devotions

“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” 1 Corinthians 15:10

You are not your state. You are not your past. You are a daughter of the King. You already know who God is, now be reminded today of who you are in Him.

Declare this today:

I am smart. I am important. I am a world changer. I am brave and courageous. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I am beautiful. I am called by God to do great things. I am strong. I melt in His presence, yet stand strong in the face of adversity. I can’t stop running because Jesus didn’t stop for me. I am a finisher. I am the right woman for the job. I am a winner. I am so loved. I am richly blessed. I am rooted and grounded. I am abundantly graced. I am my brother and sister’s keeper. I am empowered to lead. I am an overcomer. I am more than a conqueror through Jesus. Greater is He that is in me than he that’s in the world. I am a daughter of the King no matter how I feel. No matter how it looks I will see His promises manifested in my life. I am patient and kind. I am truthful. I am hidden in Christ. I am an end time soldier in His army. I was born for such a time as this. I have what it takes. I am resourceful. I am wise. I wear God’s grace beautifully. I am who God says I am and I will do what He says I will do.

Prayer: Father, help me stay reminded of who I am in You. Help me not to let my problems define me. You define me, Lord. You are my God and I belong to You. In Jesus Name, Amen.

“I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

It is through Christ that we can do anything God is telling us to do. But you may say, “I don’t feel loving”, I don’t feel strong”, “I don’t feel motivated”, “I don’t feel I can do what God is requiring of me”. Instead of focusing on your feelings, focus on the truth of God’s Word. You can do all things through Christ which strengthens you. Wouldn’t it have been different if Paul would have said, “I can do all things” and just left it at that? But clearly he had a revelation of Christ. Paul’s life and ministry was a true example of grace. He allowed God’s strength to be made perfect in his weaknesses. He allowed grace to assist him in writing a great portion of the New Testament, and it was God’s strength that helped him finish his course with joy! So it is with you. With God’s help you can make it, you can handle it, you can love and forgive, and you can trust God to see you through to victory. Look to Jesus and be made strong!

Prayer: Father, You are my God and I am Your daughter. Thank You for speaking to me today. I receive every Word by faith. No matter how I feel right now, I choose to put my focus on Christ and receive His strength and power to endure, to fight and to win through Christ. Help me remember to encourage others to do the same. I love You and bless You. In Jesus Name, Amen.

“This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites” 2 Samuel 12:7-9, NIV.

King David grew increasingly dissatisfied with his life and wanted what another man had. Blinded by his own lust, he conspired to have a man killed just so that he could have his wife. God told King David that He had given him everything he could ever hope for, and would have given him more. It is the same with us, my sister. God will make us great, fulfill our dreams and bless us with everything we can ever hope for, but we can’t have what belongs to someone else. We can’t have another woman’s husband. We can’t have another woman’s family. We can’t have another woman’s life or another’s women’s ministry. We can’t have what belongs to someone else. All we can do is enjoy what God has already given us and be thankful!

Whenever you see something you want that belongs to someone else, take it to God, and say, “Father God, I really like what she has. Instead of wishing I had her blessing, I choose to be thankful for what you have done for me and what you are going to do. I don’t want another woman’s blessing. I only desire what you have tailor-made and designed for me! In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

(Read 2 Samuel chapters 11-12)

“And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new….” Revelation 21:5

When God restores, He makes it better than before. Maybe your heart has been broken, and now you are left picking up the pieces of a broken life. Perhaps you are trying hard to get back to where you used to be. Only God can put the pieces back together again and fix what’s broken. You may say, “I was doing good until that happened!” Whatever your “I was doing good until…” statement is, God knows, and He won’t allow those heartbreaking experiences to change His purpose and plan for your life.

You are still His daughter, still chosen by Him, still His prize and His joy! Whatever the enemy has meant for your bad, God is turning it around for your good! No eye has seen nor has any ear heard what God has prepared for you because you love Him and are called according to His purpose. Don’t live in a state of self-pity wondering who you would’ve been and where you would be right now if you had not gone through what you did. Believe Him to restore everything you lost and give you more than what you had.

Just wait until God gets done with you, my sister! He’s making all things new! It may not feel like it and it may not look like it, but He is! Keep holding on to His promises and keep trusting in His supernatural ability! Speak and declare over your life that your God is making all things new for you!

Prayer: Father God, you have touched my heart so deeply with your Word! Thank you for ministering to every broken place in me. Help me to be better from this situation, not bitter. I give my heart and soul to you and ask you to make all things new in my life. Amen.

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life” Proverbs 13:12, Berean Study Bible.

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” Romans 15:13, Berean Study Bible.

I know you are accustomed to hearing that God is the God of peace, and the God of righteousness, but I would like you to know that He is also the God of hope. In the past, when things didn’t go as you hoped they would, you would be all heartbroken. In the past, when you didn’t get to do what you set out to do, you would be devastated with no motivation to go on. But, my sister, you are growing and maturing in the things of God. You are learning God’s ways and you are learning how to trust in Him.

