Crisis Prevention

I have been reminded more than once this week God speaks our language. He can use the tiniest, most seemingly insignificant detail and use it to reach us. He loves us that much! I even witnessed Him use me in a ministry session to speak the language of the recipient without me being aware of it until after the fact. God speaks and walls come down!

I'm no stranger to hearing God's voice through the mundane things of life. I've even blogged about it here, here, here and here.

This week He gave me yet another picture using something ordinary...nails, my nails, more specifically my chipping, breaking, splitting nails. I recently started having my nails done with a fairly new technique called Shellac. This isn't necessarily critical for you to know, but I wanted to brag on my friend and nail tech, Bobbie Nation. Bobbie has a heart of gold. Sitting in her chair getting your nails done leaves you feeling not only pretty, but well loved:)

I wasn't scheduled to have them re-done until next week, but I was having a crisis, a nail crisis. I sent Bobbie a text saying, "I'm having a nail crisis! Can you get me in earlier?" I had to wait a few days. The thing with Shellac is even though they are your natural nails, the polish doesn't come off with regular remover. Not something I could really take of myself. It was really bothering me that my nails were looking so raggedy:)

This seemingly superficial post is going to get serious...stay with me:)

In the world of inner healing (lay men's terms, healing of the heart (emotional/spiritual) pain) we often receive requests for ministry that are URGENT. This especially happens when people find themselves in crisis mode. They call and want to be seen yesterday.

My mentor, friend and colleague, Vikki Waters, has trained me well in not allowing others' crisis to become my crisis. There will always be someone needing help and boundaries are crucial when you are involved in ministry.

What I have learned is people in crisis aren't always in a place to receive deep healing. The crisis is all they see and they want it fixed. In reality the best time to receive ministry or inner healing is when life is relatively calm...perhaps even avoiding many of the "crisis" times all together.

If I have any males that are reading this blog, which started out like a piece on "Toddlers and Tiaras," I want you to know I haven't forgotten you. Maybe you can't relate to my nail crisis analogy, but you can relate to car maintenance. Simple things like oil changes can PREVENT major vehicle issues down the road. I'm no car expert, but not changing your oil regularly can lead to some high price engine issues, among other things.

Let's put this in a real life scenario of marriage. Marriage takes work. Marriage is an investment. What can happen if you don't invest enough time and energy in your marriage? Potential boredom, loneliness, un-fulfillment (sexually and/or emotionally,) adultery and loss of relationship are just a few issues that come to mind.

How can these pitfalls be avoided? Maintenance, i.e. date nights, weekend getaways, short walks together, regular sex (very important!!!) and a safe environment in which to talk and share feelings openly without fear of being ignored, chastised or yelled at.

Bottom line and the point of this post is to encourage each of you reading this to be prudent. If you are struggling in an area don't wait for the bottom to drop out before you do something about it. Although I believe nothing is impossible for God and it's never too late for Him to redeem and restore, the truth is, when humans are involved there isn't always a willingness or desire for healing/restoration/redemption/reconciliation. Reconciliation takes both parties to be successful.

As I've said before and I will say again...on your very best day, you are only in control of YOU! Which means you can only do something about YOU! Expecting others around you to change to solve your problems will find you waiting a lifetime and will carry with it much frustration.

What are you waiting for...a crisis? I've been in several crisis times myself and they are NO fun. As far as it has to do with me, I want to maintain, prevent and go after what is broken and allow Holy Spirit to do "maintenance" on my heart and avoid crisis as much as possible! And when crisis does comes, because it will, my hope is to be able to handle it with the mind of Christ, from heaven to earth.

I am ever so thankful Papa God speaks in our language. He doesn't pass up an opportunity to minister to our hearts, but the key is, are you listening? I invite you to open the eyes and ears of your heart and look for Him in the mundane, the simple things in life. My Soul Sings because He uses it all, little and big, to bring Him glory and to bring me into a closer relationship with Him! He is so GOOD!

Time for Rest

This post will be more like a journal entry; a peek inside my heart and mind the past few days.

It hit me Sunday morning while sitting at my daughter's swim meet. I am exhausted. Not just physically tired, but spiritually and emotionally spent to the point I was feeling it in my physical body. I wanted to weep, but how could I in front of all these people? Surely they would think I am crazy if they asked if I was okay and all I said was, "I'm just tired." After all, it's not uncommon to see swimmers break down into emotion because they didn't "perform" to their expectation...yes, a swim meet has it's potential for many adolescent hormonal displays of emotion:) But, that's not me and my onslaught of weepiness was not remotely tied to swimming.

In the midst of it all, I decided when I got home I was unplugging from life...or as Jack Bauer in the former Fox TV series, "24" would say, "I'm going dark." Yes, I went dark Sunday afternoon and evening and it was delightful! Turned my cell phone off, didn't check Facebook and after both of our girls were home for the day, we even unplugged our house phone. And, I rested.

As I awakened this morning I suspected I would feel completely revived and recharged, but that's not the case. Of course I immediately started to access the situation and my conclusion is this...boundaries...I broke Amy's unwritten rule of living life from a place of rest. I've lived my life the past few weeks with little to no room for time to recharge...leaving not only my body tired, but my mind and heart as well.

I have blogged before about ministering from a place of rest and this is crucial in preventing ministry burn out. I broke my own "rule." Well, I'm not real fond of having a lot of "rules" so maybe it's more of a boundary or guideline than it is a rule. After all, even though we live in the New Covenant under God's grace, His "rules" are there in order to protect us, not restrict us. I don't look at the "rules" of scripture as there to keep me from having fun, no, quite the opposite, they are there to keep me safe.

This summer has been insanely busy...mostly coming from having an active 15 year old in the house. Maybe this summer is God's way of preparing my heart to let her drive next year...something that if I ponder too long makes me slightly anxious at the thought:)

Hmmm, I really don't know. But, one thing I do know is this...our bodies were made to need rest, as much as they were made to need food and water. God even modeled resting to us on the 7th day of creation. So, in the midst of the crazy summer schedule I am going to re-evaluate my boundaries and carve out more time for rest.

This past Saturday night at our home church, Joy shared with us about stewardship. Stewardship is about more than just our finances. We will steward well what we have value for...if I'm not stewarding my body well, I'm not only not taking care of God's temple, I'm not honoring my family with the best of me. When I am weary in body, soul and spirit I am not going to be the best wife, mother or friend. Stewarding our bodies well is also an act of worship to God!

I believe I was created to share and be transparent, which is the purpose of this blog post. Somehow, just processing this on "paper" has relieved my soul of a burden...thanks for listening and I hope this will speak to many other "weary" ones.

Exchanging weariness and fatigue for His yoke makes MY SOUL SING! Now, where is my pillow and soft praise music?????

If you enjoy reading My Soul Sings, please become a follower of this blog and consider sharing it with a friend! Blessings on you!

Attack or Pruning?

I have blogged about this topic before, but feel Holy Spirit nudging me to blog about it again in greater detail.

Consider these statements:

"Satan is after me."

"Satan is at it again."

"I know I am doing something right for the Lord, because I feel satan attacking me."

