prayer
Covid-19 Faith declaration
Not only is the world turned upside down in this season of Covid-19. On a personal note, many of us are affected too. Whether the impact is due to losing a job, fear and dread of what's to come, cancellation disappointments, or missing a hug, I think Psalm 112 is timely to declare!
It's heading is "The triumph of faith" in the Passion translation. And how we will triumph! We'll not have to fear bad news when we're walking with God, for our hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
I've inserted "we" and "us" where it says "they" and "their" so that you can audibly personalize and speak out these promises over us as the people of God.
I pray this declaration will become your belief and anchor as you navigate these changing waters.
"Shout in celebration of praise to the Lord!
Everyone who loves the Lord and delights in him
will cherish his words and be blessed beyond expectation.
Our descendants will be prosperous and influential.
Every generation of his godly lovers will experience his favor.
Great blessing and wealth fills the house of the wise,
for our integrity endures forever.
Even if darkness overtakes us,
sunrise-brilliance will come bursting through
because we are gracious to others, so tender and true.
Life is good for the one who is generous and charitable,
conducting affairs with honesty and truth.
Our circumstances will never shake us
and others will never forget our example.
We will not live in fear or dread of what may come,
for our hearts are firm, ever secure in our faith.
Steady and strong, we will not be afraid,
but will calmly face our every foe
until they all go down in defeat.
Never stingy and always generous to those in need,
our lives of influence and honor will never be forgotten,
for we were full of good deeds.
But the wicked take one look at a life lived like this
and they grit their teeth in anger, not understanding their bliss.
The wicked slink away speechless in the darkness that falls,
where hope dies and all their dreams fade away to nothing,
nothing at all!"
Psalm 112 TPT.
Love,
Sandra.
Let love lead - five practises for the Corona crisis
These are the days of lockdown.
These are the days where toilet paper and other essentials have been hoarded in fear of lacking. Super markets have experienced queues, hand sanitizers and the like are being stolen from hospitals in desperation and selfishness. Restaurants, fitness centres, shopping centres, hairdressers and dentists are closing down today except for takeaway and urgent dentist care. These are the days where no more than 10 people are allowed to meet up. Pregnant women can't choose anymore if they want to birth their baby at home due to hygienic considerations. People's non-urgent operations are on hold. The welfare system that is normally so dependable in Denmark is being shaken and endangered.
Everyone has to change up their daily life. It's the days of cancelled plans, empty streets and coughing in our sleeves. Things are different for sure, and who could have imagined this just a month back?
What a surreal moment in history we're part of right now of a new virus locking down society! Unprecedented days. I hope you're safe and your hope is anchored and your faith intact.
It's so easy (and natural) to panic and get paralyzed by the crisis. But I know I do not want to stay there. When I think about having to tell my daughter one day about these crazy times we lived through, I want to tell a story of how we didn't stay paralyzed by fear but we moved forward in loving action.
That's where I want to position myself. You too?
Therefore, I am practising these five 'S'-words: sow, serve, stir, sabbath rest and spring forth even though they are not natural at all right now!
Wanna join me? Then read along below.
I pray that no plague will come near your dwelling.
When fear tries to paralyse us, let's let love lead and respond with action.
1. Sow
I heard the biblical teachers John & Lisa Bevere recently speak about Genesis 26 and how Isaac chooses to sow in the land (v.12) even though it is a time of famine: "Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the Lord blessed him".
It's not natural to sow now because I know my husband's job with a blink of an eye just got more unstable, and my job prospects after maternity leave might be also. Nevertheless, we have chosen to sow now financially to an organisation that helps serve the socially vulnerable in Covid-19 because sowing seed activates faith and trust instead of fear of being in lack ourselves.
Also, I love that God has already sown words of knowledge into the earth through His people and given us discernment to know the times and season we're in. He has already given heads-up's to some people of what is in front of us right now, like this hope-filled prophecy from Joseph Prince.
