So, welcome to Activation Sunday.
It is Friday, December 17th, and we are activating the message that we got from Jackie in yesterday's
Supernatural Saturday Call.
And you guys, I love how God, people always say to me, I don't hear the voice of God.
How do you guys hear the voice of God?
Sometimes He's very literal in how you hear from Him, in that people will give you the
same exact message.
Two different people will give you the same exact message, or you'll hear a song on the
radio that matches the message that you heard.
So, for those of you that are waiting sometimes for the audible voice of God, and you're getting
all like your panties in a wad about it, look for the stuff that's right in front of you.
If somebody gives you a message or a word, see if somebody else confirms it and something
else confirms it.
And then you go, oh, that's the Lord trying to tell me something.
And so for me, you know, I was half, I'm not going to lie you guys, I was half listening
to Jackie yesterday, like half listening because I was getting ready to make my Christmas cookies.
So I was counting out stuff at the same time.
And then she was like, hey, I'm going to need somebody to cover for Sarah.
Renee, can you do it?
And I'm like, oh boy, I was half listening.
And then I listened again, and then I went to church this morning and I swear him and
Jackie were tracking because it was pretty much the same sermon that I got this morning.
So I was like, all right, well, clearly Renee needs this message more than anybody else.
Because that's what the Lord's going to do.
Like sometimes he's going to actually ask you to step out into a word and it's like
you learn as you go kind of thing.
And so we're going to kind of do that.
And so the three were, I'm actually, I took notes, which of course my printer's not working.
So I'm going to be going back to my computer.
So we have three main categories that we're going to be doing tonight.
And I'm going to give you time to journal your answer if you hadn't had time since,
and then we're going to share some of it out loud in a form of a prayer.
And I know I can be a stickler about this, you guys.
I know that sometimes when different leaders are on, there's just sharing and talking,
sharing and talking.
And I like going after it using God's holy language.
Like I don't want you to tell me, I want you to tell God.
And I just get to eavesdrop in on your prayer to him.
Does that make sense?
So you don't need to tell me, you don't need to explain it to me.
You're just going to go right to him.
And I just get to listen in on it.
So the first, there's three things that we're going to need to do is we're going to be pledging.
So that's the first thing that we're going to do.
Then we're going to be pruning, and then we're going to be planning and preparing.
And so we're going to kind of talk a little bit about that.
So as we head, and we, you know, obviously some of us were already preparing for the
new year with Rosh Hashanah.
It is the year of the door, open doors, which also means doors have to close.
You can't open new doors without old doors getting closed.
And so the chapters that my pastor read today, so you can write this down.
We don't have time to read it, but if you want to read Joshua three and four, it talks
about how the Lord prepared Joshua and the 12 tribes of Israel as they were crossing
the river Jordan.
And you guys, it's really cool.
Cause I actually got to cross the river Jordan and it's not as wide as you think it is.
Like I'm like, and it's very muddy in a lot of sections and, but the current can get pretty
strong depending on what time of the year it is.
And so what I loved about reading that is, you know, God was really clear about Joshua,
like the arc of the covenant went before them.
And then as soon as they crossed over into Jordan, they were asked to prepare a memorial
and give honor to God.
So before they did anything else, they had to take this time out to God.
So that was one of the first things that Jackie said that we need to do before we go into 2024.
We have to pledge our loyalty to Jesus and the finished work of the cross.
We have to believe him when he said it is finished, right?
So whenever you guys think, or I think that anything we said or did or happened to us
is still going to affect our life, then we believe that God did not, or Jesus did not
finish it at the cross.
And so I want you to really write down what does that mean?
I want you to really think about this.
What does it mean for you to pledge your loyalty to Jesus and the finished work of
the cross?
What is it you're going to do to show your loyalty to him?
What is the outward sign?
And I really, really want you guys to think about that for, I mean, and you're like, well,
I don't even know what that means, Renee.
And so here are two specific things the Lord was very clear to me on.
I got.
into seminary school in October, but I almost talked to myself out of doing it because of
financial resources. And I just was like, this is just not the right time. I don't have the money.
I don't know what I'm doing with my life. Why am I going to start a master's when I don't even know
where I'm going with my life? And God was really clear. He was like, no, I opened a doorway for
you to do this. I got you in and you're finishing that. So that's the first way I'm going to pledge
my loyalties. I'm going to trust him that each semester when that bill comes up, I'm going to
have a way to pay for it, that I'm going to somehow have the way to study, that it's not
going to get in the way of my work or my work's not going to get in the way of the setting.
