#4. Not of this world
Hanaya:
Lord, teach me to set my mind on things above, and not on earthly things. I don’t want to live just to consume. I want to live effectively. I don’t want to end up simply having visited this world. I want to make my life count. When I meet you face to face, I want to hear you say well done.
There are many distractions and temptations. So I ask for discernment. With this gift of time you have given me, I want to choose wisely until the end. If my life is like a shooting star that appears briefly, I want to burn brightly for you and your purposes before fading away.
Jesus:
Hanaya, you’re in this world, but you’re not of this world. I chose you out of this world. I bought you. You’re mine.
When compromise knocks on your door, remember this, you’re better than that, you’re royalty.
I love you even in your weakness and immaturity. When you mess up, don’t hide, speak to me, ask for forgiveness, and I will cleanse you. I also discipline those whom I love. So don’t be discouraged if discipline comes your way. It will perfect holiness in you.
Always seek understanding. It’s not just what you read or hear, it’s what you understand and grasp. The devil wants to quickly steal the words of life from people’s hearts, lest they understand, and bear fruit. It gets stolen by distractions and their love for other things more than the love of the truth.
Many think they don’t have an enemy. They think they are in control, until, they get hit. They become casualties of the devil’s schemes. He prowls like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. He uses seduction and temptation to draw people away from the absolute truth.
To be spiritually minded is life and peace. There are far too many unnecessary noises and visuals that entertain the soul but add no spiritual value. And a lot of it is designed to convince you of a certain narrative, to affect your imagination, and make you ineffective.
It comes from the entertainment of this age, the news reports, talk shows, and other outlets. Not everything is bad, but you need to filter out things and discern what you let into your imagination and how it is shaping your perception.
Evil spirits are waiting for a response. If you don’t give it, they will go to someone else whom they could devour. The deception is to convince you of something about yourself which is not true. They will try to keep you in a victim mindset, in cycles of rejection, to make you ineffective. They try to make you predictable. Let the Holy Spirit make you unpredictable.
The natural man cannot discern everything. But you’re not of this world, you’re born of the Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is in you. He searches the deep things of mine and reveals them to you. He is your helper. Listen to his still small voice. He is already counseling you to design your life so that you could stay effective.
People have unrealistic expectations because they don’t check in with the Holy Spirit. They become presumptuous.
Take time to pause and ponder. You will discern what needs to stay, what to pull back from, and what needs to go out of your life. The Holy Spirit will guide you into all reality.
Things are not always what they seem to be. Truth is greater than the facts. My Word is the truth. But you need to be fully convinced of my Word and enforce it over the facts by speaking to the mountains in your way.
When deep darkness covers the earth, my glory will rise over you. If you have the correct narrative, you will be an overcomer in these times.
Keep your heart tender. Watch out for any roots of bitterness and offense, especially in times of increasing pressure. Many will get offended because of me and will fall away.
Intimacy with me will be your sustaining power.
There will be times when you will be tested. You need to decide how far you want to go. It’s a point of no return where you put all at stake.
My grace will be sufficient to uphold you, be faithful until the very end.
Hanaya, live boldly. I planned you for such a time as this.
Take one day at a time. Keep walking with me and you will be effective. I see that you love talking about me to your friends at school. You’re already a bright and shining lamp for me in this season of your student life.
You don’t have to necessarily do something big. It’s faithfulness in the little that counts. I have wired you in a certain way, your personality, spiritual and natural giftings, just be led by my Spirit and put to use the talents that I have given you
Don’t allow yourself to get wearied down. Not every voice is the truth. Not everyone speaks from the Spirit. The devil will use situations and people to get to you. Don’t let the war get inside you.
If you’re preoccupied with beholding me and my mission for you, you’re more likely not to take offence or take things at heart. It’s like, you’re caught up in a beautiful distraction, and you don’t have the time to be pulled into petty things and the drama of this world.
#3. I'm a Jesus freak
Hanaya:
They say I am too religious, too spiritual
They call me names
Is he real?
If you can’t see
How can you be a friend?