"Satan sure knows how to get me where it hurts."

"If you are working for the Lord, satan will come after you."

Is it possible by making these statements you are not honoring or lifting up the name of Jesus, but glorifying an enemy whose power was taken away at the cross? In essence bringing him the very attention he desired over God that got him thrown out of heaven?

Let's look at a couple of scriptures and see what it is satan desired.

Isaiah 14:14 (NLT) "I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High." Satan wanted to be like God. Isn't it awesome the very thing he wanted, God desired for man to obtain? We are admonished in scripture to be imitators of Christ (Eph 5:1) and we are seated in heavenly places (Eph 2:6)! Just think how this torments satan!!!!! We were created to bring God glory by doing greater works than Jesus!!! (see John 14:12) When we imitate Christ with a heart of humility, God is glorified!

Luke 4:7 (NASB) "Therefore if You worship before me, it shall all be Yours." Satan had the audacity to ask Jesus to worship him! For the full story and context read Luke 4:1-12.

I explained in this post and this post how the fall of man impacted our authority and how the finished work of Jesus gave it back to us. In this post I want to explain the two different ways we become entrapped in bondage to sin either by captivity or imprisonment.

Isaiah 61:1 (NIV) "The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners."

I want to camp out in the last sentence of this AWESOME verse! "He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners."

Friends, that is something to get HAPPY about right there!

Let's look at the differences between a "captive" and a "prisoner" in this context.

A captive is one who is made or held prisoner due to someone else's sin; one who was sinned against. For example a victim of abuse would be a captive. A child isn't willfully molested, thus they are a captive, being held against their will.

A prisoner is one who is being held as punishment for a wrong. In this context a prisoner is one who has willfully sinned. In this case we willfully give up our God given authority by opening the door to satan to work in our life through our sin. Simply put, when I sin I invite the enemy to come alongside me, which places me in bondage. Until I repent, break the cycle of sin and apply the finished work of the cross in my life the enemy will use my sin to torment me and keep me in bondage.

How does one who has been a captive go from being imprisoned because of someone else's sin into being a prisoner due to their own sin? Unforgiveness would be one way. In the parable of the unmerciful servant in Matthew 18 unforgiveness leads to torment. The jailers in Matthew 18:34 are also referred to as torturers in some translations. Guess whose payroll the torturers are on...satan's!

Another way a captive can go to being a prisoner is through forming ungodly beliefs (aka lies) based on what has happened to them. For example if a child is molested they may form the ungodly belief that all adults are capable of molesting, leading them to not trust. If they carry this belief into adulthood it will paralyze them in relationships and torment them for years, unless they allow the Lord to heal this place of pain in their heart.

The good news is Jesus paid for the release of both the captive and the prisoner! It is NOT the will of God for anyone to remain in bondage to any type of sin! It is always our choice!

If you are a captive who is remaining in a victim mentality you are not making a choice to allow the God of the universe to heal you and restore you. But Amy, it's hard, you don't know what they did to me. You are right, I don't, but you can either stay in captivity or you can allow Jesus to minister and heal you. His beaten and bloodied body paid for your release on the cross, but it will always be your choice. The garden began with a choice and there will always be two trees in our garden. Which tree will you choose?

I hope this has given you some insight into ways we can empower the enemy.

Truth: The enemy can not force himself upon us. He must have been given access. He gains access through sin.

Truth: The enemy is horrified of us when we are walking in our God given identity as sons and daughters of the Most High. When we are walking in our identity and authority he is ABSOLUTELY POWERLESS!

Truth: If I am lifting up the name of JESUS satan must flee. James 4:7 says, "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." How do we resist the devil? We stand on truth, not only with words but in our actions and Godly choices. If I have opened the door to sin, the enemy has access. His access is taken away through repentance and forgiveness. Resist sin and you are resisting the enemy!

I heard a sermon recently describing using our identity and authority in resisting the enemy. The speaker used an illustration of us running from the enemy like he was a Doberman Pinscher, when really he is a chihuahua. I'll let that illustration speak for itself:)

Friends, I am not ignorant of spiritual warfare. It is real and I am not making light of it. Quite the contrary, I'm giving you some tools to use to stand in victory. The enemy is like a lion seeking whom he may devour (I Peter 5:8.) All I am saying is, you don't have to allow him to devour you. If you have Jesus, you have power. You have authority. You have choices.

Stop running scared at the first sign of the enemy and stand up to him with the breastplate of righteousness, belt of truth, gospel of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation and sword of the Spirit!

I am coming to realize the full armor of God is more than just something you "pray on." It is a lifestyle and it is part of our identity. Once again it is a choice...you choose to wear it or not.

Does satan know your weak areas? You bet he does. Might I suggest to you the next time you are feeling like you are under attack to ask these questions. First, is this an area in which I have given satan authority through sin or holding onto unforgiveness? Second, what is the lie I am believing?

Many times we are quick to say we are under attack when really we are entering into a season of pruning where the Lord has allowed our circumstances and situations to turn up the heat. So, ask this question of the Lord. "God, is this the enemy or are you trying to burn away a part of me that isn't like You?" Ouch? I know. I certainly have been quick to blame satan when really God is just shining the light on an area of my life where there is sin. It's easier to blame the enemy than it is to take responsibility for our sin. Not fun and not pretty, but on the other side I promise you will look a little more like Jesus. Victory is mighty sweet:)

So, next time you are feeling pressured or "attacked" try lifting up the name of Jesus before giving any credit to the enemy. Allow the Lord to search your heart, revealing any wickedness there (see Psalm 139:23-24.) This is what standing firm against evil looks like.

I love the quote, "what we focus on, we empower." Friends, I choose to focus on my Jesus! Who do your words and actions say you are focused on? Hmmmm, something to think about:)

We are not to be ignorant of the schemes of the enemy, but we also aren't to give him glory by giving him credit for things in our life that are the result of our poor choices.

If you are struggling with discerning between "attack" or pruning I would love to help you and pray with you. Please do not hesitate to e-mail me at www.amydover@iggm.org or message me through Facebook. Helping others learn and discover their identity in Christ is my passion. Identity gives us power over the works of darkness...Jesus gives us power over the works of darkness and this makes my soul gloriously SING!

***I have purposefully used a lowercase "s" when using the name of satan. He isn't worthy of anything more!

Complaints Not Welcomed Here

"Complaining is to the devil what praise is to God." When I saw this quote from Bill Johnson, I knew there was great truth in it.

Praise is our way of acknowledging God, of keeping Him on the throne of our life. Praise is one way we show our love and thankfulness to God. Praise keeps us mindful of His presence and focused on His heart.

In His presence we find peace, strength, rest, love, comfort, joy and much more! Living from His presence equips us to live a Spirit filled life, bringing heaven to earth, advancing His kingdom. This is the will of God...and praise is the key to unlocking all of it! Just writing about it sets my heart on fire... Praise, Presence and Peace...my three favorite words beginning with the letter "p!" I might just tuck that away for a title of a future blog post;)

I guess you know where this is going...if praise empowers God in our lives, what or Who does complaining empower? Keep in mind the enemy comes to kill, steal and destroy. Jesus came to give us abundant life (see John 10:10.) Praise leads to abundance and fulfillment. Complaining sets your eyes on the work of the enemy...actually, complaining comes into agreement with the enemy.