So that's the first thing I'm going to do to pledge my loyalty. Now that's me. Not all of
you are going to seminary school and you don't need to. The second thing is I had really slowed
down on my tithe as my income really dropped this year because I was like, again, I think if you
listened to my testimony last Saturday, you know, I'm spreadsheet girl. And so the money just wasn't
working. And so I started pledging my time to the church. And, um, then the Lord gave me a clear
number. I had to give the church and I did. And he almost immediately gave it back to me in savings
and other places. And today in church, God was very clear. It is time to start tithing again,
that 10%, whatever, whenever I get a contract check in, I have to tithe. And that, and I'm
not saying have to, I'm saying have to is it doesn't sound really good. So those are the two
ways I feel like I need, cause you guys, I already tell all my friends and family, like all my whole
world already knows. I love Jesus. I have no problem sharing the gospel. I have no problem
laying down my life for the gospel. Like, so for me that, that wouldn't stretch me to pledge my
loyalty. We'll start talking to your gay friends, start talking to this person who doesn't know
Jesus, start talking to your Muslim friends. Like that wouldn't be hard for me or scary for me
because I've already done it and I already continue to do it. So for me right now, committing
to school and committing to my tithe are two ways that I'm being stretched to pledge my loyalty. So
I'm just going to let you take two minutes. I will play some background music while you do this.
And then you're going to come out and declare it to God. And you're just going to say,
God, I pledge my loyalty to you. I believe that when you, when Jesus said is finished,
it was finished. And here's how I'm going to show my loyalty to you
in 2024. So go ahead and start journaling that.
So
Oh my god, I just
I know you love us so much. You love us so much
That your son was willing to die for us father
God that when he hung on that cross and he took all of our sin
And he ascended to hell and then he ascended into heaven
He took care of it and so father God, I just I just thank you I thank you I thank you I thank you and
I I just I confess the times that I don't believe you or it doesn't seem like enough
Oh my gosh the times that I don't think the cross was enough
Please forgive me for that father God as we go into 2024
Each of us on this call. We're gonna just share with you
We are your children and we're gonna each take a time to come off the mic and we're
We're going to share with you how we're going to pledge our loyalty.
And Father God, I know that I've already declared that I'm going to pledge my commitment to
my tithe and my commitment to my master's degree.
But Father God, if there's another area that I need to be bold and step out and to pledge
my loyalty, Father God, I ask that you reveal that to me in the coming moments, hours, and
days so that when I go into 2024, I know where you would want me to pledge.
And so Father God, I now lift up and open the space for my brothers and sisters to also
share how they are going to tangibly pledge their loyalty to you in this next year.
Oh, Jesus, you are so wonderful.
Thank you for this opportunity to speak out to you, Lord.
I do want to ask for forgiveness for the times that I did not believe and my doubt just kind
of wavers.
And during this quiet time, I heard you clearly say to stop trying to fix yourself, Joanne.
You are not broken, that your cross healed me, that there's nothing to fix.
And so what I pledge for 2024 is to get out of that mentality that I need to do something
to make it better, to fix what I'm not doing right, Lord, but instead to really watch what
I'm thinking and watch what I'm saying.
So I pledge, Lord, to use my imagination to see myself as the way you see me.
I am not broken.
I am on a journey, but that journey has already been proclaimed from you and what you have
done.
And I want to sit back and enjoy this journey as I learn to be kinder to myself and kinder
to others.
And I thank you for this opportunity to speak it out loud, and I seal it with your blood.
Amen.
Lord, I thank you for your sacrifice for me.
I'm pledging to you my feelings of never being enough, of not being worthy of being loved.
I pledge that, and I'm going to change my way of thinking.
Thank you, Lord, for your sacrifice for me.
Father, I thank you because you are ever mindful of us, and forgive me for the times
that I have tried to take the pen away from you and write my own story and tell you how
to maneuver things and work things out when you are the master of everything.
Forgive me, Lord, for not thinking your cross was enough.
Lord, I lay on the altar the things in my life that are dear and that I, the expectations
that I have, and I leave them in your hands to develop them and bring them when it's time.
Father, I just thank you that you're a good, good father, and every good thing comes from
you.
You are the Lord of bounty and prosperity, so Lord, thank you for what you have given
me.
I, in 2024, I pledge my company, my future marriage, all my wealth and investments for
the kingdom purpose.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Dear Heavenly Father, I just honor you and glorify you.
I just give you thanks for all you're doing for me and for the growth you've given to
me, and Father, I'm just pledging that I'm not going to second guess you as you're trying
to speak to me.
