Send Him Running!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=US1-R-R9lYQ&list=RDUS1-R-R9lYQ&start_radio=1

Run Devil Run ~ Crowder

 

So submit to [the authority of] God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him] and he will flee from you. ~ James 4:7 AMP

 

I love the scene in War Room where Elizabeth, Priscilla Shirer's character, finally "gets it" and starts telling the devil she's not going to allow him to run all over her or her family, anymore. We laugh and cheer at that scene, but do we make a point to put the devil in his place in our own lives?

 

David Crowder sings "Run Devil Run". One of the lines says, "I got something make the devil gonna run. I got something make the devil be gone." James 4:7 gives us a three-step recipe to make that happen.

 

1. Get an adjustment. The chiropractor adjusts my spine, correctly aligning it, so messages can accurately travel from my brain to the rest of my body. When we're out of alignment with God, His messages get skewed, or missed entirely. But when we adjust ourselves into correct alignment under God, through submission, we’re able to correctly receive His messages.

2. Stand up to the devil. 1 John 4:4 says, “Greater is He [God] who is in us than he [Satan] who is in the world.” When we believe this, we’ll never need to cower, remembering we have the victory.

3. Send him running! 1 Peter 5:8 says the devil is looking for someone to devour. On Animal Planet, the lions go after the young or weaker animals in the herd, because they’re easier prey. The same is true with us. While the devil is patient and smart, he's also limited in his resources and would rather overcome easier prey than continue to battle those who are strong in their position in the Lord, (Colossians 1:16; Ephesians 6:10-13).

 

For each of our lives, the devil has the same plan: steal, kill, and destroy. But God has given us the victory and tools to overcome when we (1) submit to God's authority and (2) resist the devil. With Palm Sunday and Easter approaching, take time to thank God for giving you the victory, and then be determined to stand strong in it!

©Heather Potts 2021

Follow the Light

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzQpptEdivA

Let the Light In ~ Cody Carnes

 

Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, “I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” ~ John 8:12 AMP

 

Yesterday morning, a sweet friend gave me a cute plant…but it was in desperate need of some love. My friend looked at me apologetically and said, “I swear it was alive when I bought it.” I smiled and thanked her for the gift. Later, when I was leaving work, someone else spotted my plant and said, “Oh, it’s a shamrock.” I smiled, not knowing anything about plants. She explained that it looked droopy because it wasn’t in the sun but said that as soon as the sun shone on it, it would come to life, again.

 

It’s interesting how much we’re like that plant. Without His Presence and a constant connection to God and His Spirit, we begin to wither and fade. But immediately, upon entering His Presence, we’re revived, and our Spirit is renewed by His!

 

If these have been some dark and dreary days for you, it’s time to let the light in—the Light of life. Let Him shine in you, as you are refreshed, renewed, and revived. Then, let Him shine through you, as you share His great love and mercies with others.

 

“I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.” ~ Isaiah 42:6-7 NIV

©Heather Potts 2021

Do Not Forget

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqKO-MwJ2sM

Crowned ~ Highlands Worship feat. Rebecca Hart

 We will not hide these truths from our children;
we will tell the next generation
about the glorious deeds of the LORD,
about his power and his mighty wonders.

~ Psalm 78:4 NKJV

 The media offers us so much to fear, both for the present and the future. Typically, we’re advised not to look to the past, but scripture tells us to not forget the faithfulness of the Lord:

·         In giving our tithe or our first fruits, we are to remember and tell our children: “By strength of hand the LORD brought us out of… the house of bondage,” (Exodus 13:14).

·         After crossing the Jordan, Joshua told the twelve tribes to each take up one stone as a sign and so that they could tell their children, “the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off,” (Joshua 4:7).

Every generation, from the beginning till the present, has gone through hardships:

·         In 1929, our grandparents and great grandparents were rocked by the Great Depression, as many lost jobs and homes.

·         December 7, 1941 will forever be etched in U.S. history with the bombing of Pearl Harbor, propelling this country into World War II and sending many men to the battlelines.

·         On September 11, 2001, many lost loved ones and a sense of safety and protection as terrorists crashed planes into the Twin Towers.

·         March 13, 2020 turned a lot of families upside down as President Trump declared a COVID-19 national emergency, closing schools and businesses.

Through every event, each person had to decide, for themselves, if they were going to let the events paralyze them, or if they were going to push past the fear and keep going, not knowing what would happen, but knowing Who was walking through it with them.

If we keep looking to the future through the lens of fear, we will become anxious and depressed. However, if we look through the lens of God’s promises and faithfulness, we will be enabled to stand firm and persevere.

The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still. ~ Exodus 14:14 NIV

©Heather Potts 2021

Over a Salad?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuS9T3yXPWo

I Will Not Be Moved ~ Natalie Grant

 

When the Philistine rose and came forward to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. ~ 1 Samuel 17:48 AMP

 

One of my favorite Christian speakers is Graham Cooke. He told the story of how he and his wife knew God was calling them to move but didn’t know where. They visited several cities, but none was right. Then, when stopping over for lunch in Santa Barbara, California, Graham got a “warfare” headache. Knowing it wasn’t a migraine, he addressed the devil directly: “Seriously? You’re attacking me over a salad on State Street? What are you so afraid of that you’re attacking me over a salad?” As weird as that may sound, has it ever happened to you?

