Category: Purpose & Destiny

Poem of Hope & Restoration (storytelling series): God brings dreams to Pass

Up and down the land she walked, as a wanderer seeing naught and feeling lost, she sighed and cried “I have stalled ‘cause of the fog and drought”.
Even within, she felt barren and dry wanting to pray but too weak to try. Then came a light so bright before her face, but looking around she saw no one in that place. Within her heart, she heard a voice say loud & clear

“I am the Light of the World who loves you, my dear”. Then he placed a fountain in her heart and said “Out of you shall flow rivers of living water to quench your thirst, so you shall never falter”.

Then suddenly her heart became a well watered verdant land, from her mouth was a melodious waterfall, and her eyes were awash with God’s salve to never falter or fall.

 The bright ray of the morning sun hit her face so hard she covered her eyes and exclaimed “my, what a dream so real!”

The dream spoke of God’s Light, His love and the River of Life, a picture of what is to come, a revelation of God’s delivering might and abundant promises day and night. 

Now strengthened, newly enlightened, no more doubtful, newly hopeful, she knew that she could cope with every trial whatever the scope, for her heart was now full of hope, because of Him who said

“I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.(1)”

(Scriptural references:John 8:12, 7:38-39, Biblical quote Isaiah 46:11 KJV)

©Deborah E. Nyamekye 21/04/2016

Poem in soon to be published book: A Divine World: Purposeful Christian Storytelling in Poetry & Prose

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The Year Ahead with God

🙌🏾The Year Ahead with God

“As He was with Israel in ancient times, so He is with us”

As we reflect on the new year we have entered into, we are like the people of Israel at the border of their promised land who had no idea what lay ahead of them in the way of battles, challenges and even victories and blessings.

God graciously told Israel how they were to stay under His protection and guidance so as to receive all that He had for them on their journey. They were simply to obey His instruction to follow closely behind the Ark of the Covenant or Tabernacle which is God’s presence.

“And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it… that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.” (Joshua 3:3-4 KJV)

Just as the presence of God advanced before Israel, through the wilderness and into the unknown promised land of Canaan so too His presence has gone ahead of us into the unknown “territories” of the New Year and will continue to do so beyond 2019 Individually the Lord is speaking to us, as He spoke to Joshua on a one on one;

“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:9 KJV).

Jesus to whom we belong is also called Emmanuel (Matthew 1:23) “God with us”, he and God are one (John 10:30), we therefore have the same assurance as Joshua. However, as God gives grace to the humble, we should not take His presence for granted, rather our daily prayer should be

“Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day” (Psalm 25:4-5 KJV).

Knowing that obedience is key to our victory in the New Year, we should obey Jesus’ commandments so that God demonstrates His love to us by abiding with us (John 14:21-23).

As New Covenant believers, we are God’s “Tabernacle” where His presence abides, enabling us to bear long lasting fruit (John 15) to His glory. We will see our prayers answered as we abide in Him and He in us through Jesus (John 15:7, 16).

Furthermore, when we respond to the call to be Jesus’ intimate friends and so obey his command to abide in his love, love one another as he loves us, we receive revelation knowledge which is the key to fruitfulness.

If His presence is with us and in us in the power of the Holy Spirit, then we must believe that we are well able to know His will (1 Corinthians 2:9-13) and therefore the direction Father is taking us as we communicate with Him in worship, prayer and bible study throughout the year. This will guarantee we have a joy-filled year (John 15:12-17).

We must remember what awaits us in a life lived in God’s presence: “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” (Psalm 16:11 KJV)

Jesus, seated at the right hand of Father, as the Light of the World has gone ahead of us to overcome darkness (evil, deception) along our path (John 8:12, 32).

As Joshua and Caleb who spied the promised land and proclaimed by faith that Israel was “well able to conquer it..” and that God “will bring us into this land and give it to us” (Numbers 13:30;14:8), so too we must proclaim by faith even now at the beginning of this new year, that we are destined for victory ahead no matter what challenges or battles we encounter because

“…we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” (Romans 8:37).