I'm learning to hear from you and not be influenced by maybe any other opinions coming in, but
just learning to hear from you in the various ways that you speak to me.
I just give you thanks, in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Jesus, I pledge to stop looking back.
back at my last relationship, and to stop looking back into bitterness, but to look forward in the hope and the promises that you, you have for me.
Oh my father, I just thank you for this opportunity that we get to look to next year with expectation.
And I just pledge my future, I pledge my future and I pledge my life into your hands.
I continue to put down the pen and rest in your finished works.
So I pledge my love story. I pledge my comfort.
I pledge my trust, my dependence and my reliance into your hands. In Jesus name.
Lord, 2023 was a very unexpected year you know for a lot of blessings reconciliation, multiple deliverances and miracles Lord.
I blew my mind, but I still have this one thing, and it's still occurring so I pledge the timing of when I meet my kingdom spouse, and the whole preparation.
I know it soon.
Help me not be obsessive over the circumstances and the decades of waiting. So I pledged that in the timing of everything that is going to be falling into place in 2024.
Father, I thank you.
I thank you that you have asked me time and time again to come out of hiding that the little girl that keeps hiding and retreating into that dark corner that she's coming out of hiding permanently and forever in 2024, because I'm trusting in you and I'm trusting.
What Jesus did for me on the cross.
And I'm going to take 2024 to unwrap the gift of who he is truly understand what he has done for me.
So I thank you, Jesus. Amen.
Thank you God for bringing me to this group and giving me the opportunity to continue to strengthen my relationship with you and continue learning more about what you do for us and what you've already done for us.
I'm going to show you my loyalty by stopping complaining about what you're not doing and actually focus and praise you for what you have done in my life and the blessings that you've given me, and I'm going to stop telling you how I want things to go and how I expect things to go but really to listen to what plan you have for me and what else I can be doing and I know part of that is going back to church consistently.
Show my loyalty to Jesus that I'm delivered, redeemed, I trust the Lord that I will complete this task for him that he has given me.
And now healed my body and soul. I trust that they perceive the trust and faith that God gave me so that I'm finally, I can finally believe once and for all that I've been set free from all the shackles of my past two means my ancestors my family, and I trust that Jesus has now given me and I'm complete as I am, it's time to go out now no matter what, just as I am that I can help just who I am.
Just as I am that I can be loving and I can, I am lovable, and I'm strong enough and courageous and compassionate, and the Lord wants me to be abundant reaching all areas of my life.
I now dissolve all my false beliefs about love, health, wealth, with the blood of Jesus.
I now entrust my entire life, my love, my career, my business, I'm ready to receive the glory, the glorious promises, new beginnings, richness, wealth, happiness, my soul, spirit, me.
This, I receive in the name of Lord Jesus Christ.
So good you guys so good. So there's three parts of our activation tonight and we just use the first third of our time.
to start that.
If you did not get to go,
you will hopefully get to go in the next section
or in the last section.
So if you've already shared out loud,
let's try to hold space in this next section
for new people to come on.
Remember, you don't have to have the mic on
like so God can hear you
and we can hear you supernaturally.
So the second part is the pruning.
And you guys, this is the really hard one.
And so I really wanna sit in this pocket for a bit
because it's easy for us to jump ahead
and be like, all right,
here's all the things I'm gonna do next year.
But there's some stuff that we need to lay down.
And so when you think about,
when you guys, when we have,
and when we prepare for a crash landing on a plane,
what is it that they tell us?
They tell us how much can we take with us
when we have a crash landing?
Nothing.
We're not even at like, I'm always the gal.
I don't know about you,
but I'm always the gal that leaves my cross body on
because I'm like,
I'm the girl that's gonna sneak out of here with my purse
because I'm not screwing with my license
and my credit cards and my phone.
I'm getting off this plane with that stuff intact.
But the Lord, I mean,
but those flight attendants are like,
you're going with nothing.
And so when you think about them crossing over
into the River Jordan,
they could not hold their stuff
to cross over the River Jordan.
They just had to cross empty-handed, right?
And so there are some things we need to lay down.
Either people, we need to lay down promises,
plans, things that have hurt us.
I wrote down a whole list of things.
Let's see.
Grudges, hurts, whatever has happened.
And you guys, especially the promise.
There are some of you on this call,
I have seen for a year ago,
the Lord promised this when I was 16 years old
and I had three prophets confirm it.
And so it hasn't happened yet.
And what's gonna go on?
Well, it didn't.
