He's not worried about your life. Why are you?

We all have worried about something sometime or another. At least I know I have! I had a thought earlier today, "If God is not worried about my life then why am I?" I think that's a great question to ponder!

Jesus said in Matthew 6:25 "Therefore, I tell you do not worry about your life..." He goes on to say that if the birds of the air are taken care of how much more will His sons and daughters be taken care of!! He says (verse 27), "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" It's time for us to stop worrying and trust that our Father will take care of us. Now that is not to say that we have no responsibility for our lives. We still need to work and make a living for ourselves. I'm saying don't spend time worrying about things that the Lord has promised to provide. When I worry I tend to make up these irrational thoughts and get myself in a panic. In the end the situation that I was worrying myself sick over turned out fine.

Yes, things in life can go wrong. Life is hard. Trials will come. But we get to choose how we handle them! In a hard situation are we going to be overcome by worry or are we going to declare that our Daddy will come through! He always protects! He always provides! Declare the opposite of your circumstances! When you declare the opposite you are prophesying yourself out of that situation. Out of that worry. You can be in the worst situation possible but still be in control of how you will respond to it!

We are destined to prosper! See Jeremiah 29:11! His only will for us is for us to prosper! Why don't we stop worrying and let Him do His thing?! He knows the situation that you are in right now. He has the best solution. Seek Him and all will fall into place! I know that I have worried about not accomplishing my destiny but if you are continuing to seek Him you will fall right into it!

Pray....
Goodbye worry! There is no place for you in my life because my Daddy is the King and He has plans to prosper me! To give me hope and a future! He will always be with me! He is always faithful! Amen!

The Pursuit Never Ends

So I was out to eat with one of my sisters tonight and she was just sharing her heart with me. She was telling me some of what she believed and how she came to that belief system and it was just so beautiful to me.

I came to the realization that the pursuit never ends. We so often get into the mindset that we know all there is to know about a person. We may know a person well but we don't know all there is to know. Thinking that you know everything about a person can keep you from discovering the endless treasures that are inside of them! I learned new things about one of my best friends today that I didn't know and it almost brought tears to my eyes because of it's beauty.

Continuing the pursuit long after the relationship has been established keeps the excitement flowing wether in a friendship or romantic relationship. When any kind of relationship begins you are finding out all sorts of things about a person. You ask them questions trying to grasp the overwhelming goodness that is inside of them. It's exciting because you find someone in the world that you relate to. You experience a connection with them and so you want to be around them and spend time doing what they love to do. To sustain the fire in a relationship of any kind you need to go back to where it began. Water has to reach the roots of a tree for it to continue to flourish. We are meant as God's people to go from glory to glory. There will never be a point where we have "arrived" and know all there is to know about God and the same goes for people!

People are fantastic! I learn the most about God through people! We are all apart of Him. He is speaking through all of us. When our friends are standing in front of us it's as if He is standing in front of us. This week I encourage you to go back to the beginning. Pursue your loved ones as if you just met them yesterday. Trust me, the love that you have for them will only grow.

Blessings,
Anne-Christian

Taking Authority over Fear and Injustice

Fear is a choice. The enemy has made us believe that fear is uncontrollable or inevitable in certain situations. But it’s only when we come into agreement with it that we become consumed by it.

            When Jesus was walking on the water the disciples thought He was a ghost so Peter asks in Matthew 14:28, “Lord if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come.” He said (verse 29). Then Peter got down out of the water and came toward Jesus. But (verse 30) when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” It’s only when Peter came into agreement with fear that he began to sink. There are going to be situations in life that the enemy will try and use to steal your peace but if you continue to look into the eyes of Peace Himself and not focus on the raging see around you, you will remain in peace. I realize it’s not as easy as it sounds as Christa Black says, “Sometimes you have to go to war to find peace.” But realizing that you have a choice of whether or not you will let it control you is a good start in getting victory over fear. The authority that you have been given is victory in and of itself.