With spiritual growth comes the understanding that whether things work out or they don’t, whether you’re able to do what you set out to do or you don’t, whether you receive it or you don’t, you know that everything will be alright because you serve the God of hope. This hope overflows and becomes a shock absorber to your heart when you face disappointment. This hope is from God, and it is filling you now with all joy and peace as you believe and trust in Him.

Prayer: Father, you are my God of hope. No matter the disappointments I experience in this life, I know you are in control and everything is going to be alright. Let hope overflow in me and fill me with joy and peace as I believe and trust in you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” Philippians 2:5, NKJV.

At 3 am this morning, my youngest daughter decided she would wake up and stay awake for hours. I know by now if we’re not able to get her to go back to sleep, it’s going to be a very long night. So, I turn on the tv and get out some snacks and let her play until she wears her little self out and is ready to fall asleep again. Getting angry and frustrated serves no purpose at all, so I change and adjust my attitude. Well, she stayed up for three hours! She played, tried to learn to walk, and climbed on and off the bed, and when I saw that she was tired, I held her, and she fell asleep. After having six children, I’ve learned by now to accept reality and adjust.

Most often, our anger and frustrations are a result of trying desperately to change someone or something we can not change. The sooner we accept reality and adjust our attitude, the better off we will be. God will help you accept the reality of what you cannot change in someone. He will help you see the bigger picture so your attitude can adjust. He will give you wisdom, and His wisdom will provide you with a load of grace.

“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” Maya Angelou

Prayer: Father God, I ask that you help me to accept what I cannot change. Help me to change my attitude and how to deal with challenging situations. I receive your wisdom and grace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“O sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth! Sing to the Lord, bless (affectionately praise) His name; show forth His salvation from day to day” Psalm 96:1-2, Amplified

“Sing to Me a new song. The song I give to you will lift you up and not oppress you. It’s a song that will remind you of My truth. It’s a song that will breathe life into you. Sing, My Daughter, sing and worship Me with all your heart. The spirit of heaviness will be removed as you sing to Me the words I give to you. I know how to reach you where you are. I often reach you with a song that I know will bless you. I long to be gracious to you. I raise you up so I can bless you and fill your heart completely. I love to hear your voice. There’s not a sound more beautiful than hearing you sing to Me. I’m ministering to you My strength, wrapping you in My love, and calming all your fears as you sing to Me. Says the Lord.”

(Read Isaiah 61:3; 1 John 4:18; Isaiah 30:18)

“..work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Philippians 2:12, ESV.

Don’t let your relationships be ruined because you’re constantly trying to change people. The truth is…

You can’t change:

• How people feel
• How they respond
• What they think
• What they believe
• How they love
• How they live their life

However, you can change:

• How you feel
• How you respond
• What you think
• What you believe
• How you love
• How you live your life

Don’t spend so much time trying to change people, their feelings, their mind, their moods, their life, or their habits. God didn’t call us to change anyone. That’s His job. We have a hard enough time trying to change ourselves, let alone someone else. Accept people the way they are and let God do the rest. Focus on what you can do, which is work on you. The more someone sees your life improving for, the better and the more they see you walking in humility, the more they may be inspired to change.

Prayer: Father God, I ask forgiveness for any time I didn’t accept who you’ve accepted. Forgive me for any time I’ve tried to do your job of changing people. I humble myself right now and ask that you help me Lord to focus on working on my self and let you work on others with your love and grace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win” 1 Corinthians 9:24, NASB.

“As you run your race before Me, I will help you lay aside every weight and every sin that easily surrounds you to harass you. I’ve watched you carry certain ways about you that have become a hindrance to your progress in Me. It is time to examine your ways and change them by My grace. You are running a much tighter race as you get closer and closer to My return, and changes are needing to be made, My daughter. Will you limp to the finish line, barely making it, or will you finish strong? I am helping you run in such a way that you will win, obtain, and lay hold of everything I have set before you to lay hold of. It won’t be easy for you to let go of certain things, certain habits and certain ways that you’ve grown attached to, but with My help, you will let go and finish your course with joy and with strength. You will fulfill the assignment I gave you before the foundation of the world. By My grace, you will run a much stronger race, and you will live a much fuller life. Says the Lord.”

(Read Hebrews 12:1-2; Acts 20:24)

“As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.”” Mark‬ ‭5:36‬, NKJV‬‬

You’ve heard the report, and before fear can grip you, Jesus will speak to you through His Word. The Bible tells us, as soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue. What did Jesus hear that required an immediate response? He heard, “Trouble the master no more. Your daughter is dead.” Jesus heard those words and immediately canceled them with, “Do not be afraid. Only believe.” Maybe you’ve heard a false report come to you. Follow the example of Jesus, and as soon as you hear the false report, say “I will not be afraid. I will only believe.” Whose report do you believe, my sister? I challenge you only to believe the report of the Lord!

Prayer: Thank you, Father, for speaking directly to my report. I cancel every false report with the truth of your word. Everything you said in your Word about me is true, and everything the devil says is a lie. I believe what your Word says, and that’s what I speak from my mouth. I am healed by the stripes of Jesus. I am free by the power of Jesus! Thank you, Father, for activating my faith and helping me not to be afraid, but only believe. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

(Read Mark‬ ‭5:36-42; Isaiah 53:1, 4-5)