For day 2 of Open Doors, I want to discuss leaving open doors for the enemy.

Did you know that unforgiveness leaves an opening for the enemy to screw with your life?

Did you know that engaging in defiantly sinful behavior also leaves an open door to him?

Were you aware that having unhealthy heart connections with others can lead to unholy open doors?

All of the above are true.

One of the most impacting and important steps in the heart healing process is to sever all sinful heart ties.  These connections can be between people or even a person and a thing or place.  Today may feel like a stretch to you, but the writing will be short.

What I pray you will do is enter your secret place and give God permission to show you any and all heart ties you may have that are unhealthy.  I encourage you to write them down.  After allowing God to point these out, I encourage you to pray this simple prayer: “God, I sever, break and destroy all unhealthy heart ties (now list them).  Lord, I break all agreement that I have made with any lie whether I was aware of it or not.  Lord, forgive me of my sins.  From this moment forward, help me to be aware if unholy heart ties try to form within me.  I allow You all access to my heart, all the time.  In Jesus name, Amen.

Now that you have purged your heart, take the paper you wrote the heart ties on and burn it as a declaration of letting go and moving forward, unhindered toward God.

This may seem like a strange process, but sometimes a new process does feel strange.  That doesn’t mean it’s wrong.  I strongly believe that the church (universal) needs to begin to openly speak about these things in order for us to walk out the freedom Christ died for and to lead others into true freedom, as well.

Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning.  The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.  1 John 3:8

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.  John 8:36

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.  2 Corinthians 3:17

Most of my life I have heard people talk about open doors.  When I was young I only heard it in reference to opportunity, but as I’ve gotten older I’ve also discovered it can mean behaviors, etc. that leave an opening for the enemy to mess with us.  Over the next two days we will discuss both, starting with God’s open doors.

When I walk out life decisions, I always pray for God to open any door I am supposed to go through and to close all wrong doors and protect me from even myself.  This has served as a prayer that makes me feel hemmed in by His Spirit.  As I confidently walk forward in life, I trust Him to do just that.  I have watched Him protect me and my family in one decision after another, which has only increased my faith in His protective hand.

Likewise, if I need to let someone else in my life, like my husband or child, make a wise decision, I pray God will open right doors and close wrong doors and protect them even from themselves.

My question today is, do you allow God to direct your steps and open your doors?  Or do you pound on a door and work until it opens whether it should or not?  We can force our way.  He won’t usually stop us from doing so.  I have watched as God has closed doors for people, only to see them later force the issue and “make” it happen.  This undoubtedly ends up being a costly mistake.

I have also watched God open doors for people, very clearly, and then witnessed them refuse to walk through them because it was scary or not the way they thought He would answer.

I have recently come face to face with that scenario for myself.  A door appeared to be opening, but it seemed to contradict the promises God had spoken to me, so I didn’t realize it was Him.  I was resisting.  Then in a quiet moment, He spoke to me.  It was almost like my mind expanded and He showed me how He was the One guiding this new direction and He asked if I would accompany Him.  Immediately, I repented and began to shift my walking.  He showed me that repentance wasn’t really necessary though, because I had been unaware, and my resistance had stemmed from a desire to walk in faith.  I only needed to allow Him to adjust my path.  Since doing so, one miracle after another as occurred.  Peace has held my heart.  And what seemed like a hopeless and painful situation, has bloomed into a feeling of promise and hope over my future!

Oh, how sweet it is to follow Jesus.  We can trust Him at every turn.  Oh, how sweet to trust in Jesus.  He will make our footsteps firm.

Will you trust in Him today?

These are the words of Him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David.  What He opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open.  I know your deeds.  See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.  I know that you have little strength, yet you have not denied My name.  Revelation 3:7-8

The winter has been long this year.  It has seemed as though winter and spring have been in a tug of war and the winner has yet to be decided, but we all know that spring will eventually come.  I’m not quite sure why we get worked up about it, year after year.  It’s always the same.  And then spring with it’s glory will come, followed by summer, and once again many people will moan and groan of it’s heat and how it feels like it will never end.  And those complaining will be the exact same people who complained that it wasn’t getting warm soon enough.  Does any of this resonate with you?

