DON'T BE SCARED

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world (I Jn 4:1)

Beloveds don't believe the hype and what people tell you about them or not even what other people tell you about someone.  I say that because you never know the motives behind why someone else is defaming a person to you.  Their motive could be that they want them for themselves or other reasons.  Could be they do not have Godly intent toward you, so you must discern and try every spirit to see whether the Lord has spoken or not.

Some of us, I don't know whether it is insecurity, desperation, confusion, lack of understanding, or fear, find it difficult to dismiss things or people out of our space.  Let me be clear, when we have seen that spirit manifest and it reveals itself to us then we have no obligation to entertain it.  If deliverance is not in the making, then an exit should be.

I know some of you have or will go on dates or even have initial conversations with people which at some point their true character will be displayed during that conversation.  Why oh why do we continue to sit and listen and play with enemy when we have already discerned the character of the individual and it is not a person who is in line with who you are?  For a long time I could not understand that about myself.  Until I realized one day, it's because we have this God complex.  We think that we can save people.  I thought somehow I was not displaying love by not being longsuffering.  But when I realized that I'm under no obligation to be longsuffering with foolishness, I have learned to simply walk away.  There is no need to invite the enemy to do damage to your life.  That is, unless, you enjoy drama, foolishness, and misery.

After suffering many years in bad relationships, I have learned to shake the dust off of my feet and keep it moving.  For example, ladies sitting through a date with someone or even a telephone conversation that is not conducive to the things of God is not a conversation that we need to be having.  In other words, there is really no point in sitting there for an hour of your precious time that you could be spending in prayer.  When you discover that it is finished or that it's not going to begin, let them see your skirt tail leave the conversation. 

Do not allow fear of being alone to stop you from using wisdom concerning your life.  You are more important than that.  Do not give other people more credit, importance, and respect than you give yourself.  That doesn't mean not to love people, but it simply means that do not devalue yourself so others can feel important.  You are valuable and what you think, how you feel, and who you choose to spend your time with is your decision.  You do have a choice with whom you spend your time with.  So, if for some reason the date, the conversation, the relationship is not what you choose to do, then do not allow fear of loneliness or being alone stop you from stepping back.

Too many times we stay in things because of that or insecurity.  When we do that, we are putting someone else's needs above ours and devaluing ourselves.  We are saying how we feel is less important than how they feel or what they need.  You need something too and if you are not getting what you need, then it is not what it's supposed to be. 

So, if you just remember one thing I’ve said today, remember this; do not be afraid to walk away.  If you have to excuse yourself to go to the restroom and slide out to your car, if you have to end the telephone conversation, if you have to say I’m not doing this, whatever way in which you need to handle it, don’t be afraid to do it. You deserve peace, you deserve happiness, you deserve respect, and you deserve someone in your life that can give all of that to you. Don’t stay or get connected because of what other people have told you or what that person tells you.  You connect or disconnect based on what God has told you.  It doesn’t matter what someone else wants because you have a choice about who you invite into your space.

Be blessed beloveds!

Pastor Symintha

DON'T BACK DOWN

I know some of you have had an occasion or two where you had to make a stand on principle and your biblical values in some situation where others thought you were just PLAIN crazy! 

For this reason, take up the whole armor of God so that you may be able to take a stand whenever evil comes. And when you have done everything you could, you will be able to stand firm. Eph 6:13 (ISV)

There are so many instances where we can be tempted to rethink our position on our values.  Our values being biblically centered can be a turn off for most people.  Nowadays people do not want to hear you tell them that you do not believe in premarital sex or that the cookies are staying in the jar prior to marriage.  Nowadays, just about anything goes and it is the standard to say just about anything and do the same.  Some Christians have lowered their standard so low you find it difficult to distinguish between them and world.  It's unfortunate because many people assume nobody is watching their life, but in reality you are being watched all of the time.  At some point, somebody will call you on that standard you say you're upholding and living.

There is much to be said about putting on the whole armor of God especially in this day and age.  You will certainly need it! You are protected from every angle when you have the entire armor on.  When you find yourself in a position where you feel vulnerable or weak there is always something in that armor that you can pull from that will strengthen you, guide you, and reinforce who you are as a woman of God.

