Rinnâ

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4KEgwLDLHw

Don’t Tread on Me ~ We the Kingdom

The Lord your God in your midst,

The Mighty One, will save;

He will rejoice over you with gladness,

He will quiet you with His love,

He will rejoice over you with singing.

~ Zephaniah 3:17 NKJV

I grew up in a pool, and for many years, on a swim team. Though I competed in other events, I preferred backstroke, because I could see my friends cheering me into the wall. It helped to have friends and family cheering. It’s a lot harder to keep up the discipline of a strong finish when no one’s there for you. I use the analogy of swimming, because it’s what I know, but it’s true of every sport and all of life. The reason stadiums hand out annoying noise-makers is to encourage the players, especially when their team isn’t winning. It helps to know you’ve got someone in your corner, someone who’s on your side.

As I sat down to pray this morning, the line “He will rejoice over you with singing,” from Zephaniah 3:17, seemed to leap out at me. The phrase, “over you with singing,” is the Hebrew word rinnâ, which means, “shouting for joy.” I have some friends who are walking through hard battles. Sometimes, especially when the battle is long, it can feel like God is “busy elsewhere,” and has forgotten us. But the truth is, He’s always with us and never loses sight of us. In fact, He’s constantly cheering us on, encouraging us, and shouting with joy and pride at our progress:

Come on, Son! Come on, Daughter! You’ve got this! You’re more than a conqueror! You’re an overcomer! Don’t give up! I’ve got you. Don’t quit! Just a little bit more. Just a little farther. You can do this. I’m right here with you!

Hebrews 12:1 says we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, people of faith sent by God to encourage us and show us the way. Just like it encouraged me as people cheered for my swimming, we’re encouraged and strengthened when we know we’re not alone. Regardless of who’s telling us we can’t, God sent His Spirit to dwell within us, reminding us of what we can do in Him. My prayer is that, as we allow God’s love to quiet us, shutting out the noise, we’ll hear Holy Spirit cheering us all the way to a strong finish.

©Heather Potts 2021

Don't Quit

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIGV3ms_9eM

Worthy of It All ~ Bethany Wohrle

...let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus… ~ Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV

When you’re running your race but cannot see the ending, you’re in danger of quitting too soon.

For the past two weeks, Brad has been battling a double ear and sinus infection. He has been in horrible pain. He felt like his left eye was being pushed out of his head, causing darkness on one side of his eye’s peripheral vision, and double vision on the other side. To help him, we’ve been praying; he's seen his doctor, and he’s taken essential oils and antibiotics. 

Last night, as we were drifting off to sleep, I prayed for him, again, outloud. Then, in my spirit, I asked God if it was handled. I know I heard God say, “Yes.” My night’s sleep was rather bumpy, but each time I would awaken, I would pray and praise, as “Worthy of It All” played in my spirit. Then this morning, Brad burst through the bedroom door. I jolted out of bed when he said his eye popped! I am relieved to say his eye is fine. He meant the tear duct in his left eye, which had been plugged, popped. He could see perfectly and ALL the pressure was GONE! PRAISE JESUS!

Though those days were long, it was only 12 days. Some of my friends have been waiting on God’s answers for years. Sometimes, when we’ve been in the trenches for so long, we can lose sight of what we’re fighting for and tend to focus only on what’s right before us. That’s why we’re told to fix our eyes on Jesus. Not only is Jesus our Finish Line, but He’s also our Victory, our Hope, and our Help. With Jesus before us, and Holy Spirit constantly by our side, we cannot fail if we don’t quit. Our job is just to take one more step, and then another. Then, before we know it, with our eyes fixed on Christ, we’ll be running towards Victory, empowered by His strength.

If you’ve been waiting on an answer from God, whether it’s been days or years, don’t quit! Just take another step, keeping your eyes fixed on Christ.

©Heather Potts 2021

Yes, You Can!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qzw6A2WC5Qo&feature=youtu.be

Invincible ~ Skillet

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us ~ Hebrews 12:1 NIV

In recent months, my brother has been sharing his workouts on Facebook. On one hand, you might be annoyed by someone who posts every time they workout, while you do it without the glory. But on the other hand, you might find some inspiration. When you look closely at his pictures, you see that he’s surrounded by others who are just as sweaty--be it basketball or spin class. 