I feel that we struggle with contentment.

We seem to be so focused on the don’t haves and the wants in life, and not enough on the gratitudes and gratefuls.  Some of this problem (in my opinion) stems from busyness.  We are so busy and constantly doing, we have forgotten the art of rest and taking a breath.  Since we are always bustling from one activity to another we are only aware of what causes us inconvenience.  We struggle to find a few quiet moments in the morning to center ourselves and start from a foundation of thankfulness.  But I guarantee if you begin to take the first 10-15 minutes of your morning, and lay your phone and daily agenda aside, and simply breathe deep breaths and focus your heart on Jesus and the many blessings in your life then you will begin to be transformed into a more grateful person.

It’s a small rudder that turns a ship and it’s a small investment of time and energy that can transform your mindset.  This is so true.

Let’s stop this devotional early today so you can take a moment to readjust your mindset before you take on this new glorious day!  Breathe in the love and affection of the Father and breathe out peace and gratitude around you.  I pray today you will become more aware of all the goodness surrounding you.  I also encourage you to make it a point to speak encouraging words today.  Set it in your heart and mind to find good things in this day and then speak praises out loud about those things.  When we bring a heart concept into our thinking and then release into the earth through our mouths, things begin to truly shift.

God is good.  Say that out loud, “God is good”.  He really is, friend.  He really is.

Now go find the gold in today.  Let your light shine through the encouragement you speak into this day and those around you.

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.  Philippians 4:11-13

But godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.  But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.  1 Timothy 6:6-8

Sometimes, the call I feel God has put on my life seems to swirl over me and all my smallness and I literally ache with purpose.  Some days, when I worship at home alone with God and I see glimpses of things that are unusual, I ache to share it with those I’m close to, but words fail to express the height and depth of those moments.

There have been moments in worship at home, where I have been singing with my eyes closed and have seen so many things.  One day while doing that, I suddenly was in a hospital room and saw a baby in an incubator and the parents were standing nearby desperate to hold their little one.  God moved me to begin to sing over that baby and I saw a cloud fill the incubator and knew Holy Spirit was holding that little baby.  Then suddenly, I wasn’t there anymore.  I looked up and saw a woman whose arms were empty.  I knew she’d recently lost a baby.  I sang and asked Holy Spirit to fill her arms with hope and saw a cloud come into her arms and peace release.  Next, I was swept away to a hut, in a foreign land.  The ground was dirt and it was dark inside and I felt fear was in that hut.  I saw a glimpse of a trafficked girl, not completely but I knew she was there.  I began to fill up from my toes to my head, with a song of freedom and redemption that seemed to consume my whole being as I sang out!  I sang until I couldn’t sing anymore.  And then I opened my eyes.  Suddenly, I was back in my music room.  It is weird to be abruptly brought back to my “real world” after an encounter like that.

How do I walk in the world while holding hands with eternity?  How do I live life while the song of heaven is playing over and through me? When I feel I am aching with purpose and want to share the God I meet in the quiet place, how do I live normal life?

I find myself asking this question over and over again.

God, how do I walk in this world while I see things many others don’t see?  Please guide me with every step.  Keep my heart humble as I walk with You.  Help me remember that it is ONLY through You that I receive anything I have.  Help my eyes be covered with Your love for humanity.  Break all measuring sticks in my life and teach me how to live and move and breathe in You exactly how You created me too, without any comparison to others.  Likewise, help me to never hold others to the measure You have poured over me, rather let me see how You have uniquely made them to thrive in Your Presence.  Lord, I want to be like You.  I want to be counted a faithful servant.  I am fully Yours.  I adore You, in Jesus name, Amen.

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes our from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.  Isaiah 55:10-11

He has made everything beautiful in its time.  He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.  Ecclesiastes 3:11

Have you ever seen a wild animal caught in a trap?  One day, Chris was out in the woods for work and he came across a bobcat who had been caught in a trap and had no way of escaping.  He was basically going to starve to death.  It was very obvious to Chris that the animal had been there a while.  But how do you think the bobcat acted toward Chris?  Do you suppose he lifted his head and said, “Thank you human for finding me.  Would you please come set me free?”

