Category: Mind

keep moving forward · Mind · power · warfare

Violence

Amanda2 Comments

The past three days or so I’ve felt a growing sense of violence surrounding me. Like I can’t breathe because I feel an extreme measure of torment pursuing my heart and soul. And I’ve never been a depressed type, but I do feel a very sudden and extreme sense of hopelessness weighing me down.

Of course I’ve been questioning, “What the actual hell is going on? Why do I suddenly feel this way? What’s the root? Where is this coming from and how do I cut the source off and prevent another wave from coming?”

So, after literally willing myself out of bed this morning, I sat and pondered the source. And then I found it. Friday. Friday there was a clear and direct deposit in the spirit from Holy Spirit. A deposit that gave my sister and I a direct conclusion for a project we’ve been faithfully working on. And, from that point, the enemy of my soul began to enact his plan, shifting my focus from God’s deposit to his own deposit of extreme doubt, fear and hopelessness. I actually sat on the end of my bed yesterday crying because I couldn’t seem to switch off the aimed frequency causing the mental and physical torment I felt.

After gaining the source, I began to feel somewhat better so I asked Holy Spirit, “What do I do now?” He said, “Call your human spirit forward.” So, I did. And I asked her what was up. Her response, “The enemy of your soul is trying to make you quit. He would like you to focus on the tangible world around you and cause you to exist from a soulish playing field of life. He’s trying to divide your spirit and your soul, while creating confusion and torment from within.” 

After my human spirit was finished speaking, I turned back to Holy Spirit for direction. He said, “Divine alignment is happening in the spirit concerning the project. Don’t take your focus off of Me. I told you the Fall would be messy but to remain focused on Me. There’s been a new release concerning this project you are working on. The accuser is after you. If he can get you to fold, he can get the entire project to fold. Tell him no. Tell him you aren’t interested in whatever he is selling. Tell him you choose to operate with love, power and a sound mind. Not fear. Do not buy what he is selling with your own free-will. Stand firm. Stand your ground. You are on holy ground. Do not step into torment or accept it.”

And I’m sharing this because it’s vital to be reminded of the violent nature of the power we combat in the spirit. It’s essential to see that complete submission to Holy Spirit followed by consistent forward movement creates great stress and fear inside of the kingdom of darkness’s camp. And it’s extremely necessary that we pull ourselves closer to Holy Spirit, determine the root of the enemies plan, devise a scheme with Holy Spirit to fight back and then KEEP MOVING FOWARD towards the goal He’s placed in front of us.

And I know that it is challenging. We live in unprecedented times. However, we must keep our eyes focused on the path He’s placed before us, rather than the violence aiming to take us under and consume the divine culture and quality of our spiritual nature. 🌱

Fullness of Jesus · glory · heart · mature · Mind

Stillness

Amanda2 Comments

Remember how I challenged you in my last writing to “sit still” in the presence of God? Remember how I expressed that I believe stillness is the direct path Holy Spirit is leading those that are wholeheartedly following Him down? Remember when I described the path of stillness as an intense and somewhat cumbersome direction of cultivated maturity? 

Okay, if you remember, then you should be able to follow what I’m going to share next.

You see I’m learning that stillness is different than peace. It’s almost a higher level of peace. Peace… Peace is the absence of conflict. We can live in peace amidst conflict. Our souls and hearts can be at peace, even when our worlds are spinning mad or the world is spinning mad. However, stillness… Stillness is literally a supernatural interface with Heaven. It’s a weighty stature of God’s presence made available to us when our human spirit’s reach the paradigm shifting place of true intimacy and wholeness with the Godhead.

Recently, in regards to this, Holy Spirit said, “How are people going to know that I am truly with you, if you won’t let My stillness rest upon you? It’s okay to be still. It’s okay to not have any movement going on in you. That doesn’t mean things aren’t moving. Instead, it means you’re cultivating a space to carry the weight of my glory, which you’ve never truly carried before. And sure, sure it’s cumbersome. Sure, being still is not your favorite thing because you want to be doing, but I have called you to a life of stillness: spirit, soul, heart and body right now. A life of stillness that mediates on My goodness constantly.”

