2020: Greater Glory!

Are you ready for 2020? If not, it’s time to get ready now. I hear the Lord saying, “Get ready! Get ready! I’m going to pour out greater glory on the face of the earth.” I don’t believe our human minds could fully comprehend this, but our spirits will leap with excitement if we truly grab ahold of it.

God wants you to be excited about this new year! Maybe 2019 wasn’t everything you hoped it would be. Because of this, disappointment may have consumed your heart. I can relate. For the most part 2019 was a good year for me. The last part however, was a little rough as I faced some things with my health and began to experience a lot of transition. Honestly, I felt a little discouraged. As I spent time with the Lord last week, and thought about the approaching new year, the Holy Spirit reminded me that I had a choice. I needed to choose to let go of my disappointments and put my trust in the God who is ALWAYS faithful.

God wants us to shake off that disappointment and put our hope in Him once again! The enemy would like nothing more than for us to enter 2020 without expectation; without hope. But know this; God isn’t limited by our mistakes or by the negative circumstances we may have found ourselves in. He is the God works for the good of those who love him, and who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). God says, “Put your hope in Me!” He promises that when we put our hope in Him, we won’t be disappointed. It’s time to throw off the disappointments of this past year, because God is going to do a new thing. The glory He desires to pour out is for us all and it’s greater than anything we’ve experienced before!

Someone prophesied over me a few months ago that God was going to place a new mantle on me. I didn’t think too much of it at the time, but I realize now, that this is probably what a lot of the transition in my life has been about. I share this, because I think many of you will be able to relate to it. In order to embrace the new thing that God wants to do in our lives, we have to let go of the old and that brings a lot of transition. There’s an internal struggle, maybe even physical at times, as our spirit and soul battle against one another. To embrace the new however, we have to prepare ourselves for the changes that are coming. If you have children, you know that in the last month of pregnancy especially, there’s a lot of transition happening in your body, your emotions, your whole life actually as you are preparing for your new baby to arrive. Even our husbands experience this, as they see us going through these changes and sense inside themselves that everything in their life is about to change too. It’s exciting and yet scary at the same time. It’s the same with our walk with God. Thankfully, we don’t have to fear, because God is with us to help through the transition and be able to embrace the new and glorious things He wants to bring to our lives.

If you’re like me – a planner, you like to know all the details, and what to expect and to have everything ready and all planned out. Well, with God, our whole walk is based on faith so it’s not always laid out before us in a neat little plan. 🙁 More often than not, it involves not knowing what’s going to happen next and taking one step of faith at a time. As God extends His hand and beckons us to follow Him, we must throw aside fear and take that step of faith. Honestly, as scary as that is, when we actually let go of our plans, our control, our limited perceptions, it’s truly a glorious experience as God leads us into things that exceed our wildest dreams. 🙂 I believe that’s what God is doing in the body of Christ right now. In your life! None of us have the full picture of what God is going to do, but we’ve been feeling this transitioning in our lives as God is preparing us for the greater glory to come!

Two weeks ago, the Lord said to me “In order for me to pour out greater things ‘to’ you in 2020, I am requiring greater things ‘from’ you.

GREATER PASSION – God is looking for greater passion in our personal relationship with Him in this season. After all, He’s coming back for an on fire, passionate bride. He is passionate for us too, coming back with fire in His eyes! What a picture! Our passion will increase as we pursue Him more. As we seek out those times of intimacy with Him and bask in His Presence, our passion will increase. To experience all He has for us, we need to give Him all of us. I truly believe this passionate relationship with God is what the greater glory is all about. As we know Him more, we will know more who we are as the righteous bride of Christ. Our hearts will explode with love for Him and our entire lives will change. Maybe like me, you’ve been walking with God for a long time and it’s difficult to imagine what the greater is. Oh, I know it’s there, because God promises, but I can’t even imagine with my human mind what it will be like. And you know what? I think that’s actually what makes it exciting, because we are in a place for God to shock and amaze!! He wants to knock our socks off with His goodness – to consume us with His glory. Whether you’re just beginning this journey with Christ, or you’ve been on it for a long time, let’s commit to having a greater passion for Jesus this next season by pursuing Him with our whole hearts. The truth is, He’s after us too. May our hearts collide with His like never before! WOOOO! I’m ready!!!!

GREATER OBEDIENCE – The more you connect with God in intimate relationship with Him, the more He’ll share His heart with you. He’ll download Heavenly things to you that only He could. As the Lord directs you to do things, even uncomfortable things, it’s vital to listen and obey. He may lead you to share your faith with someone when you feel totally inadequate and uncomfortable doing so. Just take that step and open your mouth. God will take that step of faith and open up doors for you because He knows He can trust you to follow Him. He may tell you to go in a direction in your life or career that you don’t understand because you can’t see the full picture. No one around you may understand but when God leads, just follow Him. God has already been speaking some things to me personally, that honestly, are pulling me right out of my comfort zone!! A few weeks ago, I said God, I’m not sure about this and I heard Him say as clear as day, “The comfort zone is the safe zone, and as long as you are in the safe zone, there is no faith. I cannot, and WILL NOT move in the safe zone. Step out in faith and follow Me.” I felt a surge of power through my entire body as I heard this and was like, “Whoa! I better move!” Remembering God’s goodness will always help us to obey and follow in faith. When we know in our hearts that He is good, we know that anything He asks us to do is to lead us into His good plan for our lives. Again, this heart knowledge will come through our passionate pursuit of Him.

GREATER FOCUS – And finally, greater focus. We all know that life is full of distractions. It’s so easy to start off the new year with great expectations and commitments to do things differently and fizzle out mid year. Let’s be aware of the distractions that come, and stay focused, not on a million different things, but FIRST and FOREMOST on passionately pursuing God like we never have before, Let’s fight for that time with the Lord, like our life depends on it, because it does; let’s say NO to every distraction that tries to draw us away. I believe that if that’s our focus, everything else will fall into place. YES, it’s as simple as that.

I pray that if you weren’t already, excitement is now bubbling in your heart. Maybe you feel a little uncertain, but know this, the God of all Creation is Sovereign and in complete control and His plan for your life is SO good. The things that He has in store for you in 2020 will amaze you. I want to encourage you to let go and just take one step of faith at a time. God is faithful!  Watch and see what the Lord does in your life!

Get ready for greater Glory in 2020! – Happy New Year!!!