So we gotta let it go.
You gotta lay down that promise that you were given
because it's gonna be a different promise now.
I don't know why it didn't happen
the way you thought it was gonna happen.
But if you feel like there has been a promise
that was given to you, that was confirmed,
but it literally in the natural cannot happen anymore,
I need you to be willing to lay it down
because it means that God has something good for you.
And the way my pastor kind of described it is,
if we're holding on to old promises and grudges like this,
like we're just holding on like this,
like, God, you promised, but that person hurt me
and they haven't paid the price
and their consequent hasn't happened.
You guys, if I'm holding tightly to the pain,
the broken promises and the people from my past
are my hands in any shape to grab something new?
No.
So I have to lay it down.
So I want you to,
so we're gonna go back into a moment of prayer
and I want you to start to journal
and we're gonna just lay it before the Lord
to start to think about what God needs you
to leave behind in 2023.
Some of you started to do that,
but we're gonna go a little further.
♪♪♪
Oh, Father God,
I know this message was for me too.
Father God, I...
I find it interesting that you even gave me a dream last night.
This is a TMI moment, but my brothers and sisters can handle it.
In this dream, I needed to go to the bathroom, but I couldn't go to the bathroom.
And so I started Googling spiritually what that means, and it talks about how there are
things that need to be released that are holding us back, that we just need to leave stuff
behind.
So, gosh, Father God, you gave the message from Jackie.
You gave it to me in a dream last night, which was creepy weird, but I trust you in that.
And then you brought it to me in a sermon today.
And so, Father God, I'm leaving behind things that make me sad to leave behind.
I'm leaving behind that broken friendship with my best friend.
It was on my Jesus Care Board this year for that friendship to be restored, but Father
God, I leave that friendship in your hands.
You know the hour and the time and the way that if there is supposed to be reconciliation,
only you can manifest it, and there's nothing I can do to do that.
So, Father God, I release that relationship to you.
Father God, I still have dreams about my former company and the person who I passed the baton
to.
And so, Father God, I release that to you.
I ask for a complete purning for my connection, that there's any pain left of my connection
to the old ministry.
And so, Father God, I leave those two things behind.
It makes me sad to do it, and I'm just admitting that it makes me sad to do it.
But I know that what you have in front of me, the relationships, the ministry, I can't
receive them with open hands if my vision is looking back.
So, I just trust you in that, and so that is when I'm laying down.
And Father God, I now just ask my brothers and sisters to do the same, whatever you are
asking them to lay down, even if it's hard for them to do it, or they do it with sadness
and grief, let them be confident to do it.
Heavenly Father, I lay down to you all the broken promises I hold on to, all the disappointment
I have felt, the past relationships that no longer matter, I leave them, and the memories
and what ifs in the past, and open my eyes to what you have for me that I cannot see
yet.
I ask for a complete pruning of all things that hold me down, in Jesus' name.
Heavenly Father, I lay down any security that I find in worldly things, or even in
your blessings, whether that's finances, or familiarity, familiar places, familiar people,
God, or I'm just kind of resting in that space of feeling safe in anything that isn't
you.
So, God, I just release that to you.
Lord, I lay down the idea of a man having to take care of me, I lay down my past mistakes
of my previous relationships, and wanting to have biological children, and that I didn't
pick or commit well to find a good man and have a family in my time frame, I lay it down.
Heavenly Father, I release all beliefs, the hurt of my previous colleagues, church servants,
all the judgment of people, all those companies that hurt me, belief that I get sick always,
hurt by bullying of other people, I release all cycle of unemployment, unwise managing
of wealth, me keeping my heart, love, so as not to get hurt, repeating from going out,
fear of success, people, rejection, and perfectionism, I release them, in the mighty name of Jesus.
Lord, I lay down my need to know, my need to know why, my need to know when, my need
to know where, what, just my need to know, Lord, I lay down my need to please everyone
around me, I release that.
I release my need for reconciliation, a belief that I thought was a promise from you.
I'm laying that down.
I'm trusting you.
Trusting that you know what's best for me.
You know.
I don't need to know you know.
I just need to sit on your lap and just let you actually just let you take the pen of my life.
So freaking hard.
Sorry.
It's so hard but I know that you that you got me. You always have, you always will.
So I thank you that I may not know what the heck is going on, but you do, and I'm just going to trust you that you'll, you'll lead me and guide me in your way everlasting because that's what you do and it's what you've always done.
Thank you.
Father for just loving me.
Lord, I have a lot on my list, but I'm just gonna say a couple I lay down fear and anxiety.