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”(Proverbs 18:21KJV)

Our vocal declarations of God’s victorious acts and His words in Scripture as well as our testimonies of His goodness are powerful weapons against satanic deception and discouragement as we advance the new year. We therefore have to be careful what we confess this year. Remaining in the Word and in an attitude of worshipping Father through Jesus will help us maintain a sanctified mind-set and confession.

As God proved himself to be a faithful and true God and His words to Israel never return void (Isaiah 55:10-12), so He has been with us and plans to be in 2019 and beyond.

Have a very joyful 2019 in the LORD. You are blessed, determine to stay blessed in 2019.

Deborah Esther

©Deborah E. Nyamekye Jan 2016/Jan 2019 update

That Season of Life & Our Response

If your life is totally surrendered to God and if you are living in that intimate place with Him to the best of your ability, know that if people don’t appear to see or consider you or they ignore you then it is not the work of man but of God.

Consider David in the bible, he was left to tend to sheep and was not even considered as worthy to be called when Samuel asked his father Jesse to assemble his sons, one of whom was chosen by God to be the future king of Israel. God intervened and Samuel was called and anointed as king.

God has planned different seasons for us in our lives. Every season comes with God’s divine reasons for orchestrating events the way He does. As with the weather, “climatic” conditions in relation to each season in our lives differ. We need to be sensitive and take every season as they come.

When we are not the centre of attention, nor included among the good and the great our perception and understanding of such times will determine our emotional state, attitude and therefore our reaction.

May God help us to adequately discern the different seasons of our lives so that we do not fret or act on our own accord to our detriment but rather remain in His peace. Before people can see us as God does the timing must be perfect so that what they expect from us and how we respond is in line with God’s plan for us.

In order to respond to people and circumstances as God requires is only possible if we have a close relationship with God and we allow Him to take us through the different seasons of our spiritual development.

Let us rest assured that as in David’s case when God’s time for us to be taken out of obscurity, chosen from among many for a purpose, God will strategies to bring it to pass. After all He who trains us knows when we are ready to display His splendour. There is no need for us to help him do so.

All the seasons of hiddenness in God are good for us; David was tending to sheep, but what only David and God knew was that God was also tending to David’s character.

David had a good time in God’s presence; worshipping and fellowshipping with God in the stillness of the fields as a shepherd.

He was alone but not lonely. He had much time to sing and pray to a God he became confident was his “refuge and fortress” (Psa.91:2) a God he could trust.

Indeed, David had been in danger on more than one occasion as the lion and bear came to attack his sheep. God gave him not only supernatural joy which was his strength but also physical strength to fight and overcome the lion and bear. In the valley of the shadow of death, David said “I will fear no evil for you are with me your rod and staff, they comfort me”. (Psa.23:4).

Onlookers including David’s oldest brother (1 Sam 17:28) saw him as this “good for nothing except for sheep” young boy. Other people’s perception of David did not stop him from fighting Goliath and killing him. If you know your worth in God and trust Him wholeheartedly as indeed David did, it should not stop you from pursuing and fulfilling your destiny.

In the fields as a shepherd boy, David became a profoundly God trusting, confident and fearless young man who was totally surrendered and reliant on God. He was therefore prepared for the next seasons of his life which included confronting and killing the giant Philistine, Goliath when no one could. He was also prepared for the many years of warfare with and affliction from enemies far and near. This was until he become King of Judah then Israel.

Even during those times of hardship fleeing from Saul and his son Absalom, David remained close to God. The solid foundations in God, built in the season when he was an inconspicuous shepherd boy were what kept David’s life from crumbling.

God longs to spend time with us daily to either revive us spiritually, impart his will or plans to us or both. But there are also prolonged times or seasons when there is more of a stillness in our lives than is usual and a pull towards focusing on our relationship with God.