2. Serve
Serving is not a natural response either right now. Fear of spreading the virus may want us to stay in our homes completely. I want to do my due diligence and err on the side of caution to not spread the virus unknowingly.
I also want to be on the lookout for those who are more exposed than me. I've chosen to offer my help in my local church and also through Red Cross' help network to grocery shop for elderly and other exposed people. This can be done with all the precautions in place of two metres of distance, gloves, hand sanitizers and so on.
3. Stir up
I want to stir up prayer, conversation and positive imagination.
Prayers of protection (Psalm 91). Conversations about God's nature that's unshaken in the midst of shaking times. Positive imagination on how to spend my time creatively - whether that's to connect with people through FaceTime to not isolate completely, to practice new skills, read books that's been on my bucket list or whatever else I might be reminded to do.
4. Sabbath rest
With constant newsflashes during the day, I find myself sitting down a lot and checking the news constantly to stay updated, and maybe also to feel a sense of control in the midst of craziness.
But I want to be committed to set parameters on my intake of this so that I'm actually also getting up, walking, praying and journaling instead of mindlessly consuming and ending up in spirals which do not bring any true rest.
"If I ever shut off the supply of rain from the skies or order the locusts to eat the crops or send a plague on my people, and my people, my God-defined people, respond by humbling themselves, praying, seeking my presence, and turning their backs on their wicked lives, I’ll be there ready for you: I’ll listen from heaven, forgive their sins, and restore their land to health" 2 Chronicles 7:14 MSG.
This lockdown is a great opportunity to 'return to the garden' and awaken or reawaken to our first love. We can get still and let God tend our souls. I love how Isaiah 51:3 puts it:
"I, God, will comfort… I will transform her dead ground into Eden, her moonscape into the garden of God."
5. Spring forth:
What I know about God is that He allows in his wisdom what He can prevent in his power. He has allowed this to play out even though evil is not sent from Him. I know that He works things out for the good for those who love Him and are called to his purpose.
Therefore, I'll have hope in what will spring forth from this. I know the nature of God and the rhythms He has set up. After Autumn and Winter, comes Spring and Summer. When He prunes and cuts back, a new bud shows up. In pain, a child is birthed. In boredom, creativity blossoms.
I want to pay attention to what might be awakened through this. I pray we will awaken. I pray that with the slow pace comes reconciliation for families that are on the brink of divorce.
I pray we'll not let worst-case-scenarios spring forth but speak forth God's promises instead. We know the facts about the situation. But the eternal truth is, that He that is in us is greater than the One in the world... The enemy comes to kill, steal and destroy but Jesus came that we might have life to the full... God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind....and on and on His truth goes! Let's preach it to ourselves and remind each other of God's promises.
Let's take this one day at a time. He has got you.
We only know in part now but one day we will know in full <3
/Sandra.
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Picture: Sophie Vestergård (instagram-handle: @sophvest).
More intention, less obligation
A new year, a new decade, a new beginning. A clean canvas to fill. 358 days to paint within. What colours and word are you going to choose for the painting of this next chapter? What will you make space for within the framework of this year?
Beginnings hold potential; potential to transition you into a new trajectory in life; potential for blooming. It often takes boldness to begin, for beginnings can feel both bare and brutal, big and beautiful, blurry and bright all at the same time.
Whether your beginning to this new year feel beautiful, blurry, or brutal (or something completely else), I pray you're awake to your heart's desire.
One of my desires for the new year, and even decade, is to live more out of intention than obligation.
An obligation is defined as a duty, a debt (of gratitude for a service or favour) and being bound morally and legally to someone or something. Obligation is not all bad. The bible speaks about how we are obligated to:
- Take care of our families (1 Tim 5:4 AMP talks about it both being a religious duty and a natural obligation).
- Speak in a manner that reflects our fear of God and profound respect for His precepts (James 3:10 AMP).
- Walk and conduct ourselves just as Jesus walked and conducted Himself if we claim Him as God and Saviour (1 John 2:6 AMP - moral obligation).
- Follow the Spirit's promptings instead of the flesh's demands (Romans 8:12 AMP).
