Plans gone wrong!

“Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “Hushai’s advice is better than Ahithophel’s.” For the Lord had determined to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, which really was the better plan, so that he could bring disaster on Absalom!”

‭‭2 Samuel‬ ‭17:14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

 

Ahitophel’s advice could have ended David’s life if it was followed but God stepped in and delivered him by frustrating Ahitophel’s counsel and plan.

The enemy is always planning against you but his plans will come to nothing. They will not come to fruition because the Lord is protecting you. Like He did for David the Lord is stepping in and frustrating the enemy’s plans.

Remember Haman who had plans to eliminate the Jewish people. (Read the book of Esther)

It seemed like his plans were rock solid but God stepped in again and frustrated them.

“Then Harbona, one of the king’s eunuchs, said, “Haman has set up a sharpened pole that stands seventy-five feet tall in his own courtyard. He intended to use it to impale Mordecai, the man who saved the king from assassination.” “Then impale Haman on it!” the king ordered. So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai, and the king’s anger subsided.”

‭‭Esther‬ ‭7:9-10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

 

The truth is this: No weapon formed against you will prosper.

Don’t be afraid of the plans the enemy has against you and the weapons he creates to take you out because the Lord will guard you and make sure you are safe. The only plans that are coming to reality are the ones the Lord has made.

I pray and declare that all His good plans over your life come to pass. There is no plan that the enemy has created that is strong enough to succeed over you.

So don’t lose heart. The Lord will be your Shield wherever you go!

Bless you friends!

 

Rolain

Start speaking better today.

“From the fruit of their lips people enjoy good things.”

Proverbs 13:2

 

This is another thing God has been speaking to me about this year. I have been challenged

to improve the quality of my words. It’s especially hard to speak life when things don’t

seem to be going our way or when things are just bad but we need to. The word is very

very clear when it comes to the words we speak.

If you want to enjoy good things then start speaking better. Don’t allow yourself to speak

negatively when things are not going your way.

 

“From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things, and the work of their hands

brings them reward.”

Proverbs 12:14

 

It’s easy to speak positively when everything is going well but quite another story when we are

on the ground and losing. Speaking life doesn’t just happen, it’s a choice on our part. And just to

be clear I am not talking about pumping yourself up with motivational words only. I am talking about

declaring the word of God in your situations. Any one can say “everything is going to be okay” but

it is something else when you take God’s word and declare it as truth for yourself. Declaring

the word of God is powerful.

 

“From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled, with the harvest of their lips they are

satisfied.”

Proverbs 18:20

 

What are you trusting God for? Declare it, speak it out. Don’t let your faith remain silent. Speak

out what you believing for. Let’s this truth be something you use more and more in your life.

And not just in your life but in the life of others. Your friend may not have enough faith to declare

Healing over themselves but you can do it on their behalf. Use your words to encourage and inspire.

It’s time to work on the words that come out of our mouths today. Things begin to happen when we

speak out God’s word in our situations!

 

Bless you friends

 

Rolain

Why you will be victorious today…

“If it had not been the Lord Who was on our side when men rose up against us, 

Then they would have quickly swallowed us up alive when their wrath was 

kindled against us, ” 

Psalm 124:2, 3

 

The chapter continues, painting a picture of what would have happened if God had not been with His people.

God is with us, friends. If He had not been on our side we would have easily been destroyed by our strong enemies.

The enemy would laugh and be victorious if the Lord wasn’t on our side.

We would have no testimony if He wasn’t with us.

We would have no victory, no deliverance, no answered prayers if the Lord wasn’t on our side.

We wouldn’t be able to declare His mighty deeds if He wasn’t by our side.

 

“Then they would have quickly swallowed us up alive when their wrath was kindled against us; 

Then the waters would have overwhelmed us and swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us.” 

 

In short, we wouldn’t have a chance against the devil without Him by our side.

But because He is by our side we can praise Him, we can be thankful. We can declare the mighty

things He is doing in our lives. Because He is on our side we have hope.

Because He is by our side we will have a testimony!

Bless you friends.

