When I think of the goodness of the Lord, my soul cries out Hallelujah!

One of the best ways to go from broken to blessed, to being a Messenger who rises above a mess, is to remember how far you’ve come. To reminisce, “If it had not been for the Lord on your side where would you be?” Experience gives you growth and strength to endure on your life’s journey. The enemy wants to give us selective memory of what was hard and rough. Of the times when we thought we couldn’t make it, when we wanted to give up and when some of us wanted to die. He wants to keep us in suspended animation of brokenness, being crippled and deflated. Praise God for His Holy Spirit that resides in those who believe. He gives us the courage to Rise up! He gives us staying power, wisdom and a determined will to survive and thrive not just now but for all eternity!

So don’t get weary in well-doing, don’t ever feel when you are serving the Lord and His people (even the unloving), that your labor is in vain. Don’t let harsh and critical words become the judge of who you are… Rise up! Remember God has been faithful to you. Even in the leanest of times, have you truly ever been forsaken by Him or your children reduced to begging bread? Think back to when the enemy had encamped around you and was closing in the take your job with deceitful and calculated schemes. When others thought to deny you, for what you had worked so hard for by thinking they could just waltz in and sweep up your rewards. But mercy said no! Remember, when others think they can fill your shoes, discard or replace you – remember whose team you are on - whose family you belong to. Get in your holy huddle and drop to your knees in prayer.

Sometimes you may need to bring in your best prayer warriors. Listen as God calls out the play, then “rise up” and allow God to make a play in your life and give you the winning touchdown! Get ready. Our Lord is a championship quarterback who’s looking to make a hero out of you. Get ready! You will be prepared if you’ve memorized His playbook, can run all the pass routes, and allowed your life’s training to build solid spiritual muscles.

Finally, when you are fully equipped with God’s entire uniform (Ephesians 6:13- 17), trust He will protect you and always place you in the very best position to be victorious. God is looking for you to run the play that will get you into the end zone!

Feel like the pressures of life are blocking your path, and preventing you from moving the ball down the field? Your playbook (the Bible), defines who our opponent really is, and how he seeks to prevent us from experiencing the exhilaration of winning with Jesus Christ. Remain disciplined and steadfast to your playbook, run the plays that our coach (God) calls, then experience the euphoria of living a purpose driven life that allows you to score touchdowns repeatedly throughout your life!

Rise up – and do your Hallelujah praise dance in the end zone!

“The race is not given to the swift or the strong but to those who endure to the end.” Ecclesiastes 9:11

“The Lord will not leave us in haste or go in flight, for the Lord will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard.” Isaiah 52:12