Get In Your Element

There is nothing like being in your element because--when in that space--you come across as confident, at peace and fearless. This is why it is important for you to allow your Creator to make clear the gifts He has wired you to express via your existence. Any area of gifting you possess, as shared by Dr. Myles Munroe, is to be understood as territory in which you are meant to dominate. And being armed with this understanding, you can--without apology--focus your time, talent and treasure in maximizing your efficiency through targeted deployment of your unique giftedness.

The abilities you come to understand as GOD-given gifts MUST be nurtured. Doing so refines the rawness of your abilities into a polished presentation of them that sets you apart as one who dominates in your respective area(s) of gifting. But in order to fluently express your gifting at such notable levels, demand MUST be consistently placed on your potential to produce it with excellence. This is the key to surpassing good and becoming exceptional. As you deploy your gift, excellent delivery of it ensures the continued employment of your gift, because people will consequently come looking for you in order to access what you produce when in your element.

So whenever you experience being in your element, thank GOD for each and every opportunity He gives you to function in the capacity for which you have been well-equipped. After all, it is His gift working in and through you to do that which is His will and good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). Each opportunity you are afforded testifies of GOD's ability to guide your feet into places which He has already prepared for you to succeed. Therefore, wherever you may find yourself on the journey to greatness, being in your element is always a cause for celebration and thanksgiving. 

When You Feel Overwhelmed

Have you ever been in a place where the weight of your life's challenges seemed to be way too much to handle? It's probably safe to say that all humankind has experienced such feelings. In the midst of the heaviness, it can be seemingly difficult to cast your cares upon GOD in worship. But the one thing your opposition is counting on is you doubting what YOU can incite through worship.

Make no mistake about it, the very best thing to do WHENEVER you feel overwhelmed is to ascend in worship. Don't bother worrying about all that may be weighing on you in trying moments. Worrying solves nothing. Also, avoid rash decision-making born out of your flustered emotions. Emotional reactions change nothing. When overwhelmed, these sort of carnal-minded approaches only make YOU worse off... 

BUT when you choose to elevate your mind (i.e. your thinking) above the circumstances and begin to bless (i.e. speak well of) the LORD your GOD, something more advantageous happens... YOU change! Your perspective, your response, your attitude ALL change because NOW you're looking at those very same circumstances from a totally different angle than before. Worship literally shifts your line of sight from what has you feeling overwhelmed to the One whom those troubling circumstances must bow and become subject. 

Know that the upper hand has NO CHOICE but to be yours as an atmosphere-shifting worshipper of Yahweh. You being able to get past how you feel at any given moment and earnestly call for an uprising of GOD's glory WITHOUT musicians, a worship team or pastor is precisely what keeps you together away from whatever physical sanctuary wherein you worship corporately. PLEASE understand that your sanity depends on YOU--as a worshipper--being able to command atmospheres for yourself. Therefore, begin to decrease your dependence on those whom you have looked to as glory carriers. Start stirring up the gift of GOD within you, so the worshipping warrior you were redeemed to become rises up and releases the governing influence of Heaven in the earth. 

Demand More From Life

There is so much more to life than merely existing or surviving.  It was never GOD's intention for our lives to be stuck on repeat, literally spending our days purposelessly navigating through the routine boredom that life tends to become for so many.  Furthermore, it was never Father's intention for our lives to be filled with so much trouble that we find ourselves encountering episode after episode of seemingly endless drama.  Like, for real... At what point do we truly live?  When do we embrace the possibilities life affords?  And why aren't we really enjoying life? 

As scripture tells us (in John 10:10), Christ came that we might have life more abundantly. So let's do ourselves a huge favor here and STOP being content with just getting by. We've celebrated long enough that we've made it through, we've survived and that we've not let go. It's now past time for us to demand MORE from life. 

There's absolutely nothing wrong with expressing gratitude for wherever you may be in life and what you've come from. After all, we're instructed in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 to give thanks in everything. But let's be clear: our refusal to settle for whatever life dishes doesn't make us ungrateful. Yet, it does motivate us to REACH higher, WORK harder and THINK bigger. Because, for those who are determined to have (and enjoy) a "life more abundantly" experience, good enough is simply NOT enough. 

To the truly renewed mind, we are much greater than where we are right now. And it's not rocket science to see that we'll never achieve greatness until we first experience a shift in culture towards greater. Our way of living MUST shift away from satisfaction with a "just getting by" cultural mindset. 