And I'm also leaving behind self hatred and comparison to others and an old identity in 2023.
I leave behind in 2023, all the things I didn't do or should have done to be obedient to you, Lord, and I leave behind the things I can't control in my job, my finances, things I can't control with my daughter.
And just the fact that I haven't met my spirit mate yet Lord Jesus but you have him in your due time Lord Jesus and I just pray that you just prune me to be the right fit for him as well, but mostly for you, and for the relationship for him and I, and you, in Jesus name.
Father God, I need to lay down the feeling that if I'm not over performing and overachieving. I'm failing and Lord that I don't have to prove my worth to anybody my worth resides in you.
And my second thing is that I lay down all resentment of my body for not being able to meet my expectations of what it should be able to do, and society's unrealistic view of beauty and health.
I lay down the worry that creating a healthy body will draw the wrong kind of attention.
Amen.
I lay down. I need to lay down immaturity.
Your word says that we are to put away childish things.
And I need to lay down idols.
Just the obstinate spirit, and as someone said earlier fear and anxiety.
In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
I'm laying down hearing too much about what other people think of me.
I am fearfully and wonderfully made and I will not allow myself to continue to be held hostage by thoughts of what other people might think about in the name of Jesus.
Amen.
Lord, I lay down resentment from expectations that I've put on you, and I put on myself Lord.
I lay down resentment towards friendships, and even towards my church for not being supportive to single women.
So Lord I just lay all that down to you and I lay down comparison.
Comparison of others comparison to other married couples Lord, and I just released that to you and receive your, your guidance for the new year.
My fear.
of missing out FOMO in the name of Jesus I'll let it go
this is good I want to tap into just a few of these if you're if you're brave enough
and you don't have to visit these are always an invitation if you have to lay down barring
a Sarah and Sarah and Abraham moment because the Lord you know it can happen barring this
Sarah and Abraham moment if you are laying down being able to have biological children
it doesn't mean you don't get to be a mom in a hundred other ways but if you need to
lay that down I need to lay it down you guys I mean I'm pretty sure I'm out of menopause
that doesn't mean it can happen but for the most part I've got to lay that down
anybody else needing to lay that down yeah and you can go ahead just raise your hand yeah just
go ahead and raise your avatar hand I'm just going to pray over that one real quick father
God for every woman on here that has had to raise their hand because in the natural we are beyond
childbearing gears or we're close to it or maybe these women have had to have a hysterectomy
father God because of some other medical condition and so father God if there is still
a desire to mother for each of us who has raised our hand father God I know that you can do above
and beyond what we ever thought or that we can imagine and so if being a mother is something
you still have on as a call for our life father God I know that you can redeem it I don't know
how and I don't know in what way but I know that you can redeem it and so that we women who's had
to lay that down that we will be able to pick up a new way to mother and we believe that when
that moment happens we're going to look back to this moment because we laid it down and we trusted
you that you handed it back to us even bigger and better and more amazing that we could imagine
awesome awesome you guys I just I feel that one with you I just feel that one deeply okay the
other one I want to call out for more folks is if you have to lay down a relationship whether it's
with a sibling a parent a child a best friend you were hoping it was going to reconcile you may still
want it to reconcile but you hoping it and praying for it has been so painful because it's just so
close to you still that you're literally just laying this relationship down and you're like
I got nothing Lord I wanted this to reconcile but father God this relationship is now in your hands
and I trust your will to be done so father God I just pray for every single person on here who
has to lay down a relationship it could be a co-worker a family member a friend it could be
the the guy or the girl that they were dating it could be the guy or girl that they were pining for
that they were they were getting crumbs all these weeks and months and they thought for sure
it was going to be the relationship that you had for them and maybe it was and maybe they're just
in disobedience right now and maybe the relationships that need to be pulled away from us
are their disobedience not our lack of obedience and so father God we want to be safe and so we
just we give you those relationships we lay them at your feet and we know that in its place you
will fill us relations with relationships that are healthy that are kind that are loving that
are going to fill us and they're going to be with us in the new season doing the new things building
the new dreams that you have for us in Jesus name awesome awesome awesome awesome okay um we're
going to keep going I just wanted to call out those two because those just really jumped up
a lot um oh one more because I know this is me and Rachelle I think you kind of tapped into it
if you have to lay down your anger at your church for not doing a better job um you know how the
word says we have to take care of the widows and orphans and I would argue 2023 single women over
the age and men over the age of 30 expect especially fall in that category of what I
would call the widows and orphans and we're kind of like why aren't you preaching about being
single from the pulpit I'm tired of it just being a Thursday night thing or there's no
Thursday night thing or you never talk about it or you have a great
singles ministry for the 20 year olds and you have nothing from my age group. If you have to forgive
your church, maybe you have spiritual wounding, spiritual abuse that you need to forgive your
church. And there's a lot of stuff going on in the church. Some of us grew up with a strong
denomination that really relied a lot on guilt and shame and fear. And so maybe you just need to not
just forgive your little C church that you go to, but maybe the church overall. Father God,
I just ask for covering and healing. Father God, these wounds that are so deep and painful,
and they're deep and painful because it's in the house of the Lord. It's connected with brothers
and sisters. It's connected with people that we think should know better, right? It is one thing
when this secular world messes up with us and hurts our feelings. But Father God, when we are
hurt by the church body and we are hurt by the church, it cuts deeper. And somehow it makes us
severed in our relationship with you. And we just ask for forgiveness for that. And we lay down that
sadness and we lay down that pain and we don't want to bring that pain, that anger, that bitterness.