Now, I'm not saying there isn't room for constructive criticism. Constructive criticism has its place to bring about betterment of ourselves and others. Constructive criticism should offer a plan of action, something you can do to make the situation better. Please do not confuse the two:)

Complaining can be driven by a critical spirit, jealousy, or rejection, to name a few sources. A chronic complainer most likely is not living a life of fulfillment, joy or peace in Christ. I know. I was one.

Let's take a look at some scriptures first about the tongue in a negative sense:

Proverbs 4:24 "Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips."

Proverbs 10:19 "When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise."

Proverbs 12:16 "A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult."

Proverbs 13:3 "He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin."

Proverbs 21:23 "He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity."

Philippians 2:14 "Do everything without complaining or arguing."

WOW! There's more where those came from...if you want more conviction camp out in Proverbs for awhile... WARNING: Wear closed toe shoes!

On a more positive note, let's take a glance at some verses on praise and words of life:

Psalms 34:8-9 from the Message, "Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see-how good God is. Blessed are you who run to Him. Worship God if you want the best, worship opens doors to all His goodness."

Proverbs 10:11 "The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life!"

Proverbs 15:15b "A cheerful heart has a continual feast."

Proverbs 16:24 "Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones."

Proverbs 17:22 "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."

I could continue, but I think you get the concept.

I posed a challenge on my Facebook yesterday to go the entire day without complaining. Many of my Facebook friends participated. Some shared they were successful with not speaking complaints aloud, but still struggled to take the thoughts captive. That's awesome! The first step is learning to recognize it before it leaves your lips!

At one point in the day I realized I had talked less, not wanting a complaint or critical comment to leave my mouth. Guess there is much wisdom in Proverbs 10:19 about when words are many, sin is not absent:) Lesson learned...talk less!

Having success in the challenge was empowering to me. I felt wonderful and my spirit was uplifted. Our words really do carry much power, either to bless or to curse. I want to bless.

You might be thinking, "Amy, this all sounds good, but really, no complaining...I think I might explode!" God knows our humanness and His Word is full of instruction. Let's take a peek at some:

Psalm 62:8 "Trust in Him at all times, O' people, pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge."

Psalm 142:1 "I cry aloud to the Lord; I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy. I pour out my complaint before Him; before Him I tell my trouble."

I am so thankful for David! Don't you just love how honest he is? He doesn't try to sugar coat or downplay what's bothering him. He just tells God exactly what he is feeling. What an awesome example for us! There have been many times when I have gone into my bedroom closet and beat the floor with my fist because I was mad at God. He's God and, trust me, He can handle it. By pouring my heart out to Him I was able to express the deep emotions of my heart, as ugly as they were, in the safety of His presence. The wonderful thing about it was I left the "ugly" at His feet and came out the other side of the rant session with His perspective and peace.

Honestly, when I back-up my truckload of complaints and dump them on a friend or, more likely, my husband I might feel better temporarily, but without addressing the root of what feeds my need to complain, any relief is fleeting. Have you ever listened to someone rant and rave? Ever felt slimed by it? It is very draining to be in relationship with a chronic complainer or critical person...again I know...I was one.

There are times when you need to share your heart with a friend or spouse in order to get Godly counsel or perspective...but hopefully your "venting" doesn't sound like the teacher on Charlie Brown, "wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah."

I have heard it takes 21 days to form a new habit. It is my desire to live a complaint free lifestyle. I am purposing for 21 days to not complain in hopes of it becoming a habit!

If you are interested in learning more about the important connection between our emotions and our health I suggest you read "Deadly Emotions" by Don Colbert, M.D. For more on speaking blessings check out "Blessing Your Spirit" by Sylvia Gunter and Arthur Burk.

If you are interested in participating in "21 days to a complaint free lifestyle" join with me in this prayer.

Dear Daddy, I am so thankful You have empowered me to change. You are taking me from glory to glory and I am being transformed into the likeness of Jesus. I want to live a life in complete surrender and praise to You. I want my words, thoughts and actions to reflect Your heart. I want to empower You, Daddy, to move in my life and the lives of those around me. I want my life to reflect Your heart to a broken and dying world. I want others to see the difference You have made in me and are continuing to make in me. Teach me, Holy Spirit, to talk and live like Jesus did. May I know the difference between complaining and Godly rebuke and correction. May my words be spirit as Your words are Spirit, spirit that brings life, not death. Daddy forgive me for the many times my words have spoken death and criticism that has been destructive. I break agreement with the power I have given the enemy through my ungodly words. I purpose to pour out my heart like water before You and bring my complaints to You. Instruct me Lord. Give me Your perspective, align my heart with Your heart. I want to reflect You! I love You, Daddy. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, I love You, I love You, I love You, I praise You! In Jesus' name, AMEN!

I've got the POWER!

In my last post I promised a second post that would take a look at how we empower the enemy to wreck havoc in our lives. As with all my posts I take a look at the subject from my experience with it. This isn't a complete look at spiritual warfare, nor is it a complex one.

If you haven't read the previous post I recommend you start there, because I will refer to it.

In review: Adam and Eve relinquished authority when they chose to sin in the garden. Notice I said chose. Yes, they were given a choice, just like you and I are given choices everyday. Jesus came to fulfill the law, died and was resurrected which gave us back all authority.

Short and sweet, every victory we will ever need on this earth has been purchased by His death on the cross....EVERYTHING! If you deny this, you are denying the finished work of the cross!

If we have been given the power to defeat Satan and his minions why is it the body of Christ isn't walking in greater victory? There are many answers to this question and I'm only going to cover a couple of what I believe to be some valid answers.

First, I believe the body of Christ doesn't understand and fully take advantage of her identity in Christ. Instead of believing and acting upon the truth we are over comers in Christ, we walk around as if Satan is always nipping at our tails. Romans 8:37 tells us we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us!

Matthew 28:18 Jesus tells us all authority in heaven and earth has been given to Him. Jesus gives us the kingdom His Father conferred on Him in Luke 22:29. He gave us the keys to the kingdom in Matthew 16:19. Our weapons of warfare in II Corinthians 10:4 have divine power to demolish strongholds. In Ephesians 6:10-18 we are instructed about the full armor of God. Bottom line, friends, we are powerful and we are protected in and by the name and blood of Jesus Christ!

Secondly, because we undermine our God given power and, inadvertently, deny our identity in Christ, we base our beliefs on what circumstances and situations look like in this fallen world. I call this eyes on the natural. When we do this we can't help but pick up some ungodly beliefs (aka, lies) along the way. Lies about our identity, lies about the work of the cross, lies about God, etc...It is here we get into what is referred to as "open sin doors."

An open sin door is referring to ways we open the door to the enemy to work in our life. Now, most of us don't purposefully open the door when we are choosing to live for Christ. When many think of open doors to the enemy they think of blatant rebellion towards God such as a lifestyle of drugs, sexual promiscuity, stealing, witchcraft, pornography, etc. Christians don't normally like to think of ways they commonly open the door to Satan through such sins as fear, worry, stress, anxiety (to name a few.)