But I see, and I hear
Stuffed with small things
No room for great
They miss out
While I bask in pure love
I’m not ashamed
I’m a Jesus freak
A rebel in the making
Everything is, but a shadow
You’re the substance
Jesus, your love keeps me going
#2. No Shortcuts
Hanaya:
Lord, I know the plans you have for me is to give me hope and a good future. I know you have called me and I want to do your will. But sometimes I find it hard to wait. I don’t have all the specifics and I get impatient.
Jesus:
Hanaya, my path of life for you is a forward journey. And as long as you stay on this path you will never stagnate. You will stay active, fresh, and hopeful. If you allow me to lead you, you will be always moving forward.
I know you will be eager to reach your destination quickly. It’s exciting but there are no shortcuts in this journey.
Engage with me and wait for my counsel. If you do things in haste, driven by your emotions, or other motivations, you may end up going through some unnecessary trials and pain.
Do not judge my love by your circumstances. There’s no magic ship to sail smoothly in life. At times, things might not go the way you expected because you are living in a broken world. It might not be your fault or some sin you committed but the shortcomings of others.
You won’t be shielded from challenges and frustrations even if you do my will. Sometimes things will happen fast and at times slow. You will need the twin force of both faith and patience to overcome discouragements. And you need to speak prophetically where you’re going rather than speaking the negative or the facts.
There are processes I will put you through to prune your life and shape your character. You’re also being prepared to rule and reign with me in the age to come. So down here you are not surviving as a victim. You are qualifying for the positions of responsibility. Trust me, it’s all worth it.
As the seasons change, discern where the wind of My Spirit is blowing. And start moving in that direction for the next assignment I have for you. Be in sync with my timing. Your time of hesitation to act can become your deficit and cause delays.
Some people are stuck in the same place in life because they did not move when they should have. They thought they were waiting on me, but I was waiting on them. They did not let go of certain relationships, environments, preferences, and the familiar to move forward.
Do not fear the unfamiliar. When you sense my leading do whatever it takes to come into alignment. The adventure is in not knowing all the details. Take that first actionable step of faith even if you cannot figure out how the rest will unfold. I will cause you to be at the right place at the right time if you cooperate with me and do your part.
Also, the quicker you get over yourself and your issues the better. Do not keep revisiting your past and get stuck in repeated cycles of rejection and self-pity. These will hold you back. You need to open up your heart to me and believe in my love for you. My love will heal you from the pain of the past.
Hanaya, life is a vapor. Refuse to settle for less. I am standing in your future and beckoning you to come. Keep moving forward no matter what the cost.
You are a citizen, soldier, messenger, and ambassador of another Kingdom. Your main pursuit is to seek my Father’s Kingdom first and His righteousness. If you do this, everything else you need for life will be added to you.
You can live the most meaningful, eternally relevant and exciting life on earth. Well, not always exciting from an earthly perspective. Nevertheless, the glory to be revealed will far outweigh the hardships and the sacrifices you made to do my will in this journey of life.
#1. Meaningless Validations
Hanaya:
Lord, don’t know why I’m feeling down. Hmm… I think I’m not good enough, I want to prove myself and be accepted. But you know, things aren’t going the way I thought they would, it’s hard to keep up, and I’m getting tired.
Jesus:
Hanaya, I know you’re tempted to seek your value from the world. But listen, you don’t need to be validated by anybody. Your value is not known except in heaven. There is no one on this earth that’s going to discern who you are and what you’re worth. I planned you before the ages began. You were already written about. Don’t burden yourself trying to measure up to people’s flawed perception of worthiness, beauty, and legacy.
Save yourself from the stress to keep up because of the fear of missing out. The world is passing away. Their glory is short-lived, it’s already fading away like the withering grass of the fields. You need to discern who you are, and what’s going to remain permanent when you breathe your last.
Stay connected to me. I am the bread of life and the living waters for your thirsty soul. When you feel down or confused, talk to me. Ask for understanding. What you might be feeling could be a false perception of reality.
And by the way, since you’re walking the narrow way to follow me, you’re already rejected by the world. Many love darkness more than the light. They’re blind and deceived. Don’t pay attention to empty philosophies, nor desire meaningless validations. It’s a big nothing.
So Hanaya, quit trying to make the world like you. Free up your soul to run the race I have marked out for you. Commit to the path I have chosen for you, and stay with it. I have called you out of this world to be the light, the voice of truth, to awaken those who have ears to hear.