Our scriptures says "and when you have done everything that you could do to stand" you WILL be able to stand firm.  Not by pure will, but by the spirit of God that resides on the inside of you, because his strength is made perfect in our weakness.  After you have exhausted all you can do in yourself and there is nothing left of you to give, the Holyghost is able to sustain you and keep you from falling.  My grandmother use to say, "He’ll keep you if you want to be kept".  That is so true.  Where we fail is that we find ourselves questioning whether we want to be kept or not.  We find ourselves trying to strip the armor off because it takes more effort to keep it on than off.  There is less responsibility in taking it off.  We do not have to stand for anything and we do not have to adhere to anything when we take it off.  But the problem with that is that at the end of the day, you still have to acknowledge who you are.  You can take the Queen out of the palace and put her in a pig pen, but she is still the Queen and the pen doesn't change that.  You are still who you are whether you choose to lay down in the pen or stay in the palace.  The accountability for your actions does not go away.  Somebody is still looking at the Queen down in the pen wondering how she strayed so far from where she belongs.

So, back to the armor and our values.  Our values as women of God teach us to be set apart or different in our thinking and behavior than how the world would typically think, respond, and behave.  It is not a popular thing, no doubt and often we are criticized, ridiculed and even rejected for our beliefs.  How many times have you had someone never call you again when you said there are certain things you believe are reserved for husbands and wives?  For me, too many.  I'm certainly fine with that.  In fact, I'm glad; it means less pressure on me from having to say no repeatedly.  That's what you'll find yourself doing when you align yourselves with someone who does not respect who you are.  They will view you as one of pheasant girls when you actually are royalty.

Typically royalty aligns themselves with people of the same lineage.  I hope I just heard an amen! I said typically royalty aligns themselves with people of the same lineage, not with commoners.  It is on rare occasions that you will find that royalty will yoke up with commoners, but you can be certain that their lineage has been investigated thoroughly and they were found to be a suitable mate.  Royals who stray too far from custom do not have the privilege of inheriting the throne.  Thus, the throne will go to the next in-line.

Stand in who you are women of God because it does matter, it is important not only to you but to the souls that your walk affects.  It is important to the God that we serve.  It is important to your destiny and purpose.  Backing down is easier because it means that you perhaps won’t be as lonely, you will seem more open, and you will be more accepted.  The bottom line for me is I would rather be accepted in the beloved, a chosen priesthood, a peculiar person than fit into the status quo.  Your peculiarity makes you extremely special and rare.  It’s like finding a blemish free diamond.  It is a priceless gem.  We could put a price on it, but very few could afford to purchase it.  Don’t you want to be in a class all by yourself?

Much love….strive for excellence, walk in obedience, and keep don’t let your sword fall!

Pastor Symintha Radford

FIX MY MESS GOD!!

Call unto me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you know not. (Jer 33:3)

I greet you my wonderful sisters.  I have a word to share with you today.  I’m preaching to myself as well, as always.  All you prayer warrior princesses out there today, I want you to be reminded of who you are in everything you do in life and especially those with whom we align ourselves.  We truly are unique individuals, but we do some things that sabotage our progress so many times.

We are something else sisters.  I say us because I have been down this road, indeed! Let me tell you what I mean, we run off and get ourselves hooked up into relationships and we never bother to consult God about it.  What we do is tell ourselves I know this is God…..  Oh, I’m certain this has to be.  But we do not bother to even ask him concerning this new person we’ve introduced into our lives.  Many of us even go as far as to marry them.  After we have done our thing and didn’t bother to ask the Lord about it, then we want Daddy to swoop in and fix the mess that we just made!

Okay, so look, you looking at Daddy and he’s looking at you.  You want him to fix it and he’s saying, “I didn’t do this!” Our impatience and bad judgment lead us down this road of destruction but now we want God to put his seal of approval on this mess that we created.  We want him to turn our mess into the promise, anoint it, and make it work.  Hello somebody, why in the world would the Lord do that?

Whoever you hooked up with is who he is and he will always be who he is.  He’s not getting ready to change for you.  And get this news flash, you can impose your will on him, nor do you have the ability to deliver him and set him free, transform him or make him new cause you’re not God.  Furthermore, in no way can you make him into the man that he was not created to be with you.  Whoever the woman he is truly supposed to be connected with will flow with who he is and not you.  The reality is Daddy is not going to bless or fix your mess.  The same person who made the decision to walk into the mess will have to decide to walk out of it.  The sooner some of us realize that, the closer we will become to being aligned with the will of God for our lives.

Our scripture today says to CALL UNTO ME AND I WILL ANSWER YOU.  Not only will God answer but he will show you some things that you didn’t know.  He will show you some great things.  He will reveal what is to come.  He will show you some things that have yet to be revealed.  In other words, when we consult him about matters that concern us, God will impart us with the wisdom that we need to make the right decisions for ourselves.  He will reveal mysteries to us and things that are unknown to us.  Often we say, God if I had known this or that I would not have done this.  However, if we will give him a chance to tell us these things he will supply us with the answers that are needed to make the right decision in the first place.