And so that’s where I find myself… Constantly focused on remaining empty of the complaints, frustrations and pettiness of my world and the world. Constantly choosing to accept and embrace the reality that we must continue to cultivate a deep-seated relationship with Holy Spirit and our own human spirits so that we may gain solutions for combatting the darkness in our world. And constantly focusing on Father God, Jesus, Holy Spirit and the goodness they eternally supply through grace. 

And as challenging as it was to get to “here”… As challenging as it’s been to walk down this “jagged path” for a season, this place of inner stillness is worth it. 

And so, again, I challenge you to just sit still. 🌱

authority & dominion · keep moving forward · Mind · power

The Persevered Life

Amanda1 Comment

Perseverance. Oh gosh, I hate perseverance. Actually, that’s not true. I hate the initial feelings of perseverance. You know… The feelings that make you think, “I’ve come so very far. I am so very weary. And… I’ve still got miles upon miles to go.”

And, if I’m completely honest, choosing to persevere can be completely overwhelming and, at times, all consuming for the heart and soul. However, I’ve learned that there is a way to successfully press through without running yourself empty while doing so. 

Perseverance takes peace. Meaning we must be in divine alignment with the Holy Spirit and His will for our lives. Our entire being: spirit, soul, heart & body, must be completely about His love, joy and peace. We must be fixated on Him satisfying our every need.

Perseverance takes patience. I know… I know… Patience is one of my least favorite things because I am a person who loves to cut corners and take things into her own hands; however, I’ve learned that a lifestyle of patience follows a lifestyle of peace. Meaning, it’s a lot simpler to get where we’re going when we have peace undergirding our ability to wait.

Perseverance takes endurance. We have to be able to get up and go!! We have to answer the call no matter the challenge at hand! And sometimes the task at hand is extremely challenging, and so we’d rather cut a corner or skip it. And other times the task is extremely weighty… Meaning we must have a great capacity to carry it. Which is why it’s so important to be prepared to get up and go at all times, in all seasons of life.

Perseverance takes focus. Listen… If we are truly living life in the will of God, then we MUST keep our eyes on the page He’s given us. And… If He’s spoken something to us, we must hold on to what He’s said and not let it out of our sight. 

You see I say all of these things in this moment because I feel somewhat weary about things I’m choosing to continue to believe for… And, I feel slightly overwhelmed about the miles upon miles that I have left before I reach my destination.

So I need… Actually I have to remind myself of these things… Of these truths. I have to speak to my heart & soul and remind them that I need to pursue peace, remain patient, endure whatever is ahead and continue to stay locked in on the plans set before me… And, even if those plans shift course, I have to remain steadfast to them.

Why? Well because when it’s all said and done it will be worth it to finish. It will be worth it to reach the destination He’s pushing me towards.

🌱🛡⚔️  
#cultivatelife #keepmovingforward 

Body · freedom · grow · Mind

This is My Body

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This is my body. It’s the only one I’ve been given. It’s the only vessel (that I know of) my spirit and soul will ever live inside of. And… I don’t ever intend on altering it with plastic surgery to make myself feel a false sense of confidence in my outer appearance.

You see… For years I spoiled my body. I constantly fed it things it wasn’t designed to consume because I was broken, insecure and lost. And then… For years I starved it. I didn’t feed it enough of what it needed because I was STILL broken, insecure and lost.

And though I was certain I’d figure out “how” to live in my own version of a “perfect” body… I never did.

You see I couldn’t grasp hold of true confidence in who I was until I accepted that my spirit and soul were both sick and dying and in need of a healer. They were begging for real love and in dire need of true value and worth. (The kind we won’t find down the rabbit-hole of social media or through “self-love”).