That’s a laughable scenario, but I want to use it to challenge you.

If you are caught up in the sin that so easily entangles, how do you respond to God or someone He send to come and help you out of the snare?  Are you grateful, or like a starving and hurt animal, do you attack anyone who dares to reach out a helping hand?

These are hard words, I know.  But for over a week, I haven’t been able to get the vision of a trapped animal out of my mind, and then hearing God say, “Lisa, stop fighting Me when I’m trying to free you.”

Wow.  That’s convicting.

I didn’t realize I was fighting the Hand that had come to rescue me.  Honestly, in this particular situation He spoke about, I thought I was fighting to keep faith and not give up and quit.  Unfortunately, I had let my attempts of faithfulness distract me from recognizing His hand at work in and around me.  Little did I know, I was actually fighting Him.

Lord, please forgive me.

Sometimes when we need to be rescued, we can only imagine it happening one way.  But I’m discovering with God we need to stay open for any variety of solutions.

There’s another side to this coin though.  I believe sometimes we fight God’s help because we feel unworthy of rescue.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  You are the one He died on the cross to save.  Why then wouldn’t your rescue be His top priority?  He doesn’t even care if you are in a predicament out of your own sinfulness.  He is really a good Father.  He won’t enable you, but He will help you.  He loves you.  He really does.

You are loved.  You. Are. Loved.  Let those words really sink into your heart.  Let them begin to give you wings.  Find the freedom and release of being held in His love.  It’s the love that breaks the spirit of depression and defeat.  It’s the love that transcends space and time to meet with each one of us.  It’s the love that bled on the cross, so you can be with Him in eternity.  It’s the love that never ends.

It’s truly that good.  He is truly that good.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.  Cry out, “Save us, O God our Savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to Your holy name, that we may glory in Your praise.  Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.                     1 Chronicles 16:34-36

The Lord is righteous in all His ways and loving toward all He has made.  The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.  He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them.  The Lord watches over all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy.  My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord.  Let every creature praise His holy name for ever and ever.  Psalm 145:17-21

At His feet, is where I dwell:

I will never forget the first time I saw myself at God’s feet.  I was worshiping with a dear friend and my eyes were closed.  I then saw a vision of my friend and she was out charging the enemy with a sword in her hand and being very bold, and I asked God, “Where I am?  What do I do?”  And immediately I saw someone in a robe was sitting right by me, except they were elevated in a throne and I was on the ground.  It was God.  He said, “You dwell at my feet.”  Immediately, I was full of satisfaction and gratitude because that is exactly where I would want to be.

Since that first vision, I have seen myself at His feet many times.  Even a stranger who was praying for me said, “You dwell at God’s feet”.  Yes, I do.

My heart’s strongest desire is to be as near to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as I can.  I long for nearness and intimacy.  It’s simply who I am.

I realize that not everyone feels that way though, and that’s totally normal.  We are all very different people.

So, my question is, where are you?  How do you minister to the Lord?  In what position are you?

If you don’t know, then I encourage you to spend some quiet time with the Father and ask Him to show you.  I pray that each person who asks Him, receives a vision of themselves.  That God would release to you a vision of how He created you to minster to Him.  We each have our own place in the kingdom.

We are not all called to be identical.  We are called to be His.

God, I release vision over those reading this today.  Show them how you created them to minister to You and begin to draw them further into that ministry.  Thank You for the diversity in Your kingdom.  I am so grateful you didn’t create us to all be identical and act like robots, but instead You celebrate the differences You’ve placed inside each one of us.  What a privilege it is to walk with You.  I adore You, in Jesus name, Amen.

Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord who minister by night in the house of the Lord.  Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord.  May the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth bless you from Zion.  Psalm 134

One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek:  that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.  Psalm 27:4

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.  Psalm 23:6

I feel like sometimes even we who have believed for many years can begin to forget or lose focus on what we really received when we accepted Jesus into our hearts.  He bled and died on the cross to give us something very complete.  With that single act, it was finished.  The power of death was overcome.