- Walk in His ways, His statutes, His commandments, His precepts, and His testimonies (1 Kings 2:3 AMP).
- Righteousness (Romans 6:20 TPT).
Obligations keep us accountable to the ones we love; to our God and our families.
Where obligation gets unhealthy is when the vision for our own life is altered and others' agenda instead get to dictate our days. It affects our fruit and our freedom. Focus and effectiveness is rarely evident in our lives when we are dragged in different directions due to the pursuit of pleasing others:
"But make sure that you don’t get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. The night is about over, dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing!" Romans 13:11 MSG (my emphasis).
It's so easy to live unintentionally with no aim and just do what's demanded of us each day - to go about our errands, stay long for that birthday party because you feel obligated to, keep meeting up with a friend because you always have done it and so on. It's beautiful wanting to delight others. But when these above examples are done to earn approval or acceptance, you wear yourself out. God cares about the motive for our actions, though they look good on the outside:
"Though they fast, I will not hear their cry; and though they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them [because they are done as obligations, and not as acts of loving obedience]" (my emphasis).
God doesn't wants dreadful, dutiful, dulled actions with no heart in it. He wants our loving obedience to the assignment He is waiting for us to steward. He wants our hearts, our all, surrendered before Him. He wants us focused and awake, not sidetracked by others' agendas, demands and expectations of you:
"Since we are approaching the end of all things, be intentional, purposeful, and self-controlled so that you can be given to prayer" 1 Peter 4:7 TPT (my emphasis).
He has an assignment for you this season which takes prioritisation. He wants to partner with you to give your dreams legs.
If you're up for that shift in life, I believe 2020 can be the year where you’ll live more out of intention and less out of obligation. Jesus' death marked the transition from the old plan to the new one, canceling your old obligations once and for all (Heb 9,16 MSG). Therefore you can resist and refuse those who try to tie oppressive burdens of religious obligations on your back (Matthew 23:4 TPT).
Instead, by your beautiful intentions you can continue to do what brings pleasure to him (1 John 3,22 TPT). You can finish what you started last year without intentions growing stale. Once the commitment is clear, you do what you can, not what you can't (2 Corinthians 8:10 MSG).
As you're intentional with your time, treasure and talent this year, you'll make space for new births. It will move you out of being stuck in transition and into the trajectory for your life.
You've got what it takes to finish it up, so get to it. Your heart's been in the right place all along.
Whether you intentionally begun this new year or you have stumbled into it, the matter of fact is that it has begun! And though what you have intended to build into this year seem insignificant, know that the Lord delights in small beginnings and asks us not to despise them.
Remember the promise that “[...]Though your beginning was insignificant, yet your end will greatly increase” Job 8:7 AMP (my emphasis).
More intention, less obligation in Jesus' name.
Walk in His liberty.
All the best,
Sandra Hultén.
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Picture: Sophie Vestergård (instagram-handle: @sophvest).
The road of revelation
“You are the revelation-light in my darkness, and in your brightness I can see the path ahead” Psalm 18:28 TPT.
Financial revival is in the air. That’s what my senior pastor Brian Houston has declared over the Hillsong congregation for the year of 2019.
Revival happens corporately when individuals personally experience revival.
Some synonyms of revival are advancement, comeback, improvement, upswing, restoration and resurrection!
Yes and amen. I want in on that.
The godly outcome of financial revival for believers is that it enables the church body to take care of their own families, share with their faith community, invest in good noble causes, leave an inheritance to the next generation and be generous - a blessing to the world.
Any prophetic word needs our partnership and decree to see it become our own personal reality.
For me, this word seems timely and strategic; right on point with what God is already up to in my life. It’s an echo of a voice already heard and a process already started. It rings true. Confirms and reassures. And how important to weigh a word like that. Against THE Word and your own Rhema words that are highlighted and quickened in your spirit for the season you’re in and about to step into by faith.
Let me testify to what practical partnership with a word of God can look like.