It is important not to ignore these seasons which require more time meditating on scriptures as well as praying and fasting for renewal and growth necessary for the next stage of our lives.

Be blessed and highly favoured in every season of 2019

Deborah Esther x

©️31-Dec2018 DENyamekye

A Chosen vessel to utter God’s prophetic words and will to bless others – three biblical case studies

For your encouragement as one called and chosen by God to carry His vision and purpose to be birthed for the glory of God, it is worth remembering the following biblical personalities who were also God’s instruments. As in their case, you also have the ability to prophecy, or be God’s vessel for uttering His words or will to bless others:

1.Elizabeth – when she heard Mary’s voice the baby (John the Baptist; a child conceived for the purposes of God) leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was full of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:41), as a result
42she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed [art] thou among women, and blessed [is] the fruit of thy womb.43And whence [is] this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?…45And blessed [is] she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. (Luke 1:4243,45)

2.Mary, pregnant with Jesus having visited Elizabeth and heard her speak under the unction of the Holy Spirit, was also given utterance by the Spirit to sing a prophetic song
unto God, glorifying Him for choosing her and His mighty works on earth (Luke 1: 46-55).

3.Zacharias, a High Priest and John the Baptist’s father, after his son’s birth was full of the Holy Ghost and prophesied the destiny of Jesus Christ and that of John the Baptist (Luke 1:67-79).

As is confirmed by these biblical characters, when God chooses you as His, you become His instrument to conceive His plans and purposes as an anointed vessel of God, your lifestyle and words should therefore testify of who you are to God. You do not need to be a prophet to be a vessel of prophetic utterance by the LORD.

As a born again believer you have the Holy Spirit indwelling you and the more you fellowship with Him as one in Christ the more He will flow as “living waters” out of your “belly” (John 7:38)….

©️2018DENyamekye

Excerpt from Part 1 “Honouring the Holy Spirit. You shall receive utterance & empowerment to be a blessing

From Manna From On High Blog

http://www.readywriterps451.org

All For His Glory

“Whatever I have, it is my desire that it is from the Most High’s hands. Whatever I do, I pray will be His doing and approved by Him. For I live to give Him all the glory.” DENyamekye

Peter and John had this same desire and prayer as I do when they lived to fulfil their purpose in Christ.

They were without doubt that God was with them. Among other disciples of Jesus, they had received and been baptised in the Holy Spirit (John 20:22, Acts 2:4) and believed Jesus when he said they would do greater works than He did if they believe in Him (John 14:12). Everything they did was for the glory of God in Christ.

Peter and John knew that without Christ they were nothing (John 15:5) and their mission was not to build treasures for themselves on earth (Matt.6:19-20). Instead their heart was knitted with their purpose which was to preach the gospel and perform miracles of healing and deliverance.

This is evidenced in Peter’s response to the cripple at the temple gate called Beautiful. When he asked Peter and John for money they replied in humility

“I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!” (Acts 3:6 NLT).

They were bold because they exercised their Christ delegated authority and power knowing that whatever they ask in Jesus’ name will be granted to them as He had promised (John 15:7). As they do the works of Christ in his name, Christ brings glory to the Father through them (John 14:13).

After the cripple was healed, Peter knew that he had to give honour and glory to God for performing this miracle of healing when he saw all the people running towards him and John. He had a reverential fear of God and did not for one moment want the crowd to think he and John had any power of their own to heal anyone.

The bible states that Peter “saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd”:

“People of Israel,” he said, “what is so surprising about this? And why stare at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or godliness? 13For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of all our ancestors—who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this. This is the same Jesus whom you handed over and rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate’s decision to release him.

14You rejected this holy, righteous one and instead demanded the release of a murderer. 15You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this fact!

16“Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed—and you know how crippled he was before. Faith in Jesus’ name has healed him before your very eyes. (Acts 3:12-16NLT).

