make you stop. Stay the course!

“You’re blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by GOD. You’re blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him. That’s right—you don’t go off on your own; you walk straight along the road he set. You, GOD, prescribed the right way to live; now you expect us to live it. Oh, that my steps might be steady, keeping to the course you set; Then I’d never have any regrets in comparing my life with your counsel. I thank you for speaking straight from your heart; I learn the pattern of your righteous ways. I’m going to do what you tell me to do; don’t ever walk off and leave me.” (Psalm‬ ‭119:1-8‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

My prayer for you today is that you will stay true to God’s Word concerning your life. I pray that you will be so confident and secure in what or who He calls you that no one can throw you off. I pray that your relationship with Him is so deep that a hiccup in the road or even a big boulder won’t change what you know to be true. Stay the course, man of God! You have breakthrough in your mouth and provision in your hands. Stay the course, woman of God! You have power in your prayers and victory in your vision. Don’t lose it and don’t fall off. If He said it, showed it, input it, He will surely finish it. Don’t miss your destination because you got off on the wrong exit. Stay the course!

Amen.

Go!

The last couple of weeks, Rhema has flowed pretty easily. They haven’t been easy words but I heard them clearly. This morning…not so much! I did what I normally do and waited but nothing. Then I sat down at the computer and just started tapping my fingers on the computer keyboard as though I was typing. The screen remained empty but I put a demand on my fingers to do what God called me to do. Eventually, words began to appear on the screen as the Lord began to speak. I realized that I was waiting when I should be acting. He met me when I started doing what He told me to do. Now…don’t get me wrong! There are many times that the Lord says not to move until He says so but sometimes He has done the instructing and He is waiting for you put into action what you know He said. I wonder how many of you have been stuck on the instruction but haven’t moved to the action? Today, I want to challenge you to GO!

This morning, the Lord took me back to just after the Resurrection. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to the tomb to visit when there was a great earthquake. The angel of the Lord appeared and rolled the stone away. The guards that were on duty fainted in fear. “Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.  He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.” (Matt. 28:5-7 NLT) Okay. Did you see the instructions?

Ok…here’s the good part. “The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him.” (Matt. 28:8-9 NLT) This is the meat of what God told me to tell you today. Even though the women were afraid, they went. Even though they were completely overwhelmed, they had joy because they knew Jesus was in the instruction. AND AS THEY WENT, Jesus met them! He met them in the midst of their obedience. They had not even completed the assignment yet but because they went on His instruction, He met them. He allowed them to see Him and worship Him on their way.

And then do you know what He did? He confirmed the instruction. Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.” (Matt. 28:10 NLT) Listen, saints! Go, where He sends you. Just go. Just obey. If He is in the instruction, He will give you what you need to get to the end of it. Before their fear stopped them from getting to the end, He met them and cancelled it. He rewarded their obedience with His presence and assurance. He let them know that they didn’t hear wrong. He let them know that He would follow through with what He had instructed.  AS THEY WENT!

Man of God, if He told you to do it, He will keep you through it. Woman of God, if He showed it to you, He will encourage you through it. Fear has no power when Jesus is in it unless you allow it to. Jesus trusted those women to obey. He didn’t give anyone else the instruction. He could have easily had the angel appear to the disciples but He was building the women’s faith. He was reminding them that He was still there. Don’t forsake the trust He put in you. Don’t let fear keep you from fulfilling the assignment that is uniquely yours. I promise you that as you go, He will always show up!

Amen.

Double for your trouble...

The Lord spoke to me this morning about shame. As I prayed, He said that there are some of you that are trying to identify the cause of your delay. You have been wondering why you can’t seem to get over the hump and feel completely well, whole and equipped. This won’t be for everyone but it will be for some. I have never written about shame but the Lord put it heavy in my spirit today. So I want to declare a freedom from shame in the atmosphere. I want the power of that freedom to jump out of this blog and into your spirit as you read. So let’s go to work.

According to the dictionary, shame is a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior. It is an emotion brought on by guilt, shortcoming or impropriety. It is something that brings censure or reproach. It is a condition of humiliating disgrace or disrepute. In other words, it is a powerful tool of the enemy to hold you still, quiet, and sick because of your past, your experiences, or your mind. It’s the spirit that reminds you of who you used to be and what you used to do whenever the Lord gives you an instruction. It’s that feeling in the pit of your stomach that won’t let you worship freely without crying because you aren’t sure that you are worthy to be where you are. It’s the highlight reel that plays in your mind whenever you try to move forward. It is quite simply a trick of the enemy. He uses it on pastors, leaders, parents, children, whoever has something inside of them that will help someone else to get free. He uses it on you.

Today, the Lord told me to tell you that He loves you. He loves you because He created you and planned for you. He loves you because He knows you, the real you. He knows what you did, who you did it with and when you did it. And guess what? He still loves you. He told me to tell you that every experience can be used for His glory. If you have acknowledged, forgiven, and/or repented, you don’t have to carry the burden of shame any longer. Think about Christ! When He went to the cross, He was made to be a public spectacle. He was beaten, talked about, and humiliated by those who were supposed to love and welcome Him.  The Bible says in Hebrews 12:2 that “for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” When Jesus died, He rose above the power of your shame. He literally defeated it with His blood. Your responsibility is to stop carrying something that was already destroyed.