I am not naturally great with numbers nor money. I have to work at being wise and knowledgeable to steward well what God each month entrusts me to steward.
I’ve had to debunk some false beliefs around finances. One of them being that it’s selfish to take care of myself and my household. The great focus on giving in churches had me swing on the extreme pendulum of giving what I didn’t have for years! I gave out of weakness, not strength. The result was debt.
Even though the bible never calls debt a sin-issue, it is never mentioned in a positive light as the higher road, the wisdom way, either. It talks about it crippling and enslaving me though culture calls debt natural and necessary. Culture sells consumer debt as attractive to keep up with the Joneses so you can own a house, new furniture and a car at 30. But who says that’s where you need to be at? After all, mere appearances are not what we’re called to aim after. Nor to live similar lives. Rather, solid foundations and depth (not debt) manifesting from the inside out is how the upside down kingdom works. Integrity matters. Not what you have, when you have it or what it looks like to others.
Side note is, your debt spiritually speaking is paid for in full so no condemnation here if you have debt! Also, there are good and bad debt. There’s so much to say on this and nuances too I won’t go into here.
The point is, I needed a revelation of how a poverty mindset made me live in lack and neglect of my what was within my own yard to garden. I needed revelation-light to shine on the unhealthy parts of my heart that looked down on those not sacrificing in the way I did. I needed excuses to stop and false beliefs to be broken. I needed to believe I could get victory in this area. Maybe you need that too?
As my need for revelation in this area was revealed, I began to search for it and have hope that even though I’m neither a practical, detailed or math-wired person, I can learn to practically outwork the financial counsel of the bible in my life.
It’s not there to frustrate me but to free me.
As the counsel of the word and gifted people in the area of biblical finances began to guide me, divine design is beginning to protect me as the scripture below promises:
“If you choose to follow good counsel, divine design will watch over you and understanding will protect you from making poor choices” Proverbs 2:11 TPT.
A budget now makes me stay on track. Where guilt abounded with my nice-to-have spending, enjoyment now resides because nice-to-haves are planned for.
I’m aware of the temptations to rationalise emotional spending. There’s room for being spoiled once in a while but I don’t let it ruin the whole picture of the direction I’m going in my budget and ultimately what that finance empower me to do in life.
Living below my means does mean that my life no longer looks like I am somewhere in life I am not. I can no longer support all the causes I did beforehand. I live in a cheaper apartment and I go on holidays only if I can afford it.
Because I now have a long-term vision for what I want to spend my money on, I can better welcome sacrifice in my present.
Telling my money where to go is intentional, creates freedom and builds into my long term goals and dreams.
Life in the faith lane is beautiful. There are never-ending layers of revelation to tap into. Each layer gives new light to walk out life with wisdom.
“The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together” Psalm 19:7 MSG.
So, revival is in the air.
Where do you need to AWAKE to new revelation?
If it’s in the area of finances as it was for me, I declare and decree blessing over you that’ll cause ripple effects of momentum for the body of Christ all over. When Jesus’ body on the earth is strengthened financially, it can’t help but cause His light to shine brighter. As we lend our strength through our open hands, we’re reaching those who are still walking in darkness.
Let’s pray with King David… “Teach me how to make good decisions, and give me revelation-light, for I believe in your commands” Psalm 119:68 TPT.
Also, how good is mercy? We get what we don't deserve. As you start walking in your new revelation and abandon your old ways, I believe God declares over your former:
"Her debt of sin is paid for, and she will not be treated as guilty. Prophesy to her that she has received from the hand of Yahweh twice as many blessings as all her sins" Isaiah 40:2 TPT.
Let it be your portion. Bless you.
Picture by Sophie Vestergård (Instagram-handle: @sophvest)
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Nudged out of the nest
To watch and listen to the message, click here: Nudged out of the nest
Have you ever felt like you've been nudged out of your nest?
With your nest I mean that place that has become your retreat, refuge and resting place. We all need a resting place for refuelling to go back to and recharge. But we need more than that. We need risky faith and gutsy courage in order to grow our known zones and comfort zones and be about the purposes of God.