May God help us all to be as Peter and John as we live to fulfil our God given purpose on earth; Giving him all the glory and praise for every accomplishment however small or large.

Have a blessed day in Christ.

Deborah Esther x

Exhortation: Arise & Reclaim

As a believer in Christ everything you do is meant to be an expression of who you are in Christ. Therefore arise and reclaim what is yours. Many have refrained or held back from taking risks or doing what they are capable of to advance in ministry, careers and excel in their God given gifts.

Do not hold back! Not today, tomorrow or ever when you feel led to pursue a goal, business or a project. Prayerfully begin, if it is not of God, you will know it even before you take great strides to accomplish it. God is faithful and will caution you along the way as you stay close to Him.

This prophetic encouragement as a poetic discourse is for the purpose of encouraging you to “Arise & Reclaim” what is yours:

It is time to arise and

reclaim your visions,

dreams, identity and

destiny,

for the enemy comes

again and again,

repeating old

deceptive tunes

as a broken record

and as a masked

dance partner waltzing

with you in “La la” land.

The Father of lies

creates an illusion

of truth, mocks you

day and night and

rocks your boat of life

with such tormenting

force stealing your

blessed goods until

you are provoked

to anchor at his docks,

and live in his

Hammock of death.

Not until you arise from

your slumber and sleep

will you know it is all a

charade to give you

an identity and a destiny

that sustains delusion and

restores your past of

abuse, rejection

and shame.

It’s time to arise,

to proclaim your

purpose.

It’s time to reclaim

by faith what’s yours.

“Take back your

possessions” says

Father of truth.

Arise and Reclaim!

©Deborah E.Nyamekye 22/05/2016

(Title Arise & Reclaim)

PRAYER:

Merciful Father,

I pray for a great outpouring of Your Spirit of wisdom, knowledge and understanding into the life of your children.

I ask that LORD you would expose every deceiving spirit to us and give us the power to overcome.

With the power invested in me through Christ Jesus I rebuke Satan, his demons and decree every work of Satan nullified by the blood of the Lamb.

I ask LORD that you would impart a great measure of the Spirit of discernment into the lives of your people and that we would increase in the knowledge of you and live victoriously in the identity and destiny you planned for us. In Jesus’ mighty name I pray.Amen.

Scriptural inspiration for Poem:

John 10:10

10The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly.

11I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

Is. 52:1-3

1Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.

2Shake thyself from the dust; arise, [and] sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.

3For thus saith the LORD, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.

Is.60:1-5

1Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.

2For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.

3And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

4Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at [thy] side.

5Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.

©2016Deborah Esther Nyamekye

The poem Arise & Reclaim is an excerpt from book: Yahweh Reigns: Inspirational Prophetic Poetry(Volume 2)

📸Snapshots of Glory -Word Focus 2 Day: An Excellent You!

“Potential to excel is essential to un-tap God’s intentions for you among the nations” (1)

God has given you and I potential to excel. The reality is that it is possible to attain that height of excellence in God, mount up to that place where we are fruitful in a manner that only God can cause us to be for the sake of multitudes among the nations. How? If we abide in God and allow His word to sanctify and therefore transform us.

Friends you may not feel qualified according to man’s standards, but remember that God qualifies and vindicates the called according to His purposes or set standards.

In the bible Gideon (Judges 6-8) and Saul (1 Samuel 9) did not feel they qualified at the time of their calling to leadership by God.

David did not look like a likely king of Israel in Samuel the prophet’s eyes, but he, and not his brother (Samuel’s choice), was the one God chose (1 Samuel 16). God told Samuel that unlike man, He does not look at the appearance but the heart of the person.

Indeed this speaks volumes; when you feel you are overlooked or cast aside, rest assured the only one who is in absolute control of your life has a plan predestined for your life that no one can prevent, not even a prophet of God!

God does not look at your outward appearance (i.e height, features, weight etc..) and base His decision as to whether to endow you with the potential to excel for His glory on it.