            Jesus said with faith even as small as a mustard seed we could move a mountain! And He goes even further to say that NOTHING will be impossible for us (Matthew 17: 20)! Some of you may think that the mountain was a metaphor and it can be used in that way but I think He meant we literally can move a mountain if we tell it to move!! What is the main ingredient? FAITH! Let’s go back to Matthew 14 and read Jesus’ response to Peter’s cry. Starting with verse 31, “Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “Why did you doubt?” Jesus went straight into talking about faith. He wants us to know that faith is not just a concept! It’s a powerful force that brings Heaven down to earth! If we want to see mountains move, if we want to live a fearless life, if we want to see sickness leave, if we want to see worldwide transformation (I’m just preachin’ now ;)) we really need to take ahold of the authority we have been given through faith. God is raising up a people who are possessed by faith to do the impossible!!  You can live a fearless life! You can do something about the injustice that you see! You don’t just have to sit back and see people hurting! Get on your knees and cry out for the victory that you long to see! Ask Him how you can change whatever it is that you have a heart to change! Rise up warriors of God and take hold of the Promise land that you have inherited!!!

Here’s a good prayer to pray…

“God possess me with faith to do the impossible! I want to see change in (list the areas you want to see change in), I no longer want to sit back and be and be subject to what’s going on around me! I want to see change! I’m no longer satisfied with living on the sidelines! Use me God! Show me what I should do, show me where I should go! I inherit my promise land! By the authority given to me through Jesus Christ I am calling Heaven to come to earth in every area of my life! Amen.” 

Knowing your significance within a relationship

We all say the words "I love you" It's almost become a casual thing to say in our culture. Lately I have been thinking about that phrase and the depth of it. I've been careful to only say it sincerely. By saying "I love you" so often it can lose significance. I feel like you should not only tell the one's that you love that you love them but also tell them why. I'm not saying that you love a person based on works that they've done for you. I'm saying there are things about them that God has put in them that play a significant role in your life. If you say something like, "I love you...I love you because your smile changes the atmosphere around me." Saying things like that reaffirms their identity. You remind them that their smile is not just an ordinary smile but it's a smile with a purpose. Letting someone know the significant role that they play in your life keeps them in alignment with their destiny. If people see that they make a difference just by smiling they will think "Wow if I can make a difference in someone's life just by smiling I wonder what else I can do!" By calling out what you love about someone you are calling them deeper into their destiny. Now I'm not saying you always have to have an explanation after you say I love you but just think about it more before you say it. Let them know that you mean it. Think of the power of those words. How those words can change someone's world. Anyone can say I love you. Be the one that lifts someone up with love. People need to know that love is real. Love the way that you want to be loved and they will see the sincerity in your eyes. I love each of my friends dearly but all in different ways. They bring different things out in me. They all teach me something different and beautiful. They are all significant and amazing to me. More importantly they are significant and amazing to the Father.

It's time to return home

So last week I started Bethel School of Worship and all I can say is Thank you to Him! It has been amazing and it has only begun. I am being surrounded by my hero's in the ministry. I'm getting to learn and receive from them. I'm able to access breakthrough through them. Dreams that seemed even too impossible to dream are coming true. I had no idea that the Lord was planning to radically change me. I can't even describe what He has done and is doing. All I can do is thank Him. Entering into His presence through thankfulness is the best way to go. When you don't know what else to do just thank Him!

Something He showed me today was that His throne room is my home. I can lay my feet on His chair. I can relax and be myself in His presence. His throne was never meant to be something to fear. We are the ones that brought the fear not Him. He always wanted it to be a place where we can hang out with Him. He walked around the Garden of Eden (His throne room) with Adam and Eve. Talking with them and just hanging out with them. It wasn't until Adam and Eve ate the apple that it stopped being that way. It wasn't until we let the things of this world change our mindset from being free children of God to being captives. We let the enemy deceive us in thinking we were no longer allowed in our house. His throne room is our house! Jesus died for us to give us back the keys to our front door. To take off the jaded lenses that we allowed the enemy to put over our eyes. Do you notice...Jesus died. He died! So that we could live the life our Daddy always wanted us to live! Jesus literally couldn't live with the reality of us living in captivity!

