A FAITH-FILLED, PROPHETIC WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT!
MAY 24, 2022
BY CRYSTAL G.H. LOWERY
BE EN-COURAGED!
There has been a lot of dis-couragement in the body of Christ in the last few weeks. Just when you have felt that the season of heaviness has been lifted, the enemy was waiting to strike back with an even greater set of circumstances which has felt heavier than before. There has been a massive mental pile up…a heavy load that the enemy has dumped on you. Just when you thought you couldn’t take one more ounce of water or you would drown, the enemy pushed your head under. But, the Lord is breathing new oxygen into you, new life into your being, and you are not going to drown. You are going to swim out of this flood of burdens and you are going to walk on dry ground. You are created and destined to be courageous!
You aren’t meant to just survive. You’re created to thrive. You aren’t meant to just exist. You’re created to live!
This is a John 10:10 discernment season!
The Modern English Version (MEV) of John 10:10 says, “The thief does not come, except to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
We hear this verse often, especially in Christian circles. I quote it often and refer to it as the job description of the enemy and the job description of Jesus. Sometimes, we see something so often or hear something so often, that the obvious ceases to be obvious. It’s like the snake in front of us that could strike out and bite us at any second and we aren’t prepared.
As I studied this verse again in one version of the Bible that I have which has Jesus’ words in red letters, the obvious struck out at me. The entirety of John 10:10 are Jesus’ words! This came from Jesus’ lips and are recorded for us to read and re-read and re-new our minds to this TRUTH.
Not only is this the job description of the enemy and of Jesus, but Jesus actually told us this from his lips. If Jesus said it, we can believe it!
The dis-couragement that has been so overwhelming is part of the effect of the enemy doing his job. I like how the MEV translation says it. “The thief does not come, except to steal and kill and destroy.” There is no other reason or purpose for him to come. The thief will not come, with only one exception. That exception is to steal and to kill and to destroy. Otherwise, there is nothing for him to do. So, when you notice your courage cowering and leaving and you begin to feel dis-couragement. Know that is a work of the enemy, not of God.
The prefix “dis-“ means “not” or “the opposite of.” Therefore, discouragement means to “not have courage” or “without courage” or “the opposite of courage.” God’s plan for us is to be with courage, not without courage. The job description of Jesus in John 10:10 clearly tells us, from Jesus’ own words, what his purpose is: “I came that they (you) may have life, and that they (you) may have it more abundantly.” (parenthesis mine). Having life requires courage and having life more abundantly, without a doubt, requires much courage. So, we can rest assured that God wants us to be with courage.
Just as the Lord told Joshua after he succeeded Moses, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9 MEV) Here, we see that the Lord not just advised or suggested that Joshua have courage. God actually COMMANDED him to have courage. It wasn’t an option, it was a command. The use of the verb “BE” before the words “strong” and “courageous” is very instructive. The verb “BE” actually means, “used to say something about a person, thing, or state, to show a permanent or temporary quality, state, job, etc.” (https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/be)
Because God commanded Joshua to BE courageous and because we know that the job description of Jesus is to bring you life and life more abundantly, we know that BEING courageous is a permanent command, not a temporary state of being.
So what is courage? I’ve heard people say that courage is the ability to do something even though they are afraid. But, I believe that living a supernatural life can mean that we resist fear and it will flee. So, I believe that courage is God’s supernatural strength you walk in on a daily basis by renewing your mind to the TRUTH of God’s word and His promises; knowing He will never leave us or forsake us; knowing that because Jesus has overcome the world, we have overcome; and knowing that we are RIGHT NOW co-seated with Jesus at the right hand of God to rule and reign.
Faith is believing and seeing God’s word as TRUTH in the very face of seeing something opposite in the natural. Having courage takes faith. But, we can and it’s very doable.
So, set your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector (finisher) of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). He has given you everything you need to live life and life more abundantly!
At the beginning, I started by telling you to “Be en-couraged.” Be with courage, my friend. That’s a command from the Lord. Shake off the spirit of dis-couragement. Resist the enemy and he WILL flee. The red letters of Jesus are timeless. They still work today and they are still TRUTH.
BE COURAGEOUS! Based On Faith.
Crystal G.H. Lowery, Esq is a Christian Estate Planning Attorney and is the owner and founding attorney of Law Office Of Crystal G.H. Lowery, LLC. Based on Faith is an organization whose vision is to become an international resource that increases biblical knowledge of faith within the Body of Christ through comprehensive teaching, discussion of law, and the prophetic.
Copyright MAY 24, 2022 ©, Crystal G.H. Lowery and Based on Faith. All Rights Reserved.