My spirit and soul (the two things that matter MORE than my body) needed God. They needed the Holy Spirit. They needed me to fully lean into the fullness of Jesus Christ and His ability to constantly make me well from the inside out.

And I don’t know where you stand with body image and health; however, I do speak from experience when saying this… Let God heal you. Allow Him to transform you into a new spiritual being. And I know Jesus can be a sensitive subject (I’ve had my own personal journey)… But just try and lean into Him and His Holy Spirit.

You see… The Godhead doesn’t need a building to operate inside of. They need something WAY simpler, a bit more complex and incredibility unique… They need us. They need our hurt, our pain and our brokenness, so that they may take it and turn it into pure love, joy and light. And then… Then once they’ve done that, they need us to continue to pursue them with a heart that ONLY craves to follow the path of a cultivated LIFE! 🌱 #cultivatelife

follow · keep moving forward · Mind · pride

Circling the Bottom

Amanda1 Comment

I don’t want to climb the mountain.
I don’t want to climb the mountain.

Yes I have the strength, the endurance and the capability… But I just don’t want to climb it.

And, so… Rather than climb the mountain, I’ve been circling the bottom for weeks. I’ve been circling it with hopes that He will change His mind.

But He hasn’t. He hasn’t… And so, through all of my whining and complaining, I know I must climb THIS mountain.

I must let go of more selfishness and stubbornness in order to follow Him up.

And I don’t know if you’ve ever truly followed Him before. In today’s culture, a true follow is challenging. We have 72 billion+ reasons to get distracted and misled. However, when we’re willing to go a little bit further with Him, He does open us up to more grace… More wisdom… More peace… And more treasure hidden inside of His heart and His Kingdom alone.

So… Up we go. 🌱 #cultivatelife

faith · lies, deception & manipulation · Mind

If Deception Calls, Will You Answer?

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If deception called, would you pick up the phone and answer? If manipulation were to stare you in the eyes and claim to be “truth,” would you have the discernment to see THE truth?

Deception and manipulation, at their highest levels, have been released. Do you see it? Can you feel it? Are you asking Holy Spirit what THE truth actually is? Or… Is the Holy Spirit you know and commune with a counterfeit spirit?

We live in incredible times of falseness of all kinds. Times when darkness looks like pure light. I only speak from experience though. I used to live in deep, deep deception of dark light.

So… Again, if deception calls, will you answer? 🌱👑⚔️ #cultivatelife

demonic · develop · freedom · healing · lies, deception & manipulation · Mind · refine · warfare

Dethronement

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I see a throne… It’s high and mighty… But I’m struggling with it’s dethronement. Why? Well because I like the kingdom of lies my imagination has cultivated inside of my head.

Actually, I’ve become so good at creating and buying false images that I sometimes get confused over what’s real and what’s false.

You see when I begin to feel really insecure, afraid or alone, I find myself desperately wanting to block those feelings. So, I use my imagination as a tool to place myself somewhere that makes me feel more comfortable than the present moment does. It’s like a place of refuge and security for me when life seems insecure and unknown. I find it comforting to create an untrue scenario that settles any shame, pain, fear or anxiety I feel. I create, and my reality seems to fade a way for a moment.

There’s a huge let down to telling myself lies though… Nothing I’ve told myself is real, but then I’ve created the story so many times that I begin to believe it’s real. And so my soul is trapped in a web of deception and manipulation.

So how do I get out? How do I become free from the mess I’ve created? Well, its taken time, but the Holy Spirit has revealed so much truth to me. He’s shown me that it’s really unhealthy to use our imaginations to create false worlds. He’s also shown me that I exalt my imagination higher than anything else in my life. But, I don’t see how much I worship and praise my imagination because I don’t see it’s true harm. My lies have blocked me from the truth.