 

Rolain

 

 

The promise of God on your life under attack…

“And [that same] following night the Lord stood beside Paul and said, Take courage, Paul, 

for as you have borne faithful witness concerning Me at Jerusalem, so you, must also bear 

witness at Rome.

Now when daylight came, the Jews formed a plot and bound themselves by an oath and

under a curse neither to eat nor drink till they had done away with Paul.

They were more than forty [men of them], who formed this conspiracy [swearing together this oath

and curse].” 

Acts 23:11-13

 

I know I have shared on this verse before but this week God has been speaking to me afresh concerning

this passage of scripture.

Paul had a clear word from God about where he was going. But we see that the very next day

an attack was launched against Paul and that is what I want to speak about.

 

The enemy is not afraid to attack the word God has spoken to you. The enemy wants to destroy the

work God has started in you. he doesn’t want you getting to the place God has planned for you.

he has declared war on you, on the calling God has on your life.

 

After reading Paul’s story I was shown how the enemy was attacking the word of God given to me.

When it comes to finances let’s just my faith has been nonexistent.

I would worry about how my needs would be met and how I would survive the month but God began

to help me through a group of men I am accountable to. He gave me scriptures to stand on and declare

and for a season I was energized and full of faith but somewhere down the line that stopped.

 

I started falling back into worry and fear and that is when God showed me what was happening through

the story of Paul. The enemy was attacking the word God had given me and I didn’t even realize it.

 

I will not let the enemy steal the word God has given me anymore and not just in the area of finances but every

area of my life. He has promised me health, long life, fruitful relationships, restoration, purpose realized

and so much more.

 

I don’t know where you are at today but know that the enemy is attacking the word God has given you.

 

“And he [satan] said to the woman, Can it really be that God has said, You shall not eat from every 

tree of the garden?” 

Genesis 3:1

 

satan had the audacity to challenge the word Eve was given.

he is trying to steal the word God has given

you.

 

Don’t let him steal it. The word God has given you is to carry you and protect

you.  It is to act as a way out of the storm you are in. It’s your light in the darkness.

Without the word you are left vulnerable, hopeless, lost and defeated. The enemy knows this.

 

The way to stop the enemy from stealing the word God has given you is by reading His word and

declaring it! Don’t stop declaring and reading the word no matter how bad it gets, no matter how hopeless

it appears to be.  That’s the mistake I made. I stopped declaring and the enemy took full advantage.

 

God’s word over you will come to pass. It will accomplish what it was meant to do and that is to

nullify the lies of the enemy, to break the chains you are bound by. The word will release you into all

of what God has destined you for. There is so much in store for you. It’s time to walk into it.

Take a stand against the enemy. God is with you.

 

Bless you, friends!

 

Rolain

 

 

 

Let faith lead you and not doubt, anxiety and fear.

“The just shall live by faith.”

Galatians 3:11

 

I was challenged a few days ago as I thought about this scripture and what it meant for me.

It’s not talking about having faith occasionally and it’s not talking about faith as an event.

Instead this verse talks about faith as a lifestyle, as the driving force behind everything we

do.

As I live my life there needs to be an expectation that God sees and is working things out

for my good. I need to believe He is faithful to what He promised and even though

things are hard, He will deliver me and that my best days are yet to come.

I am not where I am by accident, so there needs to be a conviction that God has led me here

and He is directing my every step. The things that are happening in my life are not a coincidence.

The things I am believing for will come to pass. He has a purpose and plan for the gifts and talents

He has given me. I was not an after thought when He made me so there is so much more in store.

That’s what it means to live by faith and that’s what I feel I was challenged about as I read that

verse.

 

When things don’t go the way we want or we encounter difficult times that’s when

it becomes harder to hold on to faith, to live by faith. The difficult things we face can distort our

vision. We can lose sight of how great God is and instead of living by faith the doubts, fear, and anxiety

lead us. Instead of faith we become discouraged and hopeless. We lose sight of the big picture and

go into survival mode. But that’s not the way God wants us to live.

 

The just shall live by faith. 