We just don't want to do that. We are not bringing that bitterness with us and that resentment with
us into 2024. So thank you so much for forgiving us in our complete honesty, where we've been
angry at the church, your church in Jesus name. Okay, let's keep going. I want to take a couple
more before we go into the third section of today, which is planning with purpose and promise. So
anybody else either want to pledge something, lay something down. I want to make sure you have space
to get to do that before we go to the next section.
I'm just checking the chats to make sure we got everything before we go to the next section, but feel free to jump in if you want to pray.
I'd like to surrender my deepest pain. I've tried to heal and ask the Lord for healing about
abandonment, not feeling worthy, not being given enough love by my family, parents. They're just
busy with work, but it's just that it's there and it has caused so much problems in my life.
All the rejection, perfectionism, everything I laid down and surrendered to God. Thank you so much.
I want to surrender the hurt that I've been having from churches on not being able to see my
ability to lead and to grow in the church. And I just want to forgive them for that. And I just
want to trust God that if he wants me to lead, he will put me in a position no matter what these
leaders say. So good. So good, you guys. I don't know about y'all, but I just feel like sometimes
we think our prayer times have to be loud and cray-cray for the Holy Spirit to be moving, but
I just feel a gentle Holy Spirit balm over this session right now. I feel like the Lord is with
us in the most tender place. And I just, I could feel the presence of the Holy Spirit kind of going
person to person. And we are across many miles, but he is giving gentle hugs to each and every
single one of us. And he is saying, I see you, I hear you, and I am with you. And so now we're
going to talk about, we're going to pray into what God is asking us to be in preparation.
How are we preparing? How are we purposely planning? One of the words that Jackie used
was the word planting. And when we think about planting anything, whether we're planting a tree,
a flower, an herb, a vegetable, you have to prepare the soil. Then you have to plant the
seeds and then you have to tend to it.
And for the longest time, it doesn't look like anything is growing until it is.
And I think about when a house is being built and they're working on the foundation and
all the stuff under the ground, so to speak.
And you drive by, like my church, we just had our church service today for the first
time in our brand new building.
I can't tell you how many weeks I drove past the pile of dirt and I'm like, what's going
on?
Nothing's happening.
It doesn't look like anything's happening.
And then even two weeks ago when I was painting in the children's ministry, I'm like, there's
no way we're going to be open in two weeks.
There's too much to do.
And then all of a sudden it's there and that time is there.
And so be thinking about that.
It is now winter.
If you want a summer body, what do you need to be doing today to get to that summer body?
Y'all like, I have avoided going to try on a wedding dress because Jack is like, you
just need to activate it and go on and try a wedding dress.
And I've been like, no, I'm not going back into, I'm not going to go try on a wedding
dress until I can fit in a size four.
Like seriously, like that's my mindset.
Well, I've just, by golly, I've decided I'm going to do something stinking about it.
So I've been really working with fitness and nutrition coach really helping me since April.
And by golly, I'm going to be able to go try on that dress this summer one way or the other.
And so what is God asking you to prepare, plant, have a purpose for, and remember that
whatever God's asking you to do now for the season ahead, he is going to go before you.
In the same way, when Moses was taking all of the tribes with him, he always sent the
12 leaders ahead to take care of the land, make sure was there food, shelter, clothing.
Do we have to take care of an army?
Do we have to fight to take the land?
He never just brought people into the land without preparation.
And then when they cross into the river Jordan, Joshua had them prepare and plan.
