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

Called to be Warriors

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Egw65U99qjU

Revival Anthem ~ Rend Collective

 

Benaiah… went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. And he struck down a huge Egyptian… And David put him in charge of his bodyguard. ~ 2 Samuel 23:20-21, 23 NIV

 

Mark Batterson's In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day tells the story of a man who saw possibilities—not problems—when faced with challenges. Instead of running from (and likely being eaten by) a lion, Benaiah chased it into a pit and killed it! Rather than cowering when facing a huge Egyptian, Benaiah fought and killed the Egyptian with his own spear. Those are two instances where "normal" people would have run away or cowered. We weren't called to be normal. We're called to be Christ-like: MORE THAN CONQUERORS, OVERCOMERS, VICTORS, and HIS!

 

In this season of many unknowns, don't forget who you are and to Whom you belong. Bought, but not a slave. Chosen to be a child of inheritance. As a co-heir with Christ, we have access to His power and authority. With His power and authority, God calls things that are not as though they were and calls dry bones to live. Through Jesus, He enables us to share in His power, so that we will shine His light into the lives of many and bring Him glory.

 

But the devil doesn't want God getting glory, which is why he's working overtime to keep you defeated, full of fear, and down for the count! But like Benaiah, we're called for greater things. We've not been given a spirit of a coward, but of a warrior! We don't seek a fight, but we won’t back down when the lion roars or the giants threaten. As Priscilla Shirer says in Fervent,

Aren’t you in the least bit curious what the devil is trying to keep you from experiencing? In Exodus 14, when Moses and the Israelites were hemmed in by the Red Sea and the Egyptians, God said, “Do not fear!” In other words, don’t wallow in it. Don’t choose it. Don’t make friends with it. Don’t entertain it or engage it. If they did, they’d risk not sticking around long enough to experience God’s miracle.

 

Don't ever give up - but be encouraged. When the challenges arise, know that you've been strengthened to stand your ground, and to chase and kill the lions in your path. Remember, oh child of the Most High God, you are a warrior!

©Heather Potts 2020

Keep Going

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69m3X-DQxOA&list=RD69m3X-DQxOA&start_radio=1

Jesus What a Savior ~ Housefires

When I’m afraid, I put my trust in you. ~ Psalm 56:3 NIRV

Yesterday's whining was about how tired Elizabeth's little legs were as she desperately tried to keep up with her older sister. I took the girls on a bike ride and let Elizabeth set the pace most of the way, so that she could make it home. But once Savannah took the lead, as expected, she left Elizabeth in the dust. There were multiple times that Elizabeth said, "I can't make it. I'm too tired." I felt badly for her, but said, "Unfortunately, the only way to get home is to keep going." She’d say OK, but would tell me, about every half block, how tired she was, and I’d have to tell her that the only way to get there was to keep going.

Isn’t that what Holy Spirit does with us? Whether it’s a season of quarantine, looking for a job, working to restore a broken relationship, or struggling through an illness and treatment, when the finish line feels ever elusive, it can be hard to keep going. But that’s when we’re encouraged and challenged to stay the course.

Fear constantly offers us an “easier” way: “You’re too tired and can’t make it. Stop now to save what little strength you have left.” But Jesus, who overcame fear and death, reminds us that, in Him, we do have what it takes: “You’re more than a conqueror! Through me, you have the victory! Keep going! Be steadfast and immovable from this course,” (Romans 8:37; 1 Corinthians 15:57-58).

Whatever you’re facing today, put your trust in God and keep following Him all the way to the finish line!

©Heather Potts 2020