We settle for so little and are accepting of less than who we are.  God will not give you a downgrade to who you are.  He will not send you somebody or something that does not line up with who you are.  He will not send you somebody that you have to wait on to get themselves together.  He will not send you somebody that is a total wreck.  Some of us are so willing to accept anything because some of these men will feed us some good lines.  Tell us things like, I’m a good man, I just need some time to get myself together.  Let me be blunt, a man who is a man already has himself together BEFORE he seeks out a wife.  A man that does not have the means to take care of his family prior to marriage is not somebody that you should even consider marrying or getting involved with.  You CAN NOT make a man be a man.  He is who he is.  No matter how you try to take care of him, he is still who he is.  You can’t fix him or change him.  Don’t be so eager to get hitched that you put on the dumb spirit, as my pastor in Atlanta use to say.  Some people would call it, “acting brand new”. 

You are more valuable than this.  If I could tell you how God thought of you today and how precious you are viewed to him, you would never put down who you are to pick up someone who does not deserve the air you breathe in and out.  There are many reasons why people come in and out of our lives.  If we learn to consult God for those reasons we will not continue to end up with a string of bad relationships that we should have never gotten in to. 

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much! Open up your mouth woman of God and ask the Lord some things.  Do not walk into relationship blindly.  His ear bended to hear what you have to say, but you must give him the opportunity to counsel you in every area in your life.

Stay blessed!

Pastor Symintha Radford

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EMBRACE YOUR SINGLENESS!

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." Jeremiah 1:5

Say it with me, I am who my bible says I am, I can do what my bible says I can…..I know we’ve all heard that before a time or two.  Embracing your singleness empowers you to be who God says you are right now at this very moment, not at some point in the future.  That means you are not waiting around for someone or something to happen or come into your life to realize your potential in God.  Oh, did I just speak prophetically into my own life!

It can indeed be a challenge to let go of the preconceived idea that life begins with a spouse or significant other.  Though, another phase of your life will begin when the Lord blesses you with a mate, however, who you are is who you are and it is not continent upon if and when the Lord sends that man of God your way.

Let me remind you of the word God gave to Jeremiah, He said "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." (Jer 1:5).  The Lord spoke these words to his prophet to let him know that HE set him apart and called him into who he was before the sperm meet the egg.  Before conception and birth, God had determined your purpose and who he predetermined you to be. It had nothing to do with anyone else or who you were yoked up with.  It entirely has to do with the Lord’s expressed purpose concerning you.  So your singleness does not limit you.  It is not a limitation.  It is not a handicap. Where you are right now, is by God’s design.  Things did not happen the way they did so you would be conflicted, discouraged, and sidetracked.  He purposed it this way.  He put you in this position so that he could birth some things in you.   As Picasso master pieced many designs of art, so did the Lord concerning you. You are who you are and who you are is who God called you to be.

I wish I could get one somebody to understand the words that are coming out of my fingers on today.  The enemy works overtime to get our minds to accept limitations society puts on us.  Did you hear what I said?  Society and religion teaches us that we cannot adhere to the call of God, do the things of God, and walk in complete obedience to his assignment unless we are yoked with a spouse.  It places limitations on the Holyghost that lives on the inside of us.  Because really, that is what is happening.  The vessel itself which is housing the Holyghost has nothing to do with what the Lord preordained.  He said what he said, he appoints who he appoints, he does what he wants to do and he called who he wants to call.  Now, I’m not preaching singleness forever, but I’m preaching walk in the vocation wherewith you are called.  That’s your assignment and whether someone else wants to walk along side of you to fulfill this purpose God has on your life is entirely up to you.  He will give you the desires of your heart.  But nobody is going to come along and fulfill God’s purpose for you.  That’s your responsibility!

Life does not stop just because you decide to withdraw from it.  The world keeps right on going without you.  If you don’t walk in it, guess what? God will send the next soldier out that’s willing to obey his voice and heed to his commandments.  When it’s all said and done, what will be your response to him concerning the assignment he placed in YOUR hands?  Will you say, “God I was waiting on…”  While, you wait, carry out the assignment that is before you.  Because you are who you are whether Boaz shall appear the day after tomorrow or not.

You are, woman of God, indeed a treasure that God has put in the earth.  Walk steady, walk worthy, walk with authority, and stop standing around waiting for something or someone to happen.  Embrace your singleness!