And so now we're going to kind of pray into, so we're going to take a couple more minutes.
I'm just going to give you a minute to do this because we're getting slower on time.
We're getting lower on time and we're going to pray into what God might be asking you
to do right now.
So when this is going to get a little bit more specific and some of you are like, I'm
going to get rid of fear and anxiety.
I'm going to stop doing this.
I'm going to start doing that.
So you've done some, I'm going to stop doings and now you're going to kind of lean into
what you're going to start doing.
And I just want you to think about the one or two things that he's asking you to do tonight,
starting tomorrow, not the 500 things.
Now your list might come up with 500, but you're only going to claim tonight the one
or two things because I want you to know, I want to know that you're going to actually
do it and we're going to, we're going to hold you accountable to it.
So we're going to go into a time of prayer and let the Lord lead you on with, and then
I will start the prayer.
It's just so hard sometimes for us to figure out what we need to pick up and do.
And one of the things that Jackie shared, you know, with us yesterday was she was talking
about somebody who said that we didn't need to do anything that if the Lord wants stuff
for us, that he's just going to bring it to us and he doesn't need us.
Lord, we know you don't need us.
I mean, you just blinked the world into existence.
You breathed life.
You touched things.
So Father God, we know that you don't need us, but we know that you want us to be a part
of your army.
We know that you desire for us to pick up our part and do our thing.
And so Father God, I just, I think about the thing that you have asked me to do.
And so as I prepare myself, um, for this next season that you have for me, I keep hearing
the phrase, clear the deck, clear the deck.
And I know that means laying down some activities that just are time busters.
They're not, they're not bad things.
They're just, they're nice to have, they're good, but they're stopping me from the great.
And so Father God, um, I really will pray into this Christmas season while I'm home
to just start to think about all of the things, um, that I'm going to have to say no to, um,
so that I make the big room for yeses.
Um, and so Father God, I commit that I'm laying down some of my activity, some of my social
activity and Father God, I just, even the stuff that feels good because I want to feel
great in Jesus name.
And now Father God, just listen to my brothers and sisters as they say the one or two things
that they're going to do in preparation for what you have in front of them.
Heavenly Father, I want to start meal planning and house cleaning and start a new exercise
plan and I need one that's going to fit my needs.
And so I pray, Lord, that you will give me the creativity to give me the resources that
I need to find something that will work well for me and my schedule and my lifestyle.
And I pray for better habits, uh, starting now and even into the future in Jesus name.
Amen.
Father God, thank you for immediately letting me know to have fun, to ask help and remember
my why, my family and the people that I need to serve.
And it's all because of you to drop my shoulders and relax and just trust on you and have faith
that this Christmas will be the best Christmas of all time.
Thank you, Lord.
Father, in order to combat the fear that wants to encroach on me,
I will read Psalm 91 aloud every day.
Lord, I will forgive the three additional people that you have placed on my heart.
And I don't want to, but I will walk in obedience and I will forgive them.
Lord, I hear you saying to me to start saving for my wedding.
This seems really silly, but I'm going to open up an account, Lord, I'm going to do it.
I'm going to activate it.
I'm going to do it.
Lord, I'm going to be more of a bride this year.
That means stop pushing things in control.
Stop pushing things in control.
That means not binge eating when I'm stressed out.
And that means just being more submissive to your will and just instructions of leaders,
not, you know, double questioning everything,
or just being a better steward of the resources that you've given me.
Amen.
I will start pursuing a job that includes ministry and seeking God's will
on what he wants me to do and not what I want to do.
Father, I thank you that I'm actually the opposite of Renee and I need your help.
And I need to actually seek community.
I need to seek friendships.
I need a social life.
And I need to stop saying no to invitations because I'm tired
or because I just don't feel like it or that I guard my time.
So I'm releasing my time to you, and I'm going to start saying yes more to invitations and putting myself out there. Thank you, Jesus.
God, I am going to start scheduling how I'm going to use my leisure time so that there is a better balance between socializing and tending to my ministry, that neither is taking over the other, so that neither is neglected.
God, I'm going to lay down the idea that I always have to say yes to everybody, that it's okay to say no to some things if you don't want me to do it.
Yeah, I agree with that. I just agree with him, and I say no to people-pleasing and yes to God-pleasing, and God, just show us the direction on when to say yes, when to say no, and not feel bad about saying no, and not be a people-pleaser.
God, just show us the difference through the Holy Spirit in our hearts and our actions. Give us the ability to be brave and stand up for our value and our worth and know who we are and our identity in kindness and in value and not where the pendulum swings the other way, where we're upset or bitter.