For the sake of this post we will use fear as an example of an open sin door.

Let's use Job for our example. Most people refer to Job as a man of God, living a life of holiness, blessing and righteousness. What we miss is one little verse in Job 3:25. In all my years of "church" and hearing the story of Job it wasn't until a few years ago I caught this. Job 3:25, "What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me." If we read by it too quickly we miss the fact that Job opened the door to the enemy through his sin of fear. Yes, fear is sin. All throughout the Bible we are told to fear not...it is obviously important.

If you've been reading my blog for awhile you will know one of my favorite verses is I John 4:18. I don't pass up an opportunity to use it, so here goes: "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."

As Danny Silk says often in his "Loving Our Kids On Purpose" curriculum, "fear is the mortal enemy of love." Just as fear displaces love, love displaces fear. Fear is not from God! As His children we were not created to fear anything or anybody other than God!

I could probably write a book on ways many Christians (myself included) open the door to the enemy through fear, worry, stress and anxiety. I hope my point has been made clear in this brief example of using fear as the open door.

When we walk in fear we empower the enemy by believing lies such as: "I am not safe. God will not protect me. I am not worthy of protection. I deserve the bad in my life." Any time we place our circumstances above the truth of God's character we are opening ourselves up for trouble. God is either who He says He is or He isn't. What or who are you choosing to empower?

*You may be asking where do I start? You start with your thinking. A renewed mind (Romans 12:2) is key to your success in walking out your God given destiny. Ask Holy Spirit to reveal to you beliefs you have that do not line up with His truth. Break agreement with those lies and ask Him to tell you what His truth is, then declare that truth over yourself, write it down, journal it, study scripture that backs it up. Meditate on Truth, the promises of God and who God says you are until the truths He shows you are deeply rooted in your heart.

When faced with lies or negative thoughts cast them down (II Cor. 10:5) and go back and feed yourself on the Truth. Do you see the cycle? I can assure you after years of believing so many lies I continually have to go back and remind my heart of the truth, say the truth, sing the truth, pray the truth and declare the truth. To encourage you I must admit this has worked marvelously well, but it has been a lifestyle for me, not just something I do in times of crisis! You shall know the Truth and the Truth shall set you free (John 8:32.)

I saw a quote on Twitter recently that basically said, "as a believer you can know you are doing something good for God when you sense the enemy at your door." I disagree with this statement, emphatically! Yes, the enemy is looking for opportunity, but you first have to open the door to him.

One such way you could in the scenario of doing good work for the Lord is to allow yourself to become puffed up with pride. Proverbs 16:18, "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." The open door here would be pride. Let's also not forget false humility/self abasement is also pride, because it is still focus on self. If I am doing something good for the Lord I don't want to be focused on Satan, but the glory of my awesome God! Satan isn't worthy of our time or attention!!!!!

If you sense the enemy, stop and ask the Lord to show you the open door, then close it and choose to keep it closed!!!! Sensing the enemy at work isn't something to fear either...the Lord will allow Satan to trigger issues and situations in your life He is wanting to address and HEAL! I think sometimes it is easier to wallow in the mire of "being attacked" then it is to take a hard look at issues and pain in your heart the Lord is wanting to talk about so He can bring healing. From experience I can tell you it is hard, but the other side of "doing kingdom business" with Jesus is beautiful and free!

As always, it is not my desire to change your thinking or to debate theology, but to give you something to think about and search out with the Lord on your own:)

Living a life with Satan under my feet and basking in a life filled with a glorious abundance of love, freedom and grace in my Abba Daddy truly makes My Soul Sing!

*If you are having trouble knowing how to begin this process and are near the Chattanooga, TN area, Growing in Grace Ministries can help you. GGM is where I minister in the area of inner healing. You can go here and check out our Sozo ministry. We can teach you how to hear the voice of God and live a life replacing lies with truth, walking in greater victory and deeper intimacy with the Father. Check us out!

God and the Boogie Man

Those of you with children raised during the Veggie Tale era will recall the song "God is bigger than the boogie man." This is a profoundly true statement! But, how many of us live like the opposite is true?

Okay, so maybe not the opposite...but how many of us, if we were really honest, have subconsciously lived like Satan is an equal opponent to God? Our head knowledge tells us otherwise, but the way we live sometimes tells another story.

It wasn't too long ago that I might have believed and/or said the following statements, "God is moving in a mighty way in my life and I can tell Satan doesn't like it" (then living anticipating an attack) or "Because I'm engaged in spiritual warfare I've opened myself up to an attack of the enemy" or chalking up everything going wrong in my life to spiritual warfare.

Now when I hear statements similar to these, I cringe. What I have come to realize is by believing these statements we are in essence making Satan an equally equipped opponent of God...he is NOT! Beliefs like this also bring attention to the enemy, in a way I feel like they glorify him. Instead of focusing on how big our God is we are looking for the devil behind every bush...expecting a move on his part.

I believe in living from heaven to earth. After all scriptures tells us we are seated in heavenly places with Christ (see Ephesians 2:6.) If we are heavenly minded, living from a renewed mind (Romans 12:2) we are less likely to empower Satan. Yes, you read that correctly...I believe we empower him.

Now, I've told you before I'm no theologian. I am no Bible scholar by any stretch of the imagination...but I have the Holy Spirit as my Teacher and this is where I have landed...

Adam and Eve lived with authority over every living thing, free from sin, in the garden before the fall. After the fall they lost their authority. The rest of the Old Testament tells of a forthcoming Savior and our need for a Redeemer. In the New Testament Jesus comes and fulfills the law . His death, burial and resurrection give us back all authority in His name (Matthew 28:18.)

Jesus gave us back what Adam and Eve lost. This is the simplified version...and I certainly do like simple:)

After coming to this simple truth I realized I had not lived from this perspective and therefore I had forfeited the resurrection power of Jesus Christ and the indwelling presence Holy Spirit give me. I had not been living in my inheritance as a disciple called to do greater works (John 14:12.)

Bill Johnson puts into words best what this post is trying to convey:

"Don't live in reaction to darkness, instead live in response to Truth."

"If we live in reaction to the devil, he sets our agenda. He is not worthy. We are to live in response to God."

So what has this looked like when practically applied to my life? I live with my eyes focused upward. I feed my mind on Truth. I cast down any negative thoughts (II Corinthians 10:5.) When discouragement comes I purpose to look to the Father and ask Him how He sees the situation. Though I am aware of the enemy, I do not look for him or expect him to automatically try to thwart the plans God has for my life. If you are looking for the enemy chances are you aren't looking toward God.

We've only just scratched the surface on this topic. You may be thinking I am an ostrich with my head in the sand. Trust me, I know ignoring the enemy won't make him go away and I am fully aware of that. My next post will talk about how we give the enemy authority in our lives by opening the door to sin in our lives. Revelation of this has impacted my life in ways I can't even describe, but I will attempt to in my next post!

In the mean time I encourage you to spend less time looking for or out for Satan and more time renewing your mind with the Sword of Truth! The battle is fought and won in your mind...so by all means, RENEW IT daily!