 

In everything, He wants us to trust Him. In sickness, He wants us to trust Him for healing, in financial

turmoil He wants us to trust He will provide, in economic hardship He wants us to hold on to the truth

that He is our provider. When the door is closed He wants us to believe He can open the door.

When faced with a dark and grim life, He wants us to believe He has a future and an expected end

for us, that our lives will get better.

 

Don’t fall into the trap of getting by. As you work, or go to school have faith. He wants you to believe.

Because the truth of the matter is this;

 

The Lord is working on your behalf

The Lord is directing your every step

He is your Shepherd so you won’t lack

You were created for a purpose

Your life has meaning and relevance so even though it doesn’t feel that way, He is busy making sure

everything He planned and promised for you comes to pass!

 

Be expectant. Don’t take your life for granted. Don’t give up hope.

The Lord is in control and that’s all that matters.

Live by faith!

 

Blessings to you friends.

 

Rolain

 

 

When will the Lord answer us?

Is this the day?

Is this the day the door opens?

Is this the day my prayers are answered?

Is this the day I get my breakthrough?

 

The truth is I don’t know the day but that’s not the point. The point is to be expectant.

The point is to put your hope in the Lord. Today could be the day but if it’s not keep trusting,

Keep declaring, Keep doing, fully confident the day is coming.

The question is no longer, “will the day come” but “when is the day”.

 

The enemy will try to deceive you into believing the day won’t come. He will try to make you believe

the sickness is permanent, the lack is permanent, the broken relationship is permanent, the addiction

is permanent, the list goes on and on but he is wrong.

Your answer to prayer will come, it might be already here, the sickness will leave, you are healed,

what the enemy stole will be restored, poverty will be broken off your life…..I think you get the

picture.

 

Mephiboseth was a cripple and didn’t have much going for him. As a baby his nurse fled with him but

in her haste she dropped him and he became a cripple. He didn’t have a say in the

matter. (2 Samuel 4:4) Talk about an unfortunate circumstance.

But when all was lost something pretty amazing happened.

 

“The king said, Is there not still someone of the house of Saul to whom I may show the [unfailing, unsought, 

unlimited] mercy and kindness of God?”

2 Samuel 9:3

 

There is nothing Mephibosheth did differently to get the kings attention. No one went to the king and

appealed on his behalf, no. He was a nobody in one instant and in the next he was eating at the

king’s table! And that is why we must live a life of expectancy and faith.

I don’t think Mephibosheth had any idea his life would change so drastically. But as sons and

daughters of the King we can be expectant. A life without hope is death. What David did

for Mephibosheth is a picture of the Father’s heart I believe. We don’t deserve His goodness, grace

and mercy but He has given it anyway.

Like Mephibosheth the Lord can do the same thing and more. We need to be expectant always.

 

 

Expect YAH to move in your life today.

Expect an answer to your prayers.

Expect healing, expect deliverance, expect breakthrough.

The Lord is faithful. He won’t let us down.

Have a great weekend friends……

 

Rolain

 

 

 

What does God see when He looks at us?

“God has not beheld iniquity in Jacob [for he is forgiven], neither has He seen 

mischief or perverseness in Israel [for the same reason]. The Lord their God 

is with Israel, and the shout of praise to their King is among their people.” 

Numbers 23:21

 

This is a pretty amazing verse if you ask me. Balak hired Balaam to curse

the people of Israel but things were not going according to his plan.

Blessing was happening instead of cursing. Balaam could only speak what YAH

told him. But that’s not the amazing bit, whats amazing are the words YAH put in

Balaam’s mouth to speak (declare).

 

Up to this point Israel had rebelled against YAH in so many ways. They were back

in the desert because they failed to believe YAH could take them to the promise land

even though they were by the “door”.

 

They complained, tested, grumbled, and worshipped other gods (the golden calf) so you would think

YAH would allow the cursing to happen as a way of punishment for all the wrong things they

had done to that point. But that is not what happened.

 

Instead of allowing Balaam to curse them, He let him bless them!

He had forgiven them completely. Through all the bad they did and all the bad they were

going to do YAH still forgave them. He didn’t hold their sin against them.

This is a picture of how merciful our God is. We deserve worse because of our sin

but that’s not what we get.