In fact God is known to choose the most unlikely ones in people’s eyes for exploits.

“But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong” (1 Corinth.1:27 ESV).

Jesus chose a group of men as his disciples who included those considered in his day to be at the bottom scale of society (i.e fishermen) and in undesirable (i.e a tax collection) employment. If Jesus said to them, not allowing their status to be a hinderance to their predestined call, “You will be my witnesses … to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8) then he is saying the same to his disciples today.

While Jesus came initially to the Israelites, his ministry evolved to reveal that he came for the world (John 3:16) or “as many as received him (John 1:12) in other words anyone from anywhere who receives him; Jew, gentile, male, female, slave or free (1 Corinth. 12:13/ Gal. 3:28). This was revealed in his ministerial encounters with people of different cultures, social status and genders such as the Roman Centurion whose servant Jesus healed, the Samaritan woman and Mary of Bethany.

In addition the great commission of believers of all nationalities, whether male or female is to spread the gospel in nations of the world (Matt.28:18-20).

“For potential to excel that’s ripe, tap into Christ to un-tag from a world that’s stagnant in strife, where offence is rife”(2)

Living a life in Him (God) so as to fulfil your destiny or purpose requires a no nonsense approach. When the ungodly world says “No you can’t” because it looks at you through the lenses of what the status-quo

dictates, and stereotypical norms assume about “people like you”, such as your social or economic class, nationality, race or culture, you must rise up and say “In Christ, yes I can!”.

Such an approach is only possible if you do not see yourself as others define you, but rather as God defines you according to His word.

The scripture “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.” (Romans 12:2 NLT).

This aforementioned scripture is apt in that it encourages us to be transformed by renewing our minds. The most effective way in which our minds can be renewed is by meditating on scriptures about our Christian identity among others. Such scriptures remind us daily of who God says we are in a world that is constantly attempting to conform us to its diabolical ways in our thoughts and deeds. From the standpoint of an identity well grounded in Christ, we can then be bold in the pursuit of our predestined purpose on earth.

You are a treasure in an earthen vessel as a believer in Christ (xxx) therefore be reminded that someone, somewhere needs the treasure of God that is YOU! You have so much to offer the world because of the excellent power of God within YOU! so seize those opportunities to excel that God presents to you daily.

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” (2 Corinth. 4:7 KJV).

©17-02-2018 DENyamekye

Quotes from Poem “Potential to Excel”: paragraph (1) and (2) by DENyamekye

Snapshots of weekly devotional delights captured from God’s Word of truth: The Snapshots of Glory series are posted in “Manna from on High” Blog of Ready Writer Prophetic Scribe Ministry, an Inspirational writing an publishing ministry, subsidiary of Bearwitness-Forerunner Ministries International founded by Minister Deborah Esther Nyamekye

Subscribe to blog to receive these weekly devotionals or join the mailing list by sending your email address to readywriterps451@gmail.com

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📸Snapshots of Glory Series – Word Focus 2 Day: Fearless & Limitless in Christ

The Apostle Paul said to Timothy

“God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Tim.1:7)

Many people have projects or visions they may want to fulfil but are unable to. If they were to sit down and ask themselves why, often times if truth be told it is because of deep-set insecurities; “what will people think?”

“I am not good enough, X does this much better so I will not even attempt it”

“Maybe next year when I have more knowledge I will start!”

When we think things through, we can sum up all these excuses and restraints as rooted in fear, an emotion that eats away at you, keeping you limited, immovable and therefore unable to fulfil your potential; Your potential constitutes that awesome calling of God He predestined for you even before the beginning of time or that tailor-made lifestyle that God your creator purposed for you so that you will be a blessing to the world in that unique and special way that only you are capable of.

Friends, tell yourself “It is finished! Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world!” Address every area of fear in your life! In fact write it down on a piece of paper as a prophetic act and decree out loud that you will not be limited by that situation anymore in Jesus’ mighty name!