Living from heaven to earth, renewing my mind and focusing on Jesus has empowered me to walk victoriously and this makes my soul not only sing, but shout, "Thank you, Jesus!"

God is always GOOD!

Psalm 63:4, "I will praise You as long as I live, and in Your name I will lift up my hands."

I hope I never tire of proclaiming the goodness of God! As I sit here at the computer to write this post I realize this is a subject I write about often. Focus, priorities, God's goodness, His redemption, His love, living with Him in the abiding place...no matter how you slice or dice it, this is the theme of My Soul Sings.

As I sat down at the computer to type this post I asked God a question. "Why is it You always seem to have me write about Your goodness, focusing on Your redemptive nature?" His reply to me went something like this, "because the world needs to know. They need to know about My goodness. They need to know I am utterly redemptive. They need to know how much I love them. They need to be constantly reminded to keep their eyes on me. Amy, dear, you need to know too."

Don't you just love it when He is right? And, by the way, He is always right!

In a world full of crisis, chaos and sin we need to be reminded, as believers, this should not be our focus. Remember we are in the world, not of it. It should not consume us. Christ left us with the gift of the Holy Spirit and His resurrection power flows through our veins. As believers we hold the solutions to many of the world's problems...but, we can't effectively impact the world if our eyes aren't on Him. If we continue to focus on the negative we will empower it all the more.

Father God isn't sitting high above worried about the state of the world. Quite the contrary, He is waiting for His body to come to Him and ask Him what His solutions are. He isn't wringing His hands hoping His children make the right choices and then writhing in despair when they don't.

The statement I'm about to make is a topic many would like to debate. I am not here to debate it, nor defend it...I merely want to share it with you. I believe the wrath of God was fully poured out onto Christ on the cross. Like the song lyric says, "the wrath of God was satisfied." We won't see the wrath of God again until He pours it out as described in Revelation 6:16.

Amy, are you saying the natural disasters, torment and destruction we are seeing in the world today isn't the wrath of God punishing us for our sinful living? YES, that is exactly what I am saying. Do I believe God could stop them? Yes, I do...but just because He doesn't stop them, doesn't mean they are sent by His hand. Our charge as believers is to humble ourselves and pray as outlined for us in II Chronicles 7:14.

I don't want to camp on this subject, I think to do so would get us into a theological debate in which I am not educated enough to enter. Also, it would be a major bunny trail from the truth I wish to impart through this post. I will say I think believers get stuck on defending their theology to the point it can take our focus off the main thing...sharing the love of Christ with others and empowering people to walk in victory and relationship with the Creator.

I want to shift gears a little at this point. A friend of mine just this week got partial victory over a major storm in her life. All of us have storms, but this was of tsunami proportions. Many people are saying her life will never be the same. I agree with that statement.

Some even go on to say she will never get the pieces of her life back together again...implying her life is partially destroyed because of the devastation done from the "storm." I emphatically DISAGREE with this statement!

During the process I actually found myself believing her life was destroyed, no matter the outcome, that there were no winners. God gently showed me this belief was wrong and was not at all how I should be thinking as a believer in Christ. To believe her life is beyond the restoration and redemption of Christ is like saying there are some issues beyond His power! Remember Satan is not the equal opposite of God. God is absolute! By believing this statement in essence it's like saying this scheme of the enemy is bigger than God...and that, my friends, is absolutely preposterous!

Now...I'm not saying she doesn't have a battle ahead of her. She will be constantly faced with choices. I hope and pray she keeps her eyes on Christ. He has promised to work things together for our good, but our responsibility in this is to look to Him and follow His ways. We must trust Him and surrender to Him.

Let me try to wrap this up and bring it together for application for you and me in our every day lives:)

As believers we have storms. We have problems. We have trials. But, we also have choices. We are given the free will to run to Jesus or run from Him. We have the choice to keep our eyes on Him, or take them off and try to do things our way. We can out rationalize our faith and end up looking at situations with natural eyes as the world does...I've tried this, have you? It leads to discouragement, despair and ultimately, a victim mentality.

Without going into my friend's storm I just want to say I am encouraged by it. Watching it all play out in front of me and the hearing the testimony on this end is amazing. It has definitely increased my faith.

God is true to His promises! I invite you to search your heart and ask yourself what area do you need Him to fulfill His promises to you? Have you taken your eyes off Him? Have you empowered a lie in your situation? Do you believe the wrath of God is being poured out on you...if so, you may want to re-evaluate your thinking and ask Him for an encounter with His love.

I promise you He is not out to "punish" you. Jesus fulfilled the need for punishment. He said on the cross, "it is finished" that was for you and for me...our sins are covered by the blood of Jesus...we don't have to make atonement for them! This, my friends, is the gospel of Christ!

Father God, I pray for each person reading this post. I ask You to encounter them each individually and personally. Wrap them in Your perfect peace, grace, love and mercy. May they know you not only in head knowledge, but in the heart. I thank You Papa for sending us Jesus. I thank You we don't have to make atonement for our sin. I thank You for desiring a relationship with us free from striving. I thank You that You are always good and loving toward all You have made. I repent Lord for areas in which I have made you smaller than my problems, than the world's problems. Show me Lord Your solutions so I may be a problem solver, not a problem maker or problem enabler. I praise You Lord for all You have done and all You are doing in my life. I will sing of Your love forever as long as I have breath! I love You, my Daddy! I thank you for making my soul sing! AMEN!

Oh Focus, Where Art Thou?

I am starting to wonder if the name of this blog should have been "Confession Central." Seems like I do quite a bit of soul sharing and confessing on here and this post is no different.

I lost my focus. Never fear, I found it, if I hadn't I wouldn't be writing this post.

Some of you may or may not know what your focus is. I have blogged before about my priorities. To sum them up again they go in this order, God, my husband, my children, friends and ministry.

Focus and priorities for me are related, but not necessarily one in the same. For the last few years my focus has been on God and my relationship with the Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit. When I am in right relationship with the Godhead my priorities and other relationships come into order as well.

When I say I lost my focus I mean I took my eyes off God. You may be asking what exactly does that look like? For me to be focused on God is to constantly view things through Kingdom lenses. The circumstances in the natural often look bleak, discouraging and hopeless. When we focus on what we see in the natural we empower lies to work, as we lose sight of God's truth. It is my desire to filter circumstances in my life and the lives of those I love through the eyes of God.

This can mean I seek a precedent from scripture or it can be as simple as asking Him how He views a situation. Viewing life through Kingdom lenses has empowered me to walk in victory, satisfaction and peace; as well as, providing Kingdom solutions to the trials and problems I face in day to day life.

As a friend told me today I have an addictive personality...thanks sister, I felt so edified by this comment:) Just kidding...she is right. I've never had a substance addiction, but when I am passionate about something it usually turns into an obsession/addiction...it becomes what I live and breath for.

Now, before you go and assume this is a negative trait of mine I invite you to look at how this can be a good attribute. Followers of this blog should know by now I am constantly looking for the redemptive value in EVERYTHING!

