present
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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