A few years ago, when I started running, Brad went with me, but he couldn't continue, and I had to decide if I was going to do it on my own. What I discovered was that I wasn’t alone. Hebrews 12 says, "We are SURROUNDED by a great cloud of witnesses." The witnesses are those who have gone before us, who've walked where we're walking, and who are cheering us on, from the very first trial all the way through to triumph! 

During my runs, there were many times I didn't think I could make one more step, certainly not another block. But it was in those times Holy Spirit said, "Yes, you can! Don't quit! Don't quit! Don't quit!" Each time I pushed through, I was so proud of myself for not quitting, because each time I went further than I thought I could. 

Today, I am not prepping for a run. Two months of migraines and vertigo really takes a toll. But even in the simplistic work out, even with a pinched nerve in my neck, I don't want to quit. I refuse to back down. And this is what we've been training for, a won't-back-down attitude. 

Since moving to Wisconsin 16 months ago, we've faced more disappointment, heartache, and trials than I care to recount. But God has also surrounded us. Every day, I am truly amazed and in awe of all God has done for us, brought us through, blessed us with, and the "won't-quit-won't-back-down" attitude He's built up within us.

I think it was John Bevere who said this season is the training ground for the next. Whatever hardship you may be walking through, today, remember, you're not alone. Listen as Holy Spirit encourages you, especially on the hard days, "Yes you can! Now, don't quit!" 

©Heather Potts 2018

Yet Stand

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. ~ 1 Corinthians 16:13 NLT

Has this ever happened to you: you’re exhausted from lack of sleep over many nights, you have more month left than you have money, and your kids chose today to throw themselves on the floor in tantrums because they kept you up all night and then decided not to nap. And just when you thought the worst was behind you, someone says something that you’d normally blow off but happened to hit you the wrong way at the wrong time…  That was me the other day. God bless my husband! He knows me so well and when he saw the storm brewing in me, he gently helped me to see the situation without the emotional interference.

The enemy knows that if he can wound us the right way at the right time—after several lashings—he’ll win because we’ll quit. I didn’t quit, but exhaustion was really making it a challenge to think clearly. The enemy was taking full advantage of it, plaguing my mind, “Don’t they know what you’ve been through?! How dare they treat you like that!” But as soon as I entered my Father’s presence, He said, “You are not the victim anymore.” And He’s right! I am not the victim! I am the victor and I have the victory!

The enemy does not want to give up territory and he will keep coming after us until we show him time and time again that we will not relent. But as the scripture says, we must be on guard, watchful, awake, aware. The enemy is always looking for an opening. When we let our guard down, be certain he’ll use that opportunity to his full advantage. Therefore, cast aside the victim mentality, remembering always that you have the victory. Declare to the enemy, “I will yet stand!”

©Heather Potts 2016

I Failed

How often have you felt that you failed within the past month, week, day, hour?

There was one day a few months ago that I felt like a failure. I was so low that I was buying into all the lies and condemnation the enemy threw my way.  But the next day, Holy Spirit said to me, “Put off this mistaken identity of shame. It is not yours!”

If you’ve failed, it’s ok. God’s grace is bigger than our mistakes—even the ones we deem as failures.  It’s ok to fail.  Failing is not the same as being a failure.  You are not a failure, because you refuse to quit.

Now stand up, dust yourself off, and declare this over yourself:

I refuse to quit or get discouraged (Galatians 6:9)!  I will continue to persevere and receive what God has promised me (Hebrews 10:36). I will run with perseverance, throwing off everything that tries to stop me (Hebrews 12:1)!  I refuse to take on a spirit of despair or self-pity.  I refuse to be discouraged!  I refuse to be condemned!  There is now no condemnation for me (Romans 8:1)!  Today will be a great day and Holy Spirit will remind me to choose right thoughts.  I am regaining territory the enemy has stolen from me.  I am a warrior princess! I will be patient with myself and remember that it is God who is doing a good work in me and HE will bring it to full completion (Philippians 2:13, 1:6).

In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen!

©Heather Potts 2016