 

Yesterday was a bit rough for me. Not awful, but it definitely caught me off-guard. Toward the end of the day, Brad texted and asked if we were going to life group, as there were complications with going. At first, I said we would stay home, but as soon as I said it, I felt a difference in my spirit and knew it was the wrong call. So, I decided we’d go, because I could tell the enemy didn’t want me to and I was curious as to why.

 

1 Samuel 17 tells the story of David and Goliath. The Israelites, upon seeing Goliath and hearing his threats, were terrified and lost all hope. But God sent a warrior who would rise up against this against this enemy and defeat him. Though Saul and the rest of the Israelite soldiers doubted, David said he wasn’t afraid. Then, after declaring the promise of the Lord’s deliverance over the Philistines, Goliath advanced toward David to strike him down. But David did the unexpected: He ran out to meet him.

 

I don’t know what struggles you are facing or what things are trying to hold you back, but instead of giving up, let’s run out to meet them and find out why the devil is working so hard to get us to quit. My guess is, it has little to do with you, personally, and much more to do with those God wants to reach through you.

©Heather Potts 2021

Your Words

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiuvKo-7Me4

Prophesy Your Promise ~ Bryan & Katie Torwalt

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words. ~ Proverbs 18:21 AMP

Have you ever thought about the words you use?

Yesterday, I told someone, “I did a Mommy fail.” Shortly after I said it, Holy Spirit asked why I used that phrase. The phrase “Mom-Fail” gets tossed around, indicating a mistake, whether large or small. But failure isn’t the same as a mistake. A mistake is an error, while failure carries with it a greater weight. Truly, we will all mess up, but we only fail when we refuse to try again.

We read Proverbs 18:21, that death and life are in the power of the tongue, often forgetting it applies to our own lives. Every day, we can listen to—and speak—the lies Satan has concocted for us, including that we’re failures. Or we can speak God’s promises over ourselves:

I am the daughter of the King and the Bride of Christ, (Psalm 45:9). I will not suffer shame; I will not be humiliated. My victory is in the Lord! My Maker is my Husband—the Lord Almighty is His Name, the Holy One of Israel is my Redeemer, (Isaiah 54:4-5). God did not give me a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given me a spirit] of power and of love and of a sound mind, (2 Timothy 1:7). I am a good mom, raising children who are wise beyond their years, beautiful inside and out, and have a heart that is strong after Father God. I thank you, Lord Jesus, that our children will be an example and set a pattern for the believers in speech, conduct, love, faith and moral purity, (1 Timothy 4:12). As we teach our children about Father God and His Word, it will stimulate, penetrate, teach and be impressed diligently upon their hearts and minds, (Deuteronomy 6:7). Therefore this is what the Lord says: "If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve Me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be My spokesman,” (Jeremiah 15:19).

God has given us the power to choose life or death for our lives—to speak worthy, not worthless, words. It’s a great responsibility; one which He will help us carry out, for our good and His glory, when we turn to Him and His Word as our guide.

©Heather Potts 2021

Strength Found

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_FUHFbyWwU

Strength ~ Melissa Helser & Cageless Birds

 He gives power to the faint and weary, and to him who has no might He increases strength [causing it to multiply and making it to abound]. [II Cor. 12:9.] ~ Isaiah 40:29 AMPC

The other day, after watching MercyMe’s latest video, “Say I Won’t”, which is a powerful message about persevering in the face of great odds, my thoughts strayed. The video portrays the incredible work this man, a quadruple amputee, has done to still enjoy life with his family. But I noticed that, while his wife was there, they didn’t tell her story…

I will confess, I let my thoughts linger there a little longer than they should have, as I have been the wife who has supported, encouraged, cared for, and prayed desperately for a husband who’s faced struggles over the years. Thankfully, Holy Spirit was faithful to remind me my strength failed quickly, and that it was His strength I was drawing on because He was always with me—with us.

Friend, if you are the spouse, parent, or even child of someone who is walking through major challenges, I can empathize. But I don’t just want to empathize with you. I also want to encourage and challenge you to not rely on your own strength. It’s an easy trap to fall into, one carefully laid out by the enemy, to keep your focus off your hope and help and onto yourself: your wants, your needs, your feelings, your exhaustion… Psalm 121 reminds us that our strength comes not from mountains, which seem so strong, but from God, who made heaven, earth, and the mountains, (vv.1-2).

If you are feeling weary, it’s time to turn back to the One who will refresh you and cause your strength to abound. God knows what He's called you to and knows the journey that lies ahead of you. When you lean fully on God, He will strengthen you to follow Him.

Praying for your journey!

©Heather Potts 2021