Category Archives: Spiritual Warfare

Developing a Foundation of Prayer

Posted on by yolandaberry
3
forgive-and-let-go

Those who diligently seek me shall find me.

Building a relationship with Jesus requires daily communication with Him.

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. “In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” “Be not wise in thine own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil.” Prov 3

We may lose sight of the importance of daily prayer due to a busy schedule, but we must put God first in all our endeavors for His protection, grace, mercy and provision.

His grace is sufficient. He provides blessings to the just and the unjust, but when you are in a relationship with Him you are open to receive the many benefits and promises that He gives freely to His children.

Prayer is more than asking God to do or give you something. It’s an act of worship and praise.

It’s in the quiet moments when we acknowledge who He is that provides us peace, inner joy and strength to go through our day with high expectations. When we pray over our lives and others, we will gain a sense of inner harmony and peace despite what we may encounter through the day.

Sometimes we may feel our prayers go unanswered, but God has our best interest at heart. It must be His will not our own. Everything happens for a higher and greater purpose that we may not understand at the time, but through faith, obedience and patience, we will inherit the promises of God.

God works in seasons. Abraham and Sarah, The Apostle Paul, Daniel, Joseph, Job and Moses are examples of people who had to endure and wait for the promises of God.

I write this piece to encourage you to endure any situation, circumstance or obstacle. I am a living example of the realities of deterred dreams, dealing with extreme difficulties and disappointments, but God never fails and His word does not return void. (Isaiah 55:11)

Growing Among the Weeds

Posted on by yolandaberry
5

While going for a walk, I noticed patches of grass and weeds growing between the cement on the sidewalk. I started to think about how little soil it took to provide growth.

I related this image of a weed with handling difficult life experiences. You may be placed in hard place, but still have the opportunity for growth. I never paid attention to how grass can grow in such a hard foundation within a tight area and still flourish and have life.

When you are found in a difficult situation, you will tend to experience a series of life lessons that command your attention for growth. The life process never ends. From birth to old age, you will continue acquiring knowledge, wisdom and opportunities for growth. Sometimes the worst experiences provides the best opportunities to learn about yourself and others. In the hard places is where you find out who you really are.

The Apostle Paul stated, “To be content in no matter what circumstances you may be in.” Sometimes it’s difficult to accept your circumstances because you are constantly focused on your surroundings. You may be dealing with an uncomfortable environment or dramatic changes in your life, but when you take the time to search within for healing, forgiveness or whatever is disrupting your peace of mind, you will find that life has much more things to offer despite the challenging opposition.

If the grass and weeds can grow in such a dry place without the essential nutrients of a rich, fertile soil, how much more can you flourish in the midst of a a challenging situation?

Purpose Through Pain

Posted on by yolandaberry
4

I need to vent. Hopefully, my writing will not come across negative, but I don’t care. I need to release my emotions. I need to be free….unexhibited without judgement or opinion. I realize my pen has a powerful voice and over the years my self-expression has been full of anger, frustration and anger, but through life experiences my pen fetish has developed into hope and inspiration.

I realize God is working in and through me for His purpose. I am human. I have struggles and face many challenges just like the best of us. I’m real and raw without fear or intimidation. There is power in exposure. There is also value in identifying and being true to yourself and your experiences.

Life has a way of forcing you in a direction that you never planned. Some call it fate while others may call it destiny but in between the past and future lies the present chaos of life. It’s the choices and decisions that sums up your journey in a nutshell. Each day is like a puzzle that sometimes fits perfectly or may not come together the way you thought it would. But, if you continue walking down the path, you will begin to see a glimpse of the full picture unfold.

At this point in my life, I never would of imagined my life to flip upside down so quickly. It has forced me in a totally different direction than I originally planned. I’m forced to re-invent and re-design a whole new life for myself. I have to admit it’s more than I could of ever imagined. Somehow, I feel I am still going in the right direction even though it may feel uncomfortable. I never realized how much strength, patience, endurance and faith I possessed.

I truly believe that’s why we are here. There is purpose through pain. When we deal with our struggles, we can heal and be a light to help others through the darkness.

We also become more sensitive to other’s circumstances and conditions. I believe that’s why God allows us to go through problems. We gain compassion, understanding, wisdom, strength, endurance and faith. We become more like God’s character. His essence is based on love. He requires us to love one another, but first you must understand how to love yourself.

Through it all, the foundation is based on love. I would of never made it through my storms without knowing the love of God. Regardless of how things may seem, the things we seek in this lifetime is vanity and chasing of the wind. It will all vanish. We ourselves are vapors passing through the sands of time.

Have you ever thought of yourself as a miracle? You are. There is something special about you. Everyone fails, stumbles and makes mistakes. Life happens regardless of race, class or gender. If you feel defeated, overwhelmed, discouraged….just flat out exhausted from life, you need to take time out to reflect and see your core — your value.

Be still and take a deep look inside. If you really don’t like what you see, you can make a change for the better. Nothing is impossible with God, but it helps to know and understand His character. You are a designer’s original. He created, molded and shaped you. Stop looking to be a clone. Just be who you are. Just be.

It’s not about gaining money and status. You have richness within. Develop your character based on integrity, respect, value and purpose. When you understand who you really are in Christ, you will find peace. The world will not shake you and you will not be defined by the world. You will realize that you can’t control things. The promises of God will stand when the world fades.