As I have grown in my relationship with God I have become absolutely obsessed with Him. This has effected me in a wonderful way as I am now living in great freedom. I am obsessed with worship, prayer, study and ministry. My passion and love for Jesus drives me to share my relationship with others, hopefully imparting a little piece of the Kingdom to those who are seeking it...and hopefully without spiritually throwing up on them uninvited...if I have crossed this boundary with anybody reading this please accept my apologies...I just get excited sometimes:) Most of the time my God obsession is a good obsession!

But, when I lose my focus I can easily fall into a snare of the enemy, becoming obsessed with other things that aren't healthy for me or my family. Before we go any further in this post I want you to hear me say this is my story, and it may be quite different from yours.

I want to confess and explain what it looks like when I lose my focus...not that I'm proud of it, I am not.

When I take my eyes off God I always get incredibly grumpy, highly agitated and easily frustrated. The peace I am accustomed to walking in goes right out the window.

Isaiah 26:3 from the Message, "People with their minds set on You, You keep completely whole, steady on their feet, because they keep at it and don't quit."

When I lose my focus and my eyes aren't on Him my life turns into a whirlwind and chaos reigns in my home. When I am on a focus sabbatical (tee-hee) I don't spend much time with God, my prayer life is brief and self-centered, and I hardly open the Word. What happens when you don't water a plant? It withers. Visual learners that was for you:) What happens when you go a long time without talking with a friend? You lose contact.

Fast forward to this morning. I knew I had lost my focus. I also realized I had some pretty intense repentance I needed to do. In my circles we call this "doing kingdom business." Nailed down and simply put I had placed other obsessions over my relationship with God and that, my friends, is idolatry.

As I sat on my bed with my Bible and journal in front of me I closed my eyes and tried to connect with the Father...nothing...silence...hello God, are you there? Now I know good and well He is there, He never leaves...dang it, I knew it was serious business when I had to start confessing and repenting before I even felt Him close. You people know how much I love His presence, to not be able to immediately connect with Him for me is pure torture.

He has already revealed to me the redemptive side of me temporarily experiencing the break in connection...because, He is, after all, ridiculously redemptive and doesn't waste the opportunity to use anything to teach us and grow us up in the faith.

Stay tuned for a blog post soon about restoring your heart to heart connection with Father God. Until next time I hope your soul sings because the Father passionately loves you and longs for an intimate relationship with you!

Mmmmm!

If you've been with me awhile here in blogland you have heard me talk about the presence of God. It is no secret I absolutely LOVE to dwell in His presence.

God's presence isn't something I have always been familiar with...I had what some might call encounters from time to time, but never were they something I expected or even something I knew I could pursue.

Well, let me tell you, I know now and there is nothing, absolutely nothing, better than being still and listening, waiting and encountering a very real, very alive, very active God! I now unapologetically pursue God encounters as often as possible!

I want to blog more in the future about the presence of God and how dwelling there is a place of peace and continual refreshing. But for this post I wanted to share a story from my life which made me reflect on how I feel when I'm in His presence. I hope it encourages you to find your "sweet" spot with Daddy God, or perhaps re-locate it if you've lost touch with Him.

Juliana, my younger daughter, is a little lover. Physical touch is her love language all the way! Her favorite place to be is in a lap snuggled close...which is no problem for me, seriously, her cheeks are scrum-delish! She is ten and I still eat on them:)

While she is a snuggler, a morning person she is NOT. Mornings around here consist of lighting a fire under her to get her going! If my first born is a hare, well Juliana is certainly my tortoise...hopefully you are familiar with the children's story of the tortoise and the hare, otherwise you have absolutely no clue what I'm talking about.

Alas, I digress, back to my story... Since Juliana is a little slow moving in the mornings time for snuggling (or as we call it in our house, cozy) is slim to none on school days.

The other day I felt especially led to fill up her little love tank before I sent her off to school so I invited her to come into my bed for some "cozy." She was absolutely more than willing and moved a little faster than her typical tortoise self to get into bed with me.

She got under the covers and started scooting close to me, and closer, and closer until she was just about plastered up against me...we are talking seriously close. When she got in her desired position and my arms were wrapped around her, holding her close to my heart she said, "now that's what I'm talking about...mmmmm!" She felt loved and her tank was filled in less than five minutes, good to go for the rest of her day.

Several days later I was sitting at my computer desk. I was about to watch a worship service on the internet when I felt something. It felt like someone was putting a thin piece of fabric over my head, around my shoulders, down my arms, like liquid love being poured out over me. I realized within seconds it was the Holy Spirit wrapping me in His love, comfort and strength. Tingling all over my body, I smiled and said aloud, "I feel you Lord. Thank you for Your presence."

It was just a few brief moments, but I paused and soaked in every bit of His love. It was all I needed to face the day...and I thought of Juliana as she found the perfect spot...mmmmmmmmmm. I wasn't even necessarily pursuing my sweet spot with Him, but He knew I needed to feel Him. Had I not been still I might have missed it or reasoned the moment away by thinking the air turned on or I just had the shivers.

This experience might seem strange to some reading this, but such experiences aren't strange to me anymore...they are what I live for. As believers we are the dwelling place of the Spirit of God...I believe we were made to feel Him near! He never leaves us, but we can quench Him and it can feel like He isn't near. Repentance is all it takes to restore the connection.

Before I became a "Presence dweller" my life was full of chaos, defeat and negativity. Circumstances definitely dictated my mood. Peaceful would never have been a word used to describe me or my household. I have learned peace comes from my eyes being focused on the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 26:3) I purpose daily to set my eyes on Him, because in today's world peace is a precious commodity.

Of course, I'm not perfect and still sin, but I am quicker now to repent and turn from sin in order to restore my sweet connection with Him. This is the most important connection in my life and I guard it jealousy!

Dwelling in His presence and soaking in His peace makes my soul sing! Here is a link to one of my favorite songs to welcome His presence into the room. I encourage you to "be still and know" His presence and His peace! Who knows, you might just become addicted and you can join my support group;)

Whatcha Thinking?

"What's On Your Mind?"

That's the question on every Facebooker's wall. In a little box at the top you have a chance to tell your friends in Facebook land what is on your mind. Also known as a status. So, whatcha thinking?

Well, it got me to thinking...and whenever I start thinking too much it is likely whatever thoughts are in my head will end up written here as a blog post...and, so here we are again:)

As much as I have shared with you about my journey to freedom, there is much left to share. Today I want to talk about our thought life and the power of our minds.

I am sure you've heard it said the battle is in our mind and this statement couldn't be more true. The mind is where the enemy wages war against us.

To sum up the power of our thoughts I love how Larry Randolph puts it...

"Your thoughts become words. Words create attitude. Attitude determines your well being. Well being influences conduct. And conduct determines the shape of your destiny."

Do you see how it all begins with mere thoughts?

One of my favorite sayings is, "what we focus on we empower." In Kris Valloton's book "The Supernatural Ways of Royalty" he says, "We tend to reproduce what we feast our thoughts upon." So, if you feast upon criticism, you will produce negativity. If you feast upon profanity, you will utter profanities. If you feast upon worry, your environment will be one of anxiety. These are just a few examples.