Why then, do we often walk around as if we are powerless victims of the world?  Doesn’t scripture tell us:  You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One Who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 1 John 4:4

The blood of Christ made available to us the power of the risen Lord!  I think it’s high time we act like it, don’t you?

Doesn’t scripture also tell us that once we are washed in the blood of Jesus, we are no longer slaves to sin?

Letting sin be your master leads to death.  Letting obedience be your master leads to God’s approval.  You were slaves to sin.  But I thank God that you have become wholeheartedly obedient to the teachings which you were given.  Freed from sin, you were made slaves who do what God approves. Romans 6:16b-18

Why then are so many believers walking as “addicts” and as browbeaten sinners.  That doesn’t sound like the fullness of the cross to me.  I’ve also noticed, as believers, we often offer great measures of grace when dealing with someone who is new to Jesus.  But with ourselves and other believers who have walked with Jesus a long time, we give no real room for error.  It’s almost like we forget we are strictly saved by His grace, not by our works.

What I am hoping to have you consider today is, are you walking in the full freedom given through life in Jesus?

Take some time and evaluate your heart attitude.  Are you convinced you are always a victim of the world?  Do you offer no grace to yourself?  Or do you offer too much?  Is your life in balance with Jesus?  Salvation was never about religion, but it was ALWAYS about relationship and love.  How does your heart measure up to that?

Read over the following verses and then take some time and ask God if you are missing out on part of the blessing you received through Jesus’ sacrifice.  Don’t you want….or long….to walk in the fullness of His gift?  His blood was and is still enough.  His grace is sufficient.

Blessings to you and your walk today.

“For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God.  I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ who lives in me.  The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.  I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”  Galatians 2:19-21

…and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.  To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father-to Him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.  Revelation 1:5-6

In fact, this is love for God: to keep His commands.  And His commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world.  This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.  Who is it that overcomes the world?  Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.  This is the one who came by water and blood- Jesus Christ.  He did not come by water only, but by water and blood.  And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.  For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood: and the three are in agreement.

I cannot get this story out of my head:

When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch.  He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the Lord.  Then he got on the bed and lay upon the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands.  As he stretched himself out upon him, the boy’s body grew warm.  Elisha turned away and walked back and forth in the room and then got on the bed and stretched out upon him once more.  The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes. 2 Kings 4:32-35

After thinking about this story over and over, God started saying, “Sometimes you just need me to give you CPR.”

There are some season of life where it’s hard to even take a deep breath.  Sometimes, life presses down on us so hard that we struggle to inhale and exhale.  Anxiety is a real problem and seems to be increasing among people daily.  What we really need is to have an intimate, face to face encounter with the Breath of Life.  God is the Breath of Life.

When Adam was first sculpted out of the dust, he didn’t come alive until God breathed the Breath of Life into his form.  God is still that same God today.

Are you feeling crushed under the pressures of our modern-day society?  Do you struggle to maintain even a normal breath?  You are not alone.  Come to the Father today and breathe in His life giving and restoring breath.

Take a minute, like we’ve done before and focus on steady breathing.  Ask God to fill your heart with His truth with every inhale, and with every exhale breathe out all anxiety.  You can let go.  You can trust Him.  Breathe out disappointment and breathe in Hope.  You were not meant to struggle under the weight of this world.  You were not meant to be so distracted by depression and anxiety that you can’t function in normal life.  No! You were made to be more than a conqueror.  You are made to shine the Glory of God into the earth!  To preach the good news!! To be a beacon of light and hope to a wandering world.  We need you.  You were meant for more than this.

Arise and shine! Let your enemies be scattered.  Be encouraged today!!  Walk in authority and God-confidence, knowing Who He is and what He is capable of doing.

Now to Him Who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen!!  Ephesians 3:20-21

But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible.  This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”  Ephesians 5:13-14

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.  Psalm 34:8

I think most of us, if we’re being honest, would say we have an ideal view of who we would like to be.  An idealistic version of our spouse, kids, and life.  What happens when it’s not reality? Or even realistic?

Because, honestly it is rarely going to be.

What if the view you hold of your ideal life becomes a stumbling block?