The Israelites failed YAH so many times and yet He still loved them, He still forgave them,

He stopped Balaam from cursing them.

Do we really understand how great YAH’s love is for us?

I think the enemy lies to us that our sin is unbearable to YAH and because it’s so

unbearable, He will keep His distance from us. That’s a lie.

 

I am not saying it’s okay to sin, what I am saying is that YAH loves us no matter what.

There are consequences for sin and that is shown by the Israelites who never made it into the

promise land because of their unbelief.

 

But to say that the Lord hates us and can’t stand us because of sin is a lie. When He sees

us, He sees His children. He loves us so much.

You may have messed up and are continuing to mess up but know that you can repent.

Confidently cry out to Him when you fall. He doesn’t disown you when you sin. He picks

you up and that’s how much He loves us

We are truly blessed….

 

Rolain

 

 

He will not embarrass you……

“Don’t embarrass me by not showing up;

I’ve given you plenty of notice.

Embarrass the wicked, stand them up”

Psalm 31: 14-18

 

That’s my prayer at the moment.

There are decisions I have made, and declarations I have uttered boldly.

It would be quite embarrassing if God didn’t come through for me!

 

But, is it possible for God to embarrasses His children??

For Him to embarrass us would mean He isn’t able to

show up for us.

 

As I meditated on this scripture today the more and more I realized

how unlikely it would be for me to be embarrassed by Him.

 

Let’s look at some scriptures to illustrate my point,

 

“Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might

humble ourselves before our God to seek from Him a straight and

right way for us, our little ones, and all our possessions.

 

For I was ashamed to request of the king a band of soldiers and horesemen

to protect us against the enemy along the way, because we had told the king,

The hand of the our God is upon all them for good who seek Him, but His

power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.”

Ezra 8:21, 22

 

Ezra declared the goodness and greatness of God to the king and because

of that Ezra didn’t get soldiers and horsemen to protect the families on

their journey.

 

“So we fasted and besought our God for this, and He heard our entreaty. “

Ezra 8: 23

 

“We left the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month to go to

Jerusalem;

and the hand of our God was upon us, and He delivered us from the

enemy and those who lay in wait by the way.”

Ezra 8:31

 

God showed up for His people and because He did His people were

not embarrassed.

What are you trusting God for?

What have you been praying to Him about?

 

Remember, He will not embarrass you by not showing up for you.

He is faithful and true and He will show up for you.

 

As we wait on the Lord, lets remember that He will always show up for

us. It may not be in the time frame you are expecting and it may not be

in the way you are expecting but He will always show up.

Don’t abandon the prayer.

Don’t think He has abandoned you.

He will show up!

 

Bless you friends!

 

Rolain

 

 

 

 

 

A story about coffee and blessings…..

“Be intentional about being blessed”

 

Coffee led me to this revelation……  🙂

I am serious. Let me explain.

Someone owed me coffee about two weeks ago. It’s a long story but all you

need to know is someone owed me coffee.

A day passes, two days pass, a week then two weeks and still nothing.

I hadn’t collected the free coffee! (that’s insane right??)

In fact I was reminded to collect the free coffee last week but I forgot to!! (unacceptable for sure!!)

I was then reminded yesterday and I was what the heck???!!!

It’s a free coffee! One would think I hated coffee but that’s not true.

I love coffee.

Let me rephrase that,

I loveeeeeeee coffee!!!!

 

It was at that moment when  a thought came to me,

“Be intentional about being blessed”

 

I was supposed to get a free coffee but I let busyness get in the way.

I thought it was a good excuse but it’s not.

To get the coffee I had to be intentional.

There were things I had to do to receive the coffee……!

In this case I had to simply go and remind a friend to buy me the coffee but I didn’t.

 

I started thinking if there were other areas of my life I was doing the

exact same thing!

God wants me to have so much but if I let busyness and other excuses to get in the

way then I am the one who loses out.

 

Being intentional looks different for every person.

It could be declaring what God spoke over you

It could be obeying Him in that thing that He told you

It could be trusting God for something

It could be spending more time with Him

It could be waiting on Him

It could be reading more of the His word.