We must challenge ourselves. We must embrace more progressive paradigms. We must dare to do things differently than we've seen them done. In order to experience life more abundantly, we must be willing to humble ourselves and be taught by the Set Apart (Holy) Spirit how to leverage Heaven's influence over the earth for the advancement of our King's agenda.  For EVERY believer, that literally means adjusting to a whole new way of life.  So, are YOU willing to demand more from life?  Or will you just continue in the way that seems right because it's all you've ever experienced?

Father, it is our prayer that we be shifted from the vain traditions that have influenced us to live beneath our privilege as Your children. As You continue to open the eyes of our understanding that we may be enlightened, keep stirring within us the desire to demand more from life. Do not allow us to remain complacent with how life is (or has been) for us. Ignite our passion, O GOD, to pursue the greatness which we are more than capable of manifesting. May supernatural strength arise in us to reach higher, work harder and think bigger. For the glory belongs to You, forever and ever. Amen. 

How to Keep Moving Forward Through the Storm

With life comes rainfall experiences. From the lightest sprinkles to the most torrential downpours. A friend of mine recently shared in her weekly inspirational message about the challenges of driving in the rain, which got me thinking about this in an interesting way. She noticed while driving through this heavy rain that some motorists had chosen to pull over, which suggested that their windshield wipers failed to clear the falling rain water fast enough for them to safely continue their journey. And so life can be when the rainy seasons of your life dump more on you than one can seemingly bear (or see beyond).

Rainy conditions will indeed challenge your visibility. And depending on the shape your wipers are in, you may not be able to see well enough to safely proceed to your destination. After all, given the great risk associated with moving forward while unable to clearly see what's ahead, a delayed arrival is better than not arriving at all. While sitting alongside life's highway watching the other vehicles passing by, you may even recall brushing off the need to get a fresh new set of windshield wipers to replace the now dull pair. As it's often said, hindsight is 20/20. So there's no point in being frustrated about it now. You just have to wait until the rain slacks up, however long that may be.

Here is where I'm going with all of this... One of the greatest advantages of enjoying a vibrant life of prayer and communion with your Heavenly Father is the way in which He improves your visibility despite the conditions. There is literally no amount of rainfall He cannot quickly clear from your windshield when He is allowed to provide for you. But a lack of prayer and communion with Him deceives you into believing that you can see things on our own--that is, until you find yourself parked on the shoulder of the road waiting for the storm to pass.

Be encouraged today to make prayer and communion with Yahweh a consistent part of your life with Him. Trust Him to be faithful in making sure you can always see the way, even under the worst of conditions. He will clear the rain from your view, so you can keep moving forward THROUGH the storm to your destination.

Stock photo by Matheus Bertelli (IG: @bertellifotografia) from Pexels

Overcoming Barriers to Fulfilling Purpose

When it comes to pursuing one's dreams, there are times when you may feel inadequate.  The idea comes to mind that if you had access to certain abilities or resources, it would be much easier for you to go after what you desire.  My decision making has certainly been affected by such thoughts over the years, which is why stories like that of America's Got Talent contestant Mandy Harvey are so inspiring.  Each time I see the video of her appearance on the hit television show, it greatly encourages me to see setbacks as set-ups for even greater comebacks.

Mandy's story is a reminder that everything YOU think is needed is not required. Neither your condition nor your position can limit you, as long as you're willing to not give up the pursuit of YOUR path to greatness.  As Mandy indicated in her interview, it was her desire to sing.  When her condition suddenly changed, she had to decide between giving up altogether or finding an alternative path to fulfilling what she understood to be her purpose.

When life presents challenges that affect your ability to move forward in your purpose, don't mistake the attack against your path as an attack against your purpose.  As the scriptures read in 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT), "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure."  To help you withstand the temptation to quit, Yahweh is committed to showing you a way to escape whatever has presented itself to block the manifestation of destiny.

The Currency of the Kingdom

One thing that has become clear to me (as a worshipper) is that atmospheres saturated with the glory of Yahweh's presence are inspiring. When Heaven is encountered, its culture sparks an awakening. Something quickens within. You come alive! Experiencing the power of the Set Apart (Holy) Spirit at work manifesting the agenda of Heaven on Earth broadens your perspective and expands your capacity to function beyond the self-imposed limitations that minimize--and in some cases, eliminate--personal growth.

It then becomes important to not just go to church simply because it's the right thing to do. More importantly, one cannot expect to grow in a church setting that fails to expose believers to supernatural manifestations of Kingdom culture.  Without such exposure, believers will never become ignited within to exercise their faith in bold, new ways. But by encountering the activity of Heaven on Earth, we ultimately experience faith in action and learn how to flow with the current of the Set Apart (Holy) Spirit.