To step out of our comfort zone is necessary to mature in God and to start adulting! Childlikeness is awesome in the kingdom but our childish ways should be abandoned in order that we might be trustworthy and able to carry others to the throne of grace.
"My righteous ones will live from my faith. But if fear holds them back, my soul is not content with them!
But we are certainly not those who are held back by fear and perish; we are among those who have faith and experience true life!" Hebrews 10:8 TPT.
The scripture above tells me that my God is not content with me when fear holds me back. He is pleased with my faith. Therefore, I've experienced His gentle nudge out of the nest, my comfort zone, to trust the freefall.
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The definition of nudging is to gently push someone or something into a place or position. I experienced being gently nudged into a new place when I stepped into developing a new outreach department within my church.
Even though I was anxious as I can be about change in life, both God and myself knew I needed this transition to grow. So I gave Him my hesitant consent to take me where I had not been before, and trust He wold develop my wings on the way down; that His grace would carry me and give me wind in my sails.
Moses' freefall
Moses knew this gentle nudging of God as well. Moses' excuses to stay nesting were great (I'm not good enough, I don't have all the answers, people won't believe me, I'm a terrible public speaker and I'm not qualified - see Exodus 3 and 4) but he overcame his excuses and stepped out in obedience.
So can we.
Moses' obedience and courage even helped the next generation do the same. Through a song Moses wrote on his deathbed, the people of Israel, and their new leader, Joshua, were taught about God's faithfulness in the past. The testimony and wisdom from Moses gave them hope to step into the unknown freefall future without Moses by their side, and eventually they got to experience their promised land.
Moses' song has the potential to launch you into your promised land as well. It can help you put words to a season you are going through and courage to let God do and be the same for you as He was for Moses.
I have inserted 'me' in Moses' song below where it originally says 'him', referring to Moses and the people of Israel, for you to personalise and receive it for yourself:
"He (God) found me out in the wilderness, in an empty, windswept wasteland. He threw his arms around me, lavished attention on me, guarding me as the apple of his eye. He was like an eagle hovering over its nest, overshadowing its young, Then spreading its wings, lifting me into the air, teaching me to fly. God alone led me; there was not a foreign god in sight.
God lifted me onto the hilltops, so I could feast on the crops in the fields. He fed me honey from the rock, oil from granite crags, Curds of cattle and the milk of sheep, the choice cuts of lambs and goats, Fine Bashan rams, high-quality wheat, and the blood of grapes: I drank good wine!" Deuteronomy 32:10 MSG
This is who God was for Moses. He can be the same for you. He wants to lavish His attention on you. He can find you in your wilderness. He wants to protect you and discipline you; treat you like his beloved child. He is interested in your character more than your comfort. Therefore, He will teach you how to fly, even though it might be scary and there might be a long way down. If people do not or cannot stick with you to the next level you are going, you will be trained by God alone and learn that He is enough. God might allow you to let you fail temporarily but He will lift you up again and take care of your needs. He will give His finest to you because you are His beloved.
Name your nest
I do not know what your nest is called, but your nest can look noble and courageous in others' eyes and still be a nest for you.
My work as a team leader in a interdenominational café for sex trafficked women at night became a nest with time. There at night on my shifts, I was in my sweet spot, hidden away in a basement doing what I loved doing. But the grace also lifted from the work and I saw a mental picture of Jesus standing with a big watch on His wrist, pointing to it and saying to me: "Time is up, I am shifting the season."
As I transitioned into a new beginning ministry-wise and tried to navigate pouring new wine into new wineskins, I got this timely prophetic word that is strikingly alike to Moses' song in Deuteronomy 32:
"I feel like you need a little nudge. Yes a little nudge to push you over. It reminds me of the eagle pushing the baby out of the nest so the baby can learn to fly on its own. But the eagle as the Father lets the baby fall but the eagle/Father swoops the baby up before it lands. This process is done over and over until the baby learns to fly on its own."