It’s a powerful thing to stand up to your past. Whether things were done to you or you did things to other people, your freedom is worth more than the weight of your shame. Your past does not get to hold you hostage anymore. The Lord has a word for you today and it is this. “Instead of shame and dishonor, you will enjoy a double share of honor. You will possess a double portion of prosperity in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.” (Isaiah 61:7 NLT) It’s time to break through the barrier of your shame into the joy that awaits you. You deserve this joy…it’s your inheritance!

Amen.

Man up!

You heard the still small voice, didn’t you? You heard God speaking the uncomfortable thing, right? You heard Him say “go” the first time but you didn’t want to. You heard Him say, “move” right after you asked for confirmation but you weren’t ready. You heard Him say, “be quiet” at that moment but you had to get the last word. You have gone back to Him countless times asking for confirmation and asking Him to show you a sign but deep in your spirit, you know what He said. Forget that…it wasn’t that deep…it was immediate. Let’s start telling the truth. Today, God wants you to stop acting like you don’t know what to do. Stop making decisions so that others will be comfortable with the outcome. Stop sticking around so that Mama will be alright or church folk don’t have to do any work. Stop living a lie when you have heard God speak the truth. Listen, when I got up off the floor, this wasn’t what I was expecting to sit down and type. Y’all know I want sunshine and rainbows but today is not that day.

I kept hearing the Lord say, “I have the final say” all morning so I immediately thought one thing but He was on a whole other wavelength. I wanted to be real churchy and tell you that it doesn’t matter what people say because He has the final say. However, He told me to tell you that He has already given the answer and it’s FINAL. Stop trying to change it to fit what you are comfortable with. Stop trying to make your list of friends fit the mold of His plan when He’s told you to separate. According to Dictionary.com, the word final means pertaining to or coming at the end; last in place, order, or time; ultimate; conclusive or decisive; constituting the end or purpose; that which forms an end or termination. The Lord might shift His methods but He hasn’t changed His plan. He is the same God yesterday, today, and forever. So it’s a curious thing that you think it’s best to adjust what He says to fit your purpose. Perhaps you should go back over that definition again. Many of you are going through the same tests because you refuse to accept His word as final. You won’t move when He says move and you wonder why you aren’t growing. You won’t shut your mouth when He says be quiet and you wonder why you can’t progress.  You won’t examine your circle of friends and you wonder why you keep dealing the same demons. You cannot get to the end of the plan if you will not obey.

The Lord has been reminding me of some of the challenging instructions that I have had to obey in the last 10 years of my life. I’ve lost friends, position, and comfort but I’ve gained revelation, peace, and progress. Was it easy? NO! Was it worth it? YES! If I could do it and survive, so can you. However, will you do me a favor and stop ignoring the voice of God so you don’t have to be uncomfortable? Oh and will you stop manipulating situations so that it will work with the future that you’ve envisioned for yourself? Sometimes you are going to have to travel through some dark valleys so that you can get to the high place. Sometimes you will have to leave some folks at the station so that you can get to the people that you are called to.  So…He has the final say, so can you just go with it?  Proverbs 16:1 says, “We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer.” (NLT) Final say…

AMEN

Walls, come down!

This morning I was in my devotional time and the Lord told me to do something for my retreat that I have been praying about using someone else to do. He simply said, “YOU can do it.” I wrestled with that thing, y’all! I shook myself and asked if I was ready for it and started praying again but the response didn’t change. I know that I am called and anointed for what I am doing but I still have moments that I question if I have what it takes. Maybe you do too. What have you not done, not tried or not completed because of fear, doubt or opinions? Today, the Lord told me to tell you to stop. Stop with the “I’m not sure!” Stop with the “they did it like this.” Stop with the “I don’t have the money.” Stop with the “I’m too _____!” Stop with the “I can’t!” Today, it’s time to kick down the wall that was built by the thoughts and opinions of you and other people. Today, you take the city!

Do you remember the story of Jericho? Its inhabitants locked the city down because they were afraid of the Israelites. A wall surrounded the city and no one came in or went out. The Lord gave Joshua detailed instructions and a promise that if they obeyed, the wall would come down and they could take the city. He told them,

“See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor. ³ You shall march around the city, all you men of war; you shall go all around the city once. This you shall do six days.  And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets.  It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him.” (Josh. 6:2-5 NKJV)

Joshua called the priests, gave them instructions and then told the people what they were to do. “You shall not shout or make any noise with your voice, nor shall a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I say to you, ‘Shout!’ Then you shall shout.” (Josh. 6:10 NKJV)

This is where I want to stop.  Folks, two really important things happened here. God gave the instructions for the process and then told the people to shut their mouths until they had carried out those instructions. Let that marinate. I’ll wait…

Listen. The Lord has given you everything that you need to accomplish whatever He told you to do. Your only responsibility is to obey the instructions and keep your mouth shut until you finish. Your wall will come down if you don’t stop it with your mouth. When the Lord told me that I could do what He told me, that should have been the end of my mouth running. The Bible says that if He has said it, He will do it and if He has spoken it, He will make it good (Numbers 23:19). So why are you slowing down your progress with what you don’t think you have? Why are you holding someone else up with your excuses and your self-doubt? That wall was obliterated by obedience! The only thing that remained of the wall and city was silver, gold, bronze and iron, which went into the Lord’s treasury. Did you peep that? If you trust Him, he will take what held you up and bless the Kingdom with it. Goodbye, wall! Time to take the city!

Amen…