Remember, as a believer in Christ, you are anointed and scripture states that you shall decree a thing and it shall come to pass! (Job 22:28). So decree that you are more than a conqueror against the spirit of fear through Christ who loves you!

In Christ you are more than a conqueror in the face of that limiting situation that looks like a monster devouring your life and glares at you daily, lying to you that you are incapable of attaining the level of success or victory that Christ has already purchased for you at the Cross.

FLOURISHING IN HIS POWER

At the beginning of this year the LORD led me to meditate on Psalm 92: 12-15

“The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the Lord. They shall still bear fruit in old age;They shall be fresh and flourishing, To declare that the Lord is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.”

I truly felt these verses were for all God’s people. As His people, “planted in the House of the LORD”, and equally His dwelling place, it is inevitable that we should flourish now and regardless of our age.

This is because the Holy Spirit dwells within us. God’s Spirit is His power by which He does within us exceedingly abundantly more than we can ever ask or think (Eph. 3:20), likewise we are able to do all things through Him (in Christ) who strengthens us (Phil 4:13).

If we believe in these truths and proclaim them with joy, knowing that it is by God and for His sake that we flourish or bear fruit (Ps. 92:12-15) what power has the demonic spirit of fear have over us? None!

PERFECTED IN LOVE

Many times people refrain from engaging in projects that bring them in contact with people who they are afraid will not accept them or may judge them. However rather than think about how people will see or think of us, we should focus on the blessed gift God has imparted in us for their sake; His love offering from us to them that will make a difference in their lives.

Friends you are a vessel, a conduit of God’s love and as you allow God’s love to be perfected in you, you become fearless; that monster of a spirit cannot dwell in the hearts and minds of those who have and demonstrate God’s love; “Perfect love casts out fear” (1John 4:18).

Brothers and Sisters, our victorious Christian living which involves our ability to fulfil our part in the great commission (Mathew 28:18-20) depends on partnering with God to overcome fear, so proclaim boldly this day that “In Christ I am fearless and therefore what I can accomplish is limitless”.

Fearless & Limitless

 When fear shows it’s head
to make me tremble in my stead,
I shall raise my hands in praise
and proclaim the gospel instead.

When fear at the door knocks
with morbid echoes as it’s sound
so that my life boat rocks,
I shall depend on Christ’s
power and his joy bells
that daily resound.

©Jan2017 Deborah E. Nyamekye

Steps of Faith into Your Destiny – The Joshua/Caleb Generation

imageThe journey through the promised land for Israel was a powerful illustration of how God’s people then as now go through the journey of life with a cycle of challenges, problems and obstacles some of which seem insurmountable.

Every step of the way through the promised land was a step of faith, at times their faith was so weak that they murmured, many resorted to idolising a golden calf and some did not even make it to the promised land.
In Joshua 3:3-4 when the LORD told them to follow after the Ark of the Covenant carried by the priests, the Israelites did not know where they were going, as they had never been that way before. They therefore did not know how close or how far they were to the promised land. They had to put their trust totally in God who alone knew the way.

Likewise without God’s leading we do not know what is ahead of us. Without Him we have no idea at what stage of our breakthrough we are in or how long we still need to wait until we receive what we believe God has promised us in personal prophecy or through His Word.

In the wilderness journey the Israelites were led by a pillar of fire by night and cloud by day and received constant counsel and instruction as guidance by God through Moses and then Joshua, as New Covenant believers in our journey of life, we have access to the revelatory realm of God through the indwelling Holy Spirit and gifts of the Spirit. We cannot and should not underestimate the importance of the Holy Spirit in our lives to draw us closer to God so that we know Him as well as His will and direction for our lives.

When we trust God, we are willing to obey Him and do so by taking steps of faith through the leading of the Holy Spirit in the direction in which He is leading us.

The greatest steps of faith based on our trust in God we will need to take are at the beginning or at the brink of our undertaking, be it a journey, a new job, a project or a ministry.