God, help us to find that balance, Lord, to ask you for the balance. Thank you, God.
Lord, I'm just going to commit to giving you my schedule as we all are, because you said to me the last time I was chatting with a man, I was saying, Lord, I wish I heard from him more, and you sweetly spoke to me, you don't have enough time for the amount of attention you think you want from him.
It just burned me. So Lord, I just thank you that I commit to making room for you. That was the song I was listening to in my car on the way to church, and then we literally sang that at the end of church.
So I will commit to making room for you, Father, because it's truly all your time and would help me to discern better and better what's good and what's God, because I think many of us, Lord, aren't even engaging in evil things or just frivolous things, even though we're doing a lot of really good things, but Lord, let us know what's God and what's good.
And Lord, I thank you that I will care for my body as a vessel of the Holy Spirit as you've just continued to peel back the layers of my healing journey and showing me that the pendulum has swung in my life from anorexia to gluttony and all the factors in between, and you've shown me that they're all forms of self-harm.
And so, Father, I thank you that you've continued to heal this childhood trauma I endured, where the root of that was, and I thank you, Lord, for your healing balm to just continue to bring light into those darkest parts of our healing souls, and I just praise you, Lord, that this is the best year ever. In Jesus' name.
Lord, I just, first of all, just want to thank you for how my continence has changed due to this call. And tomorrow, Lord, I will be making a call to inquire about a space for my business that you've put in my heart, a seed that you planted, and I'm excited about writing out a business plan, hoping for a grant maybe, as you open the door, Lord.
And I'm just grateful for how you just came in and just, whoo, just, I don't even know how to say it. I'm just so grateful for this, this group. It's just amazing. Because I'm just activated to be excited about what you've put in me, Lord. You've put, you've planted the seed in me. It's my calling. It's my calling and my business.
I'm just, I'm so grateful for how you're going to open those doors and, you know, and just even just being excited about it. Even that is good enough for me right now. So thank you so much. And thank you for you, all you ladies who revolted.
vulnerable and shared in the men too.
Just thank you so much for your vulnerability.
It's been amazing.
Thank you.
Thank you, Jesus.
This year I'm laying down and asking for God to really just to love
me the way that he wants to love me.
I try to put boxes and parameters on things and for the Lord to lead me the
way that he wants to lead me so many times I say, you know, I'll give you
this God, but not this, I've got this on my own and that's not how we're
supposed to do it.
It says we're supposed to give him everything and not just the things that
we think that we should or that we need to, but to give him everything.
So I want the Lord to use me in a way that he wants to use me and in the
ministry in the direction that he would choose me to go, not what I have
thought that I wanted to do or the way that I've done it in the past, there's
more and he has more for me.
And so now I'm giving it truly to him.
Lord, I'm actually just planning to just be in prayer with you and just really
try to hear from you on my next steps, especially as I'm transitioning into a
new church and I'm building relationships and just keeping an open mind, you know,
as you're just directing my paths and not try to be swayed by, you know, what
others think of me or how, you know, trying to please people or anything like
that, father, you know, just helping me to learn to hear from you, even if it's
daily prayer, whatever it takes to the baby steps that I have to take to get
from one step to the next, and also ultimately meeting my spirit mate, you
know, getting out any of the stuff that is going to get in the way for me to
achieve what you want, what's best for me.
So direct me to be in that right, in that right church, if it's where I'm at now,
or if you have something else for me, and even directing me in my, in the
ministry, I need to serve in father.
So I just give you thanks father for your direction and feed of
guidance in Jesus name, amen.
You guys, this was so good.
I don't want to stop.
Um, I'm just going to believe that, um, some of you have more work and more
time with the Holy spirit, and it doesn't have to end when we hit stop
recording that if this is just sitting with you and you just want to continue
to marinate, I just encourage you to do that.
Father God, we thank you.
Um, we thank you so much for this time.
Father God, we know that you've spoken a lot.
You've been present, but father God, I believe that there's more, I think
there's more to be said, more to be revealed.
And father God, as we have more prayer times and more activations that, um, you
just continue to reveal that you continue to peel that onion back for the guy.
I thank you for each and every single person who has been here alive.
I ask that you give him sweet, Holy spirit, sweet, uh, sleep tonight.
Father God, for anybody who watches this in replay, may you move them and, and
cause them just to have an aha right where they are, no matter what time of
date is that they have listened to this.
We just thank you and praise you.
And we lift all of this up in your precious name, Jesus.
Amen.