Faith indeed moves! Things happen when faith is exercised because it's action-oriented by nature. When you begin to view faith as the currency (i.e. movement) of the Kingdom, it totally transforms your perspective on its importance. Just like electrical currents, the current seen in bodies of water and even the currency (i.e. money) used in the exchange of goods and services, the energy of faith creates movement. Faith is so vital to the Kingdom's dominance over the earth and its resources that every Heaven-inspired transaction requires it!

Show Me How To Get It For Myself

"You can't be my friend and NOT show me how to get it for myself." --Floyd Mayweather

As I recently watched video of a recorded conversation between boxing champion Floyd Mayweather and award-winning recording artist Snoop Dog, my attention was arrested upon hearing the above statement.  Mr. Mayweather was sharing that it was simply not enough to enjoy experiencing someone else's home, yacht or jet.  It was, in fact, more important to him that he learn how to get his own to enjoy.  But here's the kicker: look at how important it was that he gain access to this information...  In his mind, it is the granting of access that legitimizes the friendship!  There was no way Floyd Mayweather was going to regard ANYONE as friend who would rather showcase their prosperity than show him how to prosper as they have so done.  NOW THAT'S POWERFUL!  

Too often, we find ourselves merely admiring what others have attained AND feeling privileged for the opportunity to witness their prosperity.  But what good is experiencing someone else's prosperity and afterwards remaining clueless as to how they were able to come into such abundance?  Of course, everyone isn't interested in that kind of information because we all know people who would rather enjoy the privileges of others without the responsibility of securing and maintaining it themselves.  However, for those who desire to know, each encounter with another's abundance is seen as a life-changing learning opportunity. 

Wisdom In Giving

Something of great concern among people in ministry who exercise spiritual gifts is the expectation to receive a financial seed from those whose lives they speak into.  Thanks to the affordability of social media over traditional broadcasting, there is an abundance of ministering personalities present on the Internet seeking platforms to share the Gospel and build their audiences.  But what's disturbing is that there are people daily hosting live streams--sometimes multiple times per day--encouraging people (who are mostly struggling financially) to give financially to the advancement of their ministry.

It is normally not the practice of From the Heart of a Worshipper to post about highly controversial matters.  But this topic deserves some air time because these kinds of activities lead believers and non-believers alike to feel apprehensive about giving.  It sends a very confusing message to the world about the instruments through which GOD speaks--that they are hustlers, swindlers, tricksters and schemers.  And as a result of this unseemly behavior, not only are generous-hearted people more skeptical about placing their hard-earned money into the hands of ministers.  There are genuine ministry gifts out here who are hesitant to make a request for funding out of fear that they will be lumped into the same category with those who repeatedly solicit financial support.

If you find yourself struggling in this area as a giver, then prayerfully this post will be an encouragement to you.  When it comes to releasing the money over which your Heavenly Father has given you stewardship, give as you are led by the Set Apart (Holy) Spirit.  Do not allow anyone to pressure you into giving, especially if you do not have it to give.  GOD expects you to manage your household well and pay your bills.  So, understand that it is not the challenging of your faith to give money that has already been budgeted for the maintenance of your household to a minister or ministry.

In Pursuit of Intentional Corporateness

It is often said that teamwork makes the dream work. And as cliche' as that may sound, it really doesn't take a rocket scientist to conclude that two heads are better than one.  We live in an increasingly social culture that strongly encourages collaboration in the areas of education, commerce, and even government.  With greater emphasis now being placed upon building high-performing teams as opposed to celebrating superstar MVP's, the Body of Christ has an amazing opportunity to lead the way in exemplifying how the culture of Heaven interprets teamwork.  More importantly, we can shift the cultural dynamic in the various environments in which we go in and out by appropriating Messiah's teachings in our everday dealings with those whom we collaborate.

As an observant believer, I more clearly see now why the Body of Christ MUST be in the world but not of the world.  The world around us is filled with messy situations that cannot be overlooked.  And if we--as high-performing teams--are going to shift the cultural climate in the territories to which we have been sent, then we simply cannot afford to be "religious" ostriches burying our heads in the sand.  No more can we avoid grappling with matters we deem to be ungodly.  That excuse has been overly used to deflect attention from any frank admission that the messy matters lying before us are REALLY above our theological pay grade, and we know not what to say of these things without risk of sounding irrelevant.  As citizens of the Kingdom of Light, we have been placed in the earth to be light bearers wherever we are sent.  Our very presence is meant to eradicate darkness--not in a judgmental, condescending way but in a loving, encouraging manner that evokes the same kind and quality of conviction with which Messiah communicated during His earthly ministry.