I sense this juncture is the point at which Satan reinforces his natural and spiritual armies against our progression, attempting to sabotage our plans and therefore these are times when we should strengthen ourselves through intensified or increased prayer, fasting and praise as well as scriptural meditation.

CROSSING THE RED SEA
An illustration of the intensified danger at the commencement of a journey with the intention of stopping it: when the Israelites had just left Egypt they thought the final plague was enough to keep Pharaoh from pursuing them but they were greatly mistaken for he mobilized his horsemen with their chariots and pursued them! The Israelites were terrified as they realised they had no where to turn, with Pharaoh and his army closing in behind them and the Red Sea before them.
But they served a God who is omnipotent and omniscient. He is the sovereign one Adonai, who always has the last word on any matter, for He is the creator and controller of the universe. God foreknew this would happen and devised a miraculous plan of deliverance which would be one of the all time miraculous testimonies the world has ever heard of and would be recounted from generation to generation. Right before their eyes the Red Sea parted and they were able to cross over safely, however Pharaoh’s horsemen and chariots drowned.
“When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him” (Is. 59:19b)

CROSSING THE JORDAN
“The priests who carried the Ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed on dry ground, until all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan.” (Joshua 3:17NASB)

The nation of Israel had come to the end of their journey and their last hurdle was the crossing of the Jordan River which would take them into the promised land. Here we find another water path as the Red Sea which if but for God would have served as a great obstacle to them moving forward to attain His promises.

As with the Red Sea, the Jordan River (Joshua 3:13) was parted supernaturally by God for them to walk across.
It is worth noting how the Lord kept the waters of the Jordan River on one side; the priests carrying “the Ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan” until all the Israelites had finished crossing it.
At the brink of the Israelites’ entry into the promised land, this imagery speaks louder than words and is very powerful; The Ark and the priests carrying it, speak of God’s presence and “Right Hand” or intercessory might in the midst of obstacles so that a way is made for deliverance or release. It also makes a statement that nothing, not even the laws of nature, can withstand God’s power of intervention for the sake of His people.
“Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth;…I will even make a way in the wilderness, [and] rivers in the desert.” (Isa.43:19 KJV)
God is today speaking in the same way to us. Our Royal High Priest Jesus and the indwelling Holy Spirit are not only leading the way, but also making intercession for us in the midst of every situation so that a way is made for us to enter into our promises.
God therefore strategises to take us through every hurdle safely. Our part is to trust and obey for the manifestation of a glorious outcome.

TRUST, OBEY AND TAKE STEPS OF FAITH INTO YOUR PROMISES
In both cases, at the beginning of the journey through the wilderness and at the end so as to enter the promised land, the Israelites were blessed with the miracle of the parting of waters so that they could walk across.
The LORD was saying “the greater the danger you are facing, or is advancing behind you, the greater the miracle I will outwork to deliver you and bring you to the place I am sending you”.
How easy is it to cross over parted waters? It takes great trust in the one who parted it to decide to obey them and take steps of faith to walk across, knowing that they will keep it parted until you get to the other side.

The Israelites who left Israel were not the same crowd who entered the promised land apart from two, Joshua and Caleb. God made sure that the crowd who left Egypt with Joshua and Caleb did not receive their inheritance, instead they died in the wilderness. Why? because of their unbelief.

Joshua and Caleb represented a generation who had a different spirit, in other words they trusted God to do what was impossible to man. They were people of great faith in God and fearless of the giants they would encounter in the promised land (Numbers 11). It is therefore this generation that God chose to enter the promised land. When we trust God, we are fearless, quick to obey and activate our faith in Him so that He is glorified. These are the qualities of the Joshua and Caleb generation, qualities necessary to receive and sustain the promises of God.
Friends, let us examine our hearts today and ask ourselves, are we among the Joshua & Caleb generation in these last days before the return of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ?
Is there anything “old ways of Egypt” in us i.e. mindsets, attitudes, presumptions, secret faults that must die or be overcome so that we can truly be consecrated unto God as true worshippers.
It is never too late to re-address areas of our lives and put things right so that we attain the fullness of our inheritance in God through Jesus Christ. God reveals to redeem.
Dear Father
Thank you for the promises and destiny you have for me.