Proverbs 23:7 says, "For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he." (NKJV) Yes, there is a definite connection with our thoughts and what is empowered in our lives.

We are instructed in 2 Corinthians 10:5 "To take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." This is how Paul instructs us to overcome strongholds. When we feast on negative thoughts and thoughts contrary to the Word of God we empower the enemy to work in our lives.

I don't know about you, but I don't want to give satan any power over me! You may be wondering how your thought life can empower the enemy. One area in which the enemy gains ground through our thoughts is in thwarting our destiny.

If we believe lies about God and lies about ourselves we will never fully walk in our God given destiny here on earth. When we feast on such lies, we will empower them.

For example: I believed for years I had nothing important to say. Since I didn't finish college I believed I wasn't educated enough to speak. In public settings such as Sunday school class, Bible study, etc. I would have answers, but would never voice them out of fear of being wrong and thus being ridiculed. The enemy would whisper to me, "you are stupid and no one wants to hear what you have to say."

During one of my many inner healing sessions this lie came to the surface. Through the facilitator of my session and the Voice of Truth (Jesus) I realized part of my destiny was my voice. God had gifted me in the area of writing and teaching! I couldn't do either without a "voice!" The enemy had successfully disqualified me in my mind!

Of course what the enemy intended for harm, God will work together for good...this blog is part of the fruit of me receiving my "voice!" If God hadn't revealed this lie at work in my life My Soul Sings would never have become a reality!

This is just one example of where lie based thinking effected my life personally. I could write post after post exposing lies I have personally believed. The fact is Jesus is still revealing them to me...part of working out my salvation will include conforming my mind to think like His. In order to think like Him the lies have to go! This process will last the rest of my life, until I see Jesus face to face!

In the meantime I must choose to feast on the Truth. The more I discover the character and nature of God the more ungodly thinking is displaced.

It is my desire to view life through supernatural lenses, when everything around me is looking at the natural. I assure you God isn't up on His throne ringing His hands anxiously because of what is going on in this world.

No, I believe He is patiently waiting for us as believers to realize our identity, authority and power here on earth. To take dominion over the enemy using our God given inheritances and identities. This will only be accomplished through prayer and empowering truth in our lives.

Bill Johnson puts it this way, "I can't afford to think differently about my life than God does."

I love to write posts which expose the accuser of the brethren for the liar he is. This is a subject you will see addressed often here. If you are interested in uncovering what ungodly beliefs (lies) are at work in your life I urge you to ask Jesus. If you don't know where to start you can begin with identifying lies you have believed about Father God.

The Father's Love Letter can help you with this. You can listen and/or read this beautiful love letter to YOU here. These are truths about how Father God sees you straight from the Bible.

As you listen or read if you come across one that doesn't feel true to your heart, although you know it to be true in your head, ask the Holy Spirit to identify the lie in place. Break agreement with the lie and meditate on the Truth. If helpful, post the scripture on your bathroom mirror and read it aloud several times a day, until it sinks into your spirit and you can fully believe it with all your heart.

Setting your thoughts on things above and focusing on God's Truth will take you to places of victory you didn't imagine possible until heaven. Never in my life have I lived from such a place of peace as I do now. I attribute this to my focus being on God and His promise found in Isaiah 26:3. Living with a mindset of "on earth as it is in heaven" is another reason My Soul Sings!

Priorities and My Life

I just wanted to pop in and say hi to all my blog friends! I usually try to post 2-3 times a week, but this week it just didn't happen.

My excuse for not starting a blog earlier was I felt it would pressure me too much. My old people pleaser traits try to rear their ugly heads from time to time. So, when I began this blog I made a commitment to put my time with God first, then hubby, children, friends and outside ministry (in that order.)

I say "outside ministry" meaning ministry outside of my home. As a mother and wife, my first ministry is to my family...those of you with small children it's okay if they are your ONLY ministry for this season of life.

Jesus said "If anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because He is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward." (Matthew 10:42) Moms, have you given your child something to eat or drink today? If so, you have served Jesus by serving your (His)children. I would also like to add, as a mom you are an invaluable asset in the kingdom of God. You are sowing into a future generation of revivalists, leaders and kingdom warriors!

This truth took me awhile to grasp. I felt I had to be serving in the "church," and so I said yes to everything and way over committed myself. My relationship with God and my family suffered for it.

My Soul Sings falls into the category of outside ministry, so it's the first thing to go when the other priorities are calling to me.

This weekend I have enjoyed time with my daughters and my hubby. I did some rubber stamping (it's a craft thing, for those of you wondering) with my 10 year old this afternoon. She made a comment that so touched my heart I shared it on my Facebook and I plan to blog about it this coming week. Children are capable of imparting some great wisdom, and that was surely the case with her sweet remark.

As you have read this I hope it has encouraged you to think about where your priorities are. It's good to make sure they are in check from time to time...because it doesn't take much for them to go askew. I don't usually realize this has happened until something suffers.

If I haven't had my alone time with Jesus I start to feel completely separated from Him. Instead of talking with Him throughout my day, I feel He isn't there...but really, it's me that has left, because He doesn't go anywhere:)

When I've not spent enough time with my husband we are more prone to arguments. Same goes with my girls, if their love tanks aren't full there will be more disobedience, disrespect and overall mood changes. I think you get the point.

It's not a coincidence when I've spent time with Jesus the rest of my relationships seem to run more smoothly. I contribute this to my heart being in the right place, connected and focused on the Giver of Life...I am, in turn, able to give life and love to others...which has become one of my core values. I want to give, love, minister and serve from the overflow and abundance God has given me, otherwise someone will get shorted because it is a fleshly effort, not empowered by the Spirit of God.

Wow, to have come here just to say hi, I sure did ramble! Apparently the Holy Spirit had something to say through all this! I pray a blessing over your week. May it be full of love and time in His presence so you can ooze His love on those you love most...because His presence always makes My Soul Sing!

Empowered, Free and Walking in Victory

When I first discovered there was more to this Christian walk than just accepting Christ so I would spend eternity with Him I started reading...and read I did. Of course, I dove head first into the Word of God and then I started reading books on freedom, deliverance, spiritual warfare, and walking in the resurrection power of Jesus Christ...to name but a few topics I studied.


One of the first books I read that put me a little outside my comfort zone was "The Three Battlegrounds" (An in-depth view of the three arenas of spiritual warfare; The mind, the church and the heavenly places) by Francis Frangipane. Extra points if you can pronounce the author's last name correctly...oh wait, I can't even pronounce it correctly:)


This is a great book to open your eyes to the fact we are at war, not with each other, but with the forces of darkness Paul writes of in Ephesians 6:10-20.


From the beginning of my journey to where I am today I've taken all kinds of turns. At first, I must admit, I was a little in awe of the kingdom of darkness and the power it has here on the earth. Now, please hear me...I was never interested in dallying with the kingdom of darkness, but I did find myself looking for a demon behind every bush. The "devil made me do it" and "the devil is after me" mentality. I was giving him way more credit than he was due!