Just like in Genesis He wanted His throne room to be a place where we were not ashamed, a place where we felt safe and secure. He wants that now! His whole goal in creating us was so that we could experience His love and majesty. It's time for the church to return to Papa! To return to Daddy God! It's time to return home! To allow all the skewed views the world has given us to fall away. To let His love rush over us like the wind filling every broken place in our soul. He just wants His children. That's all. There's no strings attached, no conditions. He just wants you! He wants to give you all that you've been longing for. Everything that has been taken from you He wants to restore. He doesn't want to leave you broken and bruised. He wants to lift you up to be mighty warriors. He just wants to love on you. You don't have to do ANYTHING!!! He just wants to love on you! Ask Him to just love on you! You will never be the same! Once you experience His love you will see that He always has had you in mind! He hasn't forgotten you. You're not too broken to fix. You are perfect in His eyes!

Just say "Love on me show me your love. I want to see you as the daddy you really are. Open my eyes to see your goodness!" He knows the things that hurt you. He feels them with you. His heart breaks when yours is breaking. Lean into Him and let Him mend those broken places. Brokenness is a beautiful thing when you give it to Him because He takes something that seems only dark and twisted and makes into something to be celebrated. He turns loss into victory!! Ask Him to turn your loss into victory! You will be forever changed!

Blessings!

Anne Christian

Directly to the Throne Room...

I was thinking earlier today...what if no matter what situation we were in or what decision we were trying to make we decided to go directly to the Throne room? Meaning into the presence of Jesus. Wouldn't the outcome be better? That way we don't end up wallowing in self-pity or worry or anything else the enemy tries to throw at us. Wouldn't it be better to figure out life's complications in the safety of the shadow of His wings? Psalm 62:5-8 says, "Find rest, O my soul in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God, He is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge. God wants us to pour out our hearts to Him no matter how big or small our worry is, he wants to hear about it! With Him confusion fades and understanding begins to flow! Just like that verse says we can find rest in Him! No matter what we are facing if we just go directly to Him with it, it won't seem like such a big deal because He is bigger than anything and everything! He is stronger than anything and everything!

So next time you are in a complicated situation or have to make a big decision go directly to the throne room! Turn on some worship tunes and soak in His presence if you can't find words to say. Instead of going to get that pint of ice-cream or like me a bag of oreos! :) You won't gain weight and your problems will be much easier to solve! Sound like a win-win solution? I think so!

Blessings my friends! May you find rest in the refuge of our sweet warrior Daddy Jesus!

Anne Christian

What if we started acting like the Bride?

I ask this question in the context of What if we as the children of God started acting like the bride to our bridegroom Jesus? I asked the question "Why do we not act like the bride?" What I felt the Lord say to me was we don't act like the bride because of the disappointments we have faced preparing to be brides/grooms in the natural. We prepare to be married to someone and it either doesn't work out at all or we get married and it somehow falls apart. Those disappointments in the natural have caused a hinderance for us in becoming the Bride in the spiritual, the bride of Jesus.

More than normal I have been preparing for my future husband. Now Jesus was nailed to the cross for our sins but it wasn't until he was glorified...raised from the dead and taken up to the Father that we were able to consider the enemy to be defeated. It wasn't until He was glorified that we were able to gain freedom from the bondage that our sins held us under. God showed me that, that is the same when it comes to being a bride. You have to become His bride (in the spiritual) before you can become a strong bride/groom to your future mate (in the natural). Once you become married to Christ you become glorified. And from the time you become His bride and when you become a bride/groom in the natural is a period of glorification. During that in between He enables you/prepares you to become the perfect fit for your future husband/wife! Why does that glorification process have to happen in order to have an amazing marriage? Because our covenant with Jesus is the perfect example of marriage. Jesus is the perfect example of the perfect mate so it's only logical to think that by ultimately being married to Him will make us have better marriages in the natural. Because He is our role model. He is the one that came up with the idea of marriage. Starting with the One who is the definition of love is the only way to find the love we're looking for here on earth. He will teach you how to have the marriage spoken of in 1 corinthians 13:4! It is possible to have a love like that! Your bridegroom is longing for you to come to Him so that you may know what it really means to love not just a fling but the real deal! :) Go to Him ask Him all the questions you have a see what happens! You will be amazed!

Blessings!

Anne Christian