Forgive me when I have not trusted you or I have been fearful to take steps of faith according to your word.

I am thankful that as you are all knowing, you have a plan or strategy to overcome every obstacle or danger on my behalf by your mighty power.

I ask that you would help me to stay in that place of trusting you completely with every decision and direction I desire to take knowing that you will redirect my course if it is not your will.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

You are blessed, determine to stay blessed.
Deborah Esther x
©Deborah E Nyamekye 20/11/2015

The Caged Bird’s Escape

Poetic Redemption Storytelling

5C0F8006-8EDD-4F47-95B1-9E2BADA2D3D3Introduction
After watching CEO and inspirational speaker and best selling author Lisa Nichol’s inspiring video (check it out on the Gold cast Facebook page or You Tube) of a life transformed after suffering domestic abuse by her fiancé, I felt inspired to engage in some scribal indulgence telling a story of redemption but from a view point that considers the abuser’s mindset and triggers, not as a means of justification but shedding some light on some of the “hidden demons” in play in such situations.

The Caged Bird’s Escape:

Desired with his enticing eyes, colourful words and decorated with roses and alluring scents she felt on top, the executive of his heart, the CEO of his life.

In one night her dreams had come true; from reams of beauties she was chosen by one of the Hedge-Fund crew.

To him she was just meat, one of many slaughtered for devouring, bought in a club in one of many spending sprees he called sport.

A business man, bonus acquiring sharp talker in the square mile by day and by night a gigolo, a Casanova in clubs he called “cattle markets” bidding with his eyes for the best cow.. he laughs “that’s the woman- A COW!”

Flashes of his mother often appeared before his eyes, waving to him, a 6 year old “mummy is going to the shop, I will return” She never did.. “liars all of them”!

Sly as a fox, an expert in his game, he waited until the image of her was locked in him, he, a mirror that defined her significance. Now he had god-like relevance, the Fowler’s cage was her home.

One day was as living in a romantic play pen; his voice soft and soothing and to love songs they were waltzing.

Another was life in a torture chamber under a man-child’s bitter verbal whip and slaps with hate-filled vomit until she suffocated in fear and self hate. Every morning she braced herself for what was amiss, the ready for work psycho’s bullets of abuse and punches in her abdomen with a goodbye kiss.

A cycle of confused voices reeled in the cage “I love you”, “I love you not” as the battered bird wailed without a sound. In his “you are to blame! blame! blame! she felt grief and shame! shame! shame!

A rude awakening was the uncontrollable pain in her abdomen. The day of reckoning had come for from the abyss of farce living she heard the voices of many women thundering “call the ambulance or die!” The freedom fighter from deep within joined in, beckoning.

“How are you today, my dear?”
Startled, she opened her eyes and saw a face beaming at her “I am Claire”
“Claire?”
“Yes, I am your nurse, you called the ambulance, they broke in ‘cause you fainted after the call. Julie, your internal wounds and bleeding were serious. Thank God you came on time! You will be fine”

Julie shut her eyes. Smiling the risen woman within spoke:
“Yes thank God!
To a “A just in time” God: thank you!
I was that woman destined for a bright future based on scripture, even the prophetic word, then I lost my way and met a trickster and by him I became nothing but a caged bird in a home any woman would dread.

I was able to walk away, escape from the snare of the Fowler, but for him in compassion I daily kneel to pray and for caged birds unlike me who for reasons choose to stay, I shall sing a song of deliverance, that one day sunshine shall overtake the dark clouds of their circumstance.”

”Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.

Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.”
(Psalm 124:7-8)

©11/11/2017 Deborah E Nyamekye