 

Remember, blessings are not just material things. They are also spiritual.

Blessings could be a new level of influence, a new gift, dominion and so on.

 

Whatever it is, be intentional.

God has so much in store for you but you need to desire it,

you need to get hungry, pursue Him with all that you have,

speak, declare, prophesy, but don’t just sit there doing nothing.

Open your mouth, lift up your hands, move your feet, whatever He is telling

you to do, DO!

 

Elisha was very intentional about being blessed. He followed Elijah everywhere.

He had to be separated from Elijah by a chariot and horses of fire (2 kings 2)

 

The blind man who was begging near Jericho was intentional about being blessed.

Let’s read his story,

 

^“As He came near to Jericho, it occurred that a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.

 And hearing a crowd going by, he asked what it meant.

They told him, Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.

And he shouted, saying, Jesus, Son of David, take pity and have mercy on me!

But those who were in front reproved him, telling him to keep quiet;

yet he screamed and shrieked so much the more, Son of David, take pity and

have mercy on me!”

Luke 18:35-42

 

The blind man wasn’t silent as Jesus passed by. The Amplified says he screamed and shrieked

so much the more!!! I hope and pray you understand the message I am trying to get across.

Being intentional is going to be different for each and every one of us.

God will show you what you need to do.

 

But before anything else, be intentional about getting to know Him.

That must be the most important goal and desire in  your life.

If that’s not your main desire then the other stuff is pointless, it has no meaning.

It’s better you forget everything I have said in this post.

God will bless someone who loves Him and wants to be used by Him.

He will bless someone whose desire for Him far outweighs the desire for stuff.

He will not bless a selfish person.

He will not bless someone who is looking out for himself.

It’s the people who love Him with all of their heart, soul and mind

that make a real impact in this world!

Let’s be more intentional about being blessed!

Blessings to you friends!

 

Rolain

What does your life look like in God’s eyes??

“And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, 

the Lord is with you, you mighty man of [fearless] courage.”

Judges 6:12

 

At that precise moment we know Gideon didn’t see himself

as a mighty man of valor. In fact he didn’t see much for

himself.

 

“Gideon said to Him, Oh Lord, how can I deliver Israel? 

Behold, my clan is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the 

least in my father’s house. “

Judges 6:15

 

How did Gideon get to that conclusion?

Someone told him of course!

It may have been his parents or his friends or neighbors but

whatever the case he didn’t see much for his life. He saw

himself as the least.

 

He may of expected nothing in his life but that didn’t change

the truth that God saw more….

He saw so much more for Gideon and He declared it……!

We may see a partial picture of our lives but God sees a full

one!

 

We need God’s help to keep seeing more.

 

There are so many things on a daily basis that push us to

doubt God’s plan for our lives.

The circumstances around us try to force us to believe

there is no plan, that this is how it will always be but it’s all a

lie!

 

“And He said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where did you come from, 

and where are you intending to go? 

And she said, I am running away from my mistress Sarai. 

The Angel of the Lord said to her, Go back to your mistress

and [humbly] submit to her control. 

Also the Angel of the Lord said to her, I will multiply your

descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be numbered 

for multitude. “

Genesis 16:8-13

 

Hagar couldn’t take it anymore. She had to run away from her

household because Sarai dealt severely with her. She was at the

end of her rope. Did she see all that God had for her at that

moment? I don’t think so.

All she wanted was relief from the abuse.

 

But in such adverse circumstances God had a plan for her

and her family.

She couldn’t see it though. That is why she ran away!

 

The strategy has not changed. The enemy wants to discourage us.

He wants us to lose hope.

He wants us to give up on our calling.

 

But we have a chance friends. God is with us.

We need to hang on to what He says about us.

When He looks at our lives He sees the more He intended

for us. What we need to do is see it too. We need His help.

When we are discouraged, or we want to give up remember

there is more. God has so much more in store for us.

The enemy must not win!

Put your faith in the Lord.

He will bring to pass everything He has promised you.

Don’t throw in the towel.

Your life will turn around because God is with you.

That is my encouragement to you friends.

Bless you!

 

Rolain