This word might be for someone else too in your season if you feel God's gentle nudge to rise to what He is asking of you. And with rise, I simply mean to lean over the edge, and do the freefall, trusting that your Father will swoop you up before you land on the ground. He is developing deep trust in you. Trust in Him. Trust in your relationship; that you do hear Him rightly as He is calling you out.
Your perspective and trust might be tested when it feels like you are just about to land hard on the ground in the freefall, and your faith will probably soar as you experience the Deuteronomy 32-experience of God lifting you to the hill tops for perspective and provision. All the in-between feelings will probably arise too of doubt and insecurity when the roots developed back in the nest are tested.
His heart is not to shame you, humiliate you or push you away. Rather, He wants to teach you to face giants when it seems like you are on your own in the freefall; to trust His Holy Spirit is with you even when you cannot see Him. Your own prophecies over your life can be used as weapons as you wage spiritual warfare by faith and with a clean conscience (1 Timothy 1:18 TPT).
When you find it hard in the freefall, remember those days right after you saw the light - those were the hard times where you stood your ground for your new-found faith! Do not throw away your confidence. It has great reward and God delights in your faith, even when it is feeble.
As God is developing well-formed maturity in you, a confidence will arise that the roots developed in the secret place with Him, will carry you wherever He is leading you.
The future is so exciting. We've got this. Fall, we welcome you!
Love,
Sandra.
Your turn
- What is God asking of you that's pushing you out of your comfort zone?
- Where are you nesting when you are supposed to be flying?
- What is the first step you can take to jump and let God grow your wings on the way down?
- How can you trust the process and provision in the freefall?
- What can you do to actively remember the faithfulness of God? (Moses wrote a song that helped give him the confidence to leave the nest and develop wings on the way down.)
Foundations or stepping stones?
"How are you feeling 'project human' with the thought of a demon whispering you in the ear that everything is temporal, and nothing is supposed to be repeated?"
This is one of the confronting lines of a book called "Projektmennesket" (project human) of Anders Fogh Jensen I'm currently studying for my Masters in Diaconia. The author describes our current society as a project society all about saying yes to as much as possible. It's about constantly optimising one's chances for getting a new project, whether work-related or in our free time. This new normal in society demands endless initiative from each individual to pursue the next project in order to not land in a place of unemployment or boredom. The spirit of project society is 'next' and 'new' while repetition is the enemy. Instead, there is a constant search for openings when what is often needed is boundaries.
When rarely no one is resisting this pace, life becomes about keeping up on the threadmill of the thrill of a new exciting project. Overbookings become a way of life. Because there is no collective opposition to the race and pace, there are instead individual breakdowns manifesting as stress, depression and burnout. When project society does not think in foundations but in stepping stones, it has a price.
Whether you agree totally in this author's description of today's society or not, I bet you can recognise some of the dynamics...
Do you feel caught up in all this madness sometimes? Ready for some more rest, rhythms and repetitions instead of constantly chasing the next stepping stone for the life you are building? I am with you. 🙋
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To build for a lasting impact, foundations are key. What's your foundation? Jesus talks about foundations' significance this way:
"Everyone who hears my teaching and applies it to his life can be compared to a wise man who built his house on an unshakeable foundation. When the rains fell and the flood came, with fierce winds beating upon his house, it stood firm because of its strong foundation.
But everyone who hears my teaching and does not apply it to his life can be compared to a foolish man who built his house on sand. When it rained and rained and the flood came, with wind and waves beating upon his house, it collapsed and was swept away." Matt. 8,24 TPT.
This is the cure for anxiety, to apply His transformative words to our lives in order to have a strong, firm and unshakeable foundation in Him.