Sometimes, we need to stop measuring and just live the life we have.  Be in the moment.  Let go of perfectionism and breathe in the grace of God.

I keep seeing a ruler and a person standing next to it trying to be taller, but they could only stretch so far.  It’s like the times at the amusement park when a young child wants to ride the big roller coaster.  They have to be a certain height, but even on their tippy toes they still don’t make the mark.  Then a decision must be made, do they pout and feel disappointed and miserable the rest of their day or do they go find rides more suited to their age and size and begin to really be present and satisfied and have a blast?

This may seem like a simple comparison, but I feel it struck some of you dead center in your heart.  Did it sting a little?  Did you suddenly realize you had been so focused on the “have nots” that you aren’t enjoying all the “haves” in your life?

I am also convicted.

Our family is walking through a very difficult season right now.  I see what looks like many dead dreams laying around me, but there is also such a bounty of blessings occurring.  It would be completely ungrateful of me to focus on the deaths and not the resurrections!

God, You are in a season of resurrecting in my life! Thank YOU!! Thank You for stirring up old dreams long forgotten and for answering minute by minute prayers.  Thank You for the outburst of creativity in my soul.  Thank You for the music that hems me in every moment of every day.  There is so much to be grateful about. Forgive me for the times when I have been so busy feeling disappointed and haven’t been enjoying Your work in the present.  Lord, break all the rulers in my life….the ones I hold up next to a situation to see if it’s all I wanted it to be.  Help me to let go of expectation and only live in the expectancy of Your Presence.  Help me to be in the moment, and to leave a legacy of gratitude for my family to enjoy.  You are all I need.  You alone complete me.  You are always enough.

Our God is more than enough

Our God is constantly filling our cup

When we look around and see ruins and lack

Our God sees the process, the places in which He will move

Our God sees brokenness as an opportunity for Him to be Comforter and draw us nearer

Our God looks at us and sees our true hearts, full and complete in Him

Hear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.  Guard my life, for I am devoted to You.  You are my God; save Your servant who trusts in You.  Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I call to You all day long.  Bring joy to Your servant, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.  Psalm 86:1-4

Yet I am always with You; You hold me by my right hand.  You guide me with Your counsel, and afterward You will take me into glory.  Whom have I in heaven but You?  And earth has nothing I desire besides You.  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.  Psalm 73:23-26

 

God has told me that it’s time for me to share my “word for the year” with you now.  God wouldn’t release my new word to me until I committed to writing this devotional series.  It was amazing how that exchange happened between Him and me.  Immediately after I publicly committed to walking out this process, He spoke our families word for the year…..

Recompense:

Verb-  Make amends to someone for loss or harm suffered; compensate

*pay or reward someone for effort or work

*make amends to or reward someone for loss, harm or effort

*punish or reward someone appropriately for an action

Noun-  Compensation or reward given for loss or harm suffered or effort made

*restitution made, or punishment inflicted for a wrong or injury

After all that has occurred in our lives over many years, this word rung like a bell of victory in my heart.  My first response was, “Can this possibly be true?!”  We have seen many different injustices in our business and have walked slowly and deliberately with Abba to partner with His way for us.  In other parts of life, we have longed to see Him restore what the locusts have feasted upon.

This was a word to chew on for a long while.

So, why would God have me wait to share this word with you?  Usually, I share my word right away, but this time I felt Him tell me to pause and hold it for a while.  Honestly, life isn’t showing many signs of recompense right now.  In fact, we have been feeling the effects of several different injustices in our lives.

Yet, God drew me back to His promise.  What He spoke, He WILL do.

Recompense.  If He spoke it, then it is on His mind for me.

I am drawn to the word like a moth to a flame and I hear this verse.

But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.  Isaiah 40:31

This is my banner.  This is my song.  I will believe You Lord.  Your words are true, and they guard my heart.  I will see recompense in all areas of life, in Jesus name.

I want you to take a moment and remember your word for the year again.  No matter what the year has looked like so far, return to the word and agree with God about it once again.  He released it to you on purpose and He will complete it.  Thank You God for Your faithfulness.

And I am certain that God, Who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.  Philippians 1:6