Thank God, I didn't stay in that camp for long! The Lord has shown me, although the kingdom of darkness and the devil are very real, they are also a defeated foe. He also taught me the Kingdom of God is much stronger than the kingdom of darkness! I realized what I placed my focus on I would empower. I was faced with a choice...focus on God and empower His truth in my life or focus on the work of the enemy and stay in a constant state of defeat and a never ending battle.


When we focus on the works of the enemy we are in essence making the devil really big and our God really small...when the fact is they are not equally matched opponents. Think about that for a moment and ask yourself the question, "Am I or have I made the devil bigger than my God?" Be honest with yourself. It's okay to admit it. I did. Confess, repent and turn to God and start empowering His truth in your life.


It's been over five years since I first read "The Three Battlegrounds." I decided recently to go back and re-read it. It's like I'm reading it with new eyes and a new mind (a renewed mind.) Many points are speaking to me, but I'm especially drawn to a paragraph on page 31, under the section "Repentance Precedes Deliverance." I want to quote this section for you:


"If you have been a Christian for any length of time, you have already had many strongholds broken in your life. These were broken when you repented and came to Jesus. Deliverance is often just that simple when a soul is willing. Yet, without some measure of repentance, deliverance is almost always impossible, for although a spirit may be commanded to leave, if the structure of the individuals thoughts has not been changed, his wrong attitude toward sin will welcome that spirit back."

Now, at this point, this post could take several different paths, deliverance being one of them. We could explore the house being swept clean, but not replaced with truth taught in Luke 11:21-26. Or we could explore how repentance proceeds deliverance as taught in Mark 6:12. But I want to take it a somewhat different direction, although in the end it all comes back to the same point.

Can you think of a time, place, service, retreat, etc. where you really connected with God? Maybe it was a revival, a secluded weekend retreat or perhaps your salvation experience. The power of the Holy Spirit moved and worked through the speakers, the worship and the environment. You left the moment having received a deposit into your heart directly from the heart of the Father. The feeling was amazing and you felt invincible...there was nothing you couldn't accomplish with Jesus by your side.

Then...life intruded and interupted your utopia, the unexpected happened, tragedy struck, circumstances changed and your sense of security was brought into question and at the very root, your faith was challenged...or maybe none of the above took place but you slipped back into a life of mediocrity. You were left wanting the "high" of your divine mountain top moment back...and maybe you even sought it.

I see this some in the inner healing ministry. People coming in wanting an encounter with God, wanting their junk gone, wanting a quick fix and some even wanting to fix their spouse (we won't go there:)..."make my problems go away" or "fix this mess I've found myself in." Kind of a sense of drive-thru Jesus. They might find themselves going from program to program, ministry to ministry, church to church seeking a feeling or a quick solution to life's problems...only to complete the process and still walk away without lasting change.


As I read the above passage from the book I was drawn to this conclusion. Our freedom and deliverance is our choice, first and foremost. We can't expect to confess a little, cry a little and receive a touch from God than go back to doing the same sins, having the same ungodly thoughts or believing the same lies and expect to walk in freedom. Sure, grace is abundant and we can continue to sin/confess all we want, but if we do so we are choosing an inferior life. As a Christian there is more and let me tell you from experience, there is freedom and victory!


We can't have actions or thoughts that come into agreement with the kingdom of darkness and expect to walk in victory in that area. Let's face it our thoughts and/or actions either agree with the Kingdom of God or the kingdom of darkness.


As I walk this journey I am asking God to reveal those thoughts not in agreement with His. He is gracious and does so gently. In the past I have been discouraged when He brings up something negative to address, but as I grow I look forward to those things rising to the surface so that I can enter into the pruning process and come out the other side looking a little more like Jesus. (see II Corinthians 3:16-18)


Friends, don't be discouraged, it is a process and a journey we will find ourselves on until we meet our Savior face to face...the Christianese word for it is sanctification. Being a Christian doesn't make us perfect. It doesn't mean life will be all roses. It certainly doesn't mean we will not sin.


To me being a Christian means I'm so in love with my Savior I want to imitate Him in everything I do and say. I want to walk freely in all Jesus' death and resurrection secured for me. I don't want to waste a moment of grace. I want to be all He made me to be. It means receiving grace, love and mercy and freely giving it away to others. I simply can not afford to have thoughts not in alignment with His...not so I can be perfect, but so I can live fully and freely. I've tried a life of keeping the "rules." It didn't work for me and it was absolutely exhausting.

Today I choose life, I choose to take my thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ and I choose Jesus...the freedom this brings makes my soul sing!

Highlighted Song-It Ain't Easy

Music...I absolutely LOVE it! I've always liked music. I grew up listening to a wide variety of styles. I have an appreciation for big band, the golden oldies,
80's rock, bluegrass and country (having been backstage at the Grand Ole Opry in high school) and, of course, southern gospel (which, by the way is my absolute least favorite...sorry:)

Over the past few years I have listened mainly to Christian music and even more specific in the last year, Spirit filled worship music. I confess I am not a radio listener (big gasp, being raised with a radio dad I am thankful for the industry that paid for my housing, food and clothing, but I'm just not a fan of what is predominantly played on Christian radio stations. There is so much more out there, undiscovered.)

On this blog I have compiled a lengthy playlist of some of my favorites...there are many more I would consider to be favorites, but they weren't available on the playlist. I know not everyone will like the style of music I do and I'm not at all offended if when you visit My Soul Sings you choose to pause the playlist or turn down your speakers. However today's post is going to highlight one of the songs because, quite frankly, I can't get the lyrics out of my head. This song, with it's simple message, has rocked me.

During the last part of 2009 the Lord really started speaking to me about love. Real love...His love and the way He loves and how we are commanded to love how Jesus loves. A tall order, yes...impossible, no. If it were impossible to love like Jesus He wouldn't have commanded us to do so.

So I decided my focus or theme for 2010 would be to learn to love like Jesus. I hope to write a follow up post to this one addressing this...if I don't within the next couple of weeks you have permission to remind me:)

I stumbled upon this song after being introduced to Jason Upton's music...I had heard some of his stuff, but hadn't really explored his offerings...now, I'm addicted. I believe he has recorded 13 albums...pretty good for someone who is relatively unknown.

Without further adieu I invite you to read the lyrics I have posted with this post and, if you like, listen to the song from my playlist. I have moved "It Ain't Easy" to the number 2 spot, so it will be easy to find. I pray as you listen Holy Spirit would touch your heart, prick it so to speak...may you be encouraged to start loving like Jesus and may this song become your prayer, as it has mine...He is willing to teach us to love like this, are you willing to learn?

I have learned in order to walk in the power that is within me I must be willing to be teachable...to give it all and expect nothing back...and this is why My Soul Sings.

It Ain't Easy by Jason Upton

I am learning to be a father but I really don’t know how
To be willing to care for others more than I love myself

It ain’t easy learning to love like you

I am learning to love my neighbor and to live by the golden rule
But it’s so hard when I’ve been lied to
I feel like a fool forgiving a fool

It ain’t easy learning to love like you

I am learning to be faithful with the little that I have
To do like Jesus and turn the tables
To give it all to get nothing back

It ain’t easy leaning to love like you