Another illustration on foundations is the act of filling up a see-through vase. The vase is a picture of our life. First, the vase is filled up with sand which symbolises hobbies, cleaning, phone calls, emails, sport etc. It's all the stuff that needs to get done for our daily lives to be sorted. After filling the vase up with sand, stones are laid on top to symbolise substantials like bible, prayer, community, worship and church. It will quickly be evident it can't all be stuffed in the vase. It's cramped, over the top and overwhelming. But if the order is changed and the foundational stones are laid in the bottom first, all the sand, symbolising less important things, seems to find its place, even with the complete same amount of ingredients. This is the mystery of life. The upside down kingdom. The way of Jesus.
Have you ever experienced that what you start with really matters? What's most important to you?
I pray it will be our reality that as we continuously above all constantly chase after the realm of God's kingdom and the righteousness that proceeds from him, all these less important things will be given to us abundantly. Matt. 6,33 TPT.
Let's not only adapt to society's frantic search for stepping stones but let's be more intentional about the invisible: roots, foundations and our inner heart from where life flows.
Let's build wisely together on the rock that is higher than us, remaining in Him so that what we build last into eternity.
Bless you,
Sandra.
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"Head and not the tail" pt. 2 - Head towards your promised land 👉🏻
(For pt. 1 in the "Head and not the tail"-series, click here.)
Have you ever been in a frustrating situation, dreaming yourself away to another reality? Most likely you've already experienced this in 2018.
That was me a couple of days ago. Let me set the scene for you. I was waiting on delayed public transport and in that extra hour spent on the station, I saw a bus driver being kicked and screamed at and then having to continue his work teary eyed. A gang of guys were also making waiting passengers feel unsafe with their angry behaviour. Minus degrees did not help the situation either. Topping the situation off with being a woman on an empty station late at night made it plain uncomfortable.
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As I was freezing and going in circles in a seven eleven-shop to keep warm, I looked to heaven and desperately wanted it to come down in the midst of my frustrating circumstance. It was like heaven bent over and whispered back: "Freeze frame this moment for it will not always be like this. 🖼 To be the head and not the tail is the desire I have for my people."
The bible speak about it like this:
"The Lord will give you great prosperity, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your livestock and the produce of your ground, in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. The Lord will open for you His good treasure house, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand; and you will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow.
The Lord will make you the head (leader) and not the tail (follower); and you will be above only, and you will not be beneath, if you listen and pay attention to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I am commanding you today, to observe them carefully. " Deut. 28,11-14 AMP.
The purpose of Deuteronomy was to provide guidelines for the new covenant community - the generation of Israel entering the promised land - to enable them to live obediently before God and to carry out His intentions for them. In the same way, we will be prepared for the promised land God has for us as we obediently follow his guidelines above. If this is not fully your reality yet, don't despair:
Do not get weary in the waiting
There is a season for everything, and a process until a promise is prepared to prosper in your life. Perspective, knowing that what we are sowing now is not in vain, is crucial. If you are hustling several jobs, paying off debt and just getting on with what you know is right for building the right foundation, good on you. God does not despise small beginnings. He delights to see the work begin, and so should we. He delights in seeing you put healthy habits in place over hurried hustling. Gain a healthy irresistable desire for His promises to become part of your life. And then hold the tension. Because where you are now is significant for that future to become present tense. Praise Him in the middle. Build your vision from the ground up. Steward all that's in your hand the best you know how to, and then watch what God will do.
Freeze frame this moment
How does your life look if you took a freeze frame now? What beautiful lessons would leak from the photo that would be of service to your future not to forget? As God is elevating us in life, we must never forget where His rescuing grace brought us from. There are gifts inside of you that has not been fully manifested as of yet. When these gifts are brought forth, you will be the head and not the tail. Don't forget how tail-living is for when you are brought out of that, you will have to go back to that mental snapshot and remember and have compassion for those still trapped in that mindset. Your testimony will be a bridge others can walk on over to the other side. As they cross the bridge by loyalty to their current assignment, they will see the promise come about and enjoy the process because they will start living in a "head mindset" long before it is a reality in their circumstances.
There will be an end to this.