However, the amount of disappointment I keep encountering in my life has kind of become a sign that’s helped me look deeper. It’s kind of caused me to start questioning God about a lot of things that I think and believe. I almost feel like I’m standing in front of a brick wall, but I can’t see the wall because I’ve painted a picture on top of it instead. And the picture is just too beautiful to be false. But then when I try to enter the image, I keep running into a wall of disappointment. I keep feeling hurt, let down and deceived. And so I now know that the wall cannot fall until I admit it’s a wall, not a fanatical image.

But, I do believe, on the other side of this wall is a path that will continue to lead me into the purposes and promises God’s intended for my life. And so, I’ve asked Holy Spirit to continue to help me remove the false images and the wall, one lie at a time. 🌱 #cultivatelife #justlive

death · freedom · Mind · refine · soul

Kingdom of Lies

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Lies… Deception… Manipulation… Layers upon layers rest upon my soul. And so my soul feels confused.

But then, my soul doesn’t want a fragment of falseness. My soul wants truth. My heart and spirit crave truth too. But then my mind fears the truth because the lies sound so good and feel so powerful and strong. The lies have been given so much weight and support with my thoughts and my words. I’ve helped cultivate this kingdom of lies.

But the fruit… It isn’t good. The fruit just causes more pain, heartache and disappointment. And even when I try to believe the pain is for a purpose, I find myself more manipulated and deceived than I was before. Constantly pacing in mental hell as I scream, “Why?!!!”

But I hear God. I hear Him clearly when He says, “Why would I lead you down a path of deception and manipulation? Why would I bring pain and confusion to your soul? I want you healthy and whole. So let go.”

And so… I let go. 🌱 #cultivatelife #justlive

kingdom · Mind · soul

What Gives God?

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How can I confidently stand firm on God and His words and His promises when I have days like yesterday? Moments where I feel impatient and start to flip flop about the promises.

And what about the “bloom?!” God promised I’d see a bloom in my life, but now I feel like He meant the trees around me!!

What gives God? Where are your promises? What’s your delay? What’s the delay? And why do I still have to be still?

In the stillness there’s still growth though… There’s still constant and consistent movement and life.

And even though my soul flips back and forth everyday… I still have hope. I still have joy. I still believe cultivating LIFE in the Kingdom of God is the best way we can choose to live life! 🌱 #cultivatelife #justlive

freedom · Mind · refine · soul

Dressed in Lies?

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I got on the train this morning and couldn’t help but find myself staring at the young man across from me…. Dressed from head to toe in some of the “best” brands and jewelry around. You could just tell he felt “cool” and “complete” because that’s what those clothing brands stand for. But then I looked into his eyes and I saw some of the deepest pain I’ve ever seen. It really took me a moment to stop staring too because his brokenness was so strong it reached out and touched me.

You see I believe we buy so many lies about what causes us to feel complete in life. Like we honestly believe having more “stuff” will do something for us. However, when I looked into this young man’s eyes, I didn’t see gain… I saw loss. I saw death. I saw brokenness, heartbreak, sadness and lack of security. I saw someone who puts on a fashion facade everyday because that’s what our culture says we should do.

And I don’t mean to sound so honest, but I just wish we would wake up. I wish we could see that we’ve been lied too over and over again. I wish we could see that no amount of tangible possession will ever make us feel whole, complete and loved on the inside.

And I know there are so many clothing brands, lifestyle brands, movements, societies and groups of thought that want to make us feel validated, valuable, worthy and connected. But then every time I look at these things I wonder, “Why can’t we all just see that we, as a culture, are lacking foundational stability and security in God? Why do we keep tip-toeing around the obvious; and why can’t we start opening our eyes to the reality that this entire universe operates off of the intangible, spiritual ways first and foremost?” And, “When will we ever learn that our brokenness, heartache, sadness and insecurity cannot be healed because we decided to buy a new top that supports a positive mindset?”

And I don’t know when we will see the truth; however, I do believe movements, mindsets and brands don’t really stand a chance to the supernatural way of life. If we want to truly feel free, alive, connected, healthy and whole… Then we must be healed in the spiritual, supernatural ways of life first! 🌱 #cultivatelife