Your current reality does not have to be your final destination. God has so more for you. This does not mean we won't be facing hardships anymore in our lives as we are entering our promised land. Far from that actually. We are promised by Jesus we will have trouble. But as we obediently put one foot in front of the other, walking closely with Jesus, and apply wisdom, understanding and wise counsel to the journey, our lives will prosper and in due time, we will reap a harvest. Tail-living is not where we settle when God's intention is to make us 'the head.' What your eyes have seen this far is only the beginning. Where do you need to believe, "there will be an end to this?" Is it to believe you can become an owner, not only a renter? Is it believing for a time where your passion becomes your fulltime job instead of having to make ends meet with working several jobs? The scenaries are countless, and rarely even about money. Whatever it is, listen to hope, and remember, true success is being obedient right where you are.
All my love,
Sandra.
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Spread your wings - soar & serve
Have you ever seen a beautiful bird spread its wings? It looks so natural, elegant and confident. Birds are generally thought of as a symbol of freedom. Birds can walk on the earth and swim in the sea as humans do but they also have the ability to soar into the sky. Birds are free to roam to earth and the sky, kind of like the link between heaven & earth.
For Easter, I went with my whole family to Scandinavias biggest bird park that is located in Nordsjælland, and there we watched one exotic bird after another spread their wings majestically as they are made to do!
One bird stood out though. As it had spent its first year as a pet inside a cage in captivity, it had never been stimulated by its owners or other birds to fly! It was cute and beautiful but not flying as it was created to and it was a bit sad to see the bird just sitting there on a fence watching the other birds fly around in freedom.
The interesting fact for me was that the ability to fly was inside of the bird from birth but flying still needed to be stimulated, nurtured and cultivated to actually happen. The bird needed encouragement and allowance to spread its wings. When we heard all this explained from the bird expert in this bird park, my husband exclaimed, something along the lines of:
"It's kinda like people who haven't met Jesus yet, and don't know the freedom and power they have access to through the Holy Spirit!"
Just wow, and yes and amen. We all continously need the Holy Spirit to be able to soar, fly and rise to live an overcoming life, and to not stay caged to our fears!
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That comment from my husband made me think about all the freedom I have access to through the gift of the Holy Spirit, and how I do not want to take that for granted. It made me think how I want to use that freedom to serve others in love, as Paul speaks about in Galatians 5,1. And I want to experience it also in areas where I can currently relate to that sweet bird who still lives with a cage mentality even though it has the freedom to step into the fullness of flying.
The good news is that even if we have had a bad start like this bird, we are not doomed to stay in that misery forever. Even if we are still waiting and praying for support from people around us to cultivate us to fly in life, we don't have to wait in despair. Even if no-one can do the cheerleading for us right at this moment, the Holy Spirit is our comforter and friend that can guide us into all truth that sets us free to soar & serve!
So, how are you using your freedom? Where are you trapped? Are you continuously inviting the Holy Spirit into your life to do what only He can do - set you free by the truth who is Jesus?
I know I need to lovingly ask myself these questions, because what we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. (1 Corinthians 2:10–12 NIV)
When we know what we have access to, the freedom that has been given to us, we can spread our wings to soar and serve and encourage others to do the same! 🕊
If you have never invited Jesus into your life and experienced this freedom I'm talking about, you can pray this prayer whoever and wherever you are. He will welcome you with open arms:
Dear Jesus, I’m praying this prayer because I know that I have done wrong by living without you. I am sorry and I trust that you will forgive me. I accept your love and grace for me and ask that you would be my Lord all the days of my life. Help me believe in you and love you every day, and help me to show the world what you are like and how great your love is.
In Jesus Name. Amen.
Congratulations! To pray these words with a surrendered heart to Jesus is the beginning of the most important adventure you will ever embark on: the journey to follow Jesus. If you've prayed this prayer, the best thing you can do is to share it with someone and find a local church to be planted in. I would love to hear from you!
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I love the word victory. 'Cause who really loves defeat and struggle? I think everyone enjoys winning!
The dictionary defines victory among other things as the overcoming of an enemy, the achievement of mastery or success in a struggle or endeavor against odds or difficulties.