BeyondSeeLevel

I’ve shared this with a few sisters. And I’ve decided to share it on a larger scope. Why? As I was introduced into the “getting-to-know-you” phase of a potential relationship, I opened it up with prayer. I did so, because I didn’t want to waste anymore of my time investing in what/who wasn’t committed to investing in me. Day by day, I added to this prayer as God exposed me to what would be necessary as we moved forward. Being intentional in my pursuit for a relationship that would lead to marriage (the only kind I would consider) I’ve asked God, not only to be with “us”, but to guide “us”. This meant that I would have to be willing to allow God to establish every part of the process of developing “us”–not make an independent decision to be “us”, then ask God to bless “us”. But I really wanted God to establish “us”. And by God establishing “us”, I knew that our pleasures would fall secondary to our purpose. We would be led by the Spirit of God and not by our own flesh. So a desire was imbeded in my spirit that refused to settle for being yoked to someone that I could go to church with but couldn’t BE the church with. And as I share a little bit of “us” with the world, I continue to pray that our intentions to pursue one another will always honor God, point people to God and renew someone’s hope. I shared this prayer with him (James) once I realized that he was not just another man expressing interest. And I believe that it was instrumental in setting the tone and direction for how we approached “us”. My prayer is that it will help someone come into a better understanding of God’s expectations for the relationship He brings together. Because, truth is, God doesn’t bring all relationships together. This prayer helps me stay focused on the stewardship of my relationship. It keeps me connected to the purpose of my relationship. And it encourages me with the potential of my relationship. I’ve graduated from having such a me-minded attitude toward relationships. And I’ve also been delivered from the world’s systems as it relates to man-woman relationships. My plan was to share this prayer at a much later date. But after the conversations I’ve had with the ones I’ve already shared it with, I’ve decided to share it now. So I pray that it helps point someone in a direction of holy dating/courting. I pray that whoever finds themselves consider being “Us”, that they open up in prayer and walk in holiness.

Heavenly Father,

I opened the door to getting to know him in this prayer. I asked You to show and sanctify this process; this endeavour. Show us both what we need to see. Help us perceive through holy lenses; and not be blinded or guided by our carnal lenses. Sanctify our intentions toward one another. Help me be a righteous presence in his life for this reason, season or lifetime. Help him be a righteous presence in my life. Help us walk in Your Spirit and resist temptations to be in our flesh, x’ing you out of our relationship. If that’s not what he wants, I’m asking You Lord, to exercise Your Divine severing and separation power. And if that’s Your will, help me accept it as Your Divine guidance, protection and positioning. Help me accept what You reveal to me about the process; about him; about myself. Help me walk in wisdom and honesty about who we are; not in fantasy about who I want us to be. Help me honor him as my brother in Christ, by first, being who You have called me to be as Your daughter. Help me to be so guided by Your hand, that even if it doesn’t work out between us, that he finds himself looking for a woman that reconnects him to a heart like mine–Not to find another me; but to find another “God-in-me”. Help me honor his manhood and his God-hood. Help me see beyond his flesh and his flaws so that I can see and value him. Help him see beyond my flesh and my flaws so that he can see and value me. If his intentions are honorable in Your sight, help me let my guard down so that I can let him in. Help him reach the parts of me that have been sanctified for covenant connection; not carnal connection. Help us strive to be an Ephesians 5 couple, purposing to glorify You with our relationship. I pray that You orchastrate our “coming together”. Tie all the loose ends. Open all the necessary doors. Build all the bridges and give us all the keys. Help us learn to love one another the way we need to love one another. Always keeping Your love as the standard for our love for one another–pure, honorable, intentional and purposeful. Bless our friendship. Help us develop companionship; not just settle for being company for one another. Help us develop this love as companions, not as competitors. Help us like one another and enjoy one another’s company. Help us genuinely appreciate and value one another. Help us to be able to take refuge in one another as we take refuge in You. If it’s Your will that we enter covenant, please help us be sexually enough and pleasing to one another. Help us honor each other’s bodies by being holy and faithful. Help us genuinely love each other’s children and families as our own. Help me to be a godly, motherly presence in the lives of his children. Help him to be a godly, fatherly presence in the lives of my children. Help our children respect, honor and value us and our union. Help us receive each other’s love. Help us be mindful of Satan’s vices against convenant commitments and fight to guard our union with one another and our union with You. Help us to live personally dedicated lives to You, so that we may be dedicated to one another. Help us be intentional about and with the glory we bring to You by us simply being together. Help us intentionally learn one another’s love language so that we can effectively and purposefully love one another as individuals. Give us the ability to communicate with one another in love and understanding. Empower us to teach and reach one another in love and in wisdom. Help us honor our relationship in spite of the between distance us.

In Jesus’ name, I pray.

Amen

*Tressa Jo

But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” Mark 8:33 NIV

When Jesus realized that He was being encouraged to deviate from the course God had him on, He rebuked Satan immediately. He spoke AT Peter, but He spoke TO Satan. One reason many of our words of rebukes have no weight is because we keep speaking to people, but we fail to speak to the spirit within people. We don’t war against flesh and blood. Jesus addressed the spirit behind Peter’s words. He didn’t attack Peter. He rebuked Satan. Truth be told, many of us aren’t able to fight in the Spirit because we aren’t even walking in the Spirit. We may even be religious. But we’re not spiritual. We’re in our flesh. We’re carnal. The Bible teachers that a spiritual person is able to judge all things. Why? A spiritual person isn’t limited to the vantage point of their flesh or outer experience. They’re not one dimensional. They’re able to see beyond what they see. And because of that, they can judge things from the core or the seed. Which is where a thing begins, thrives and dies.

Another reason our words of rebuke have no weight is because we don’t even “have in mind the concerns of God”. We’re really only concerned about our own human experiences. The Kingdom isn’t a priority. Living holy isn’t a priority. Glorifying God in undesirable circumstances is not a priority. So when we utter the words “Get thee behind me Satan!”, who takes us seriously? God? Satan? Who are we able to rebuke in the spirit when we’re in our flesh?

*Tressa Jo

When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortune. Job 42:10

Oftentimes, we find ourselves in the midst of hardships. During these times, we’re not as open to minister to others as we go through own hardships. As a matter of fact, when someone request our support, we quickly dismiss them by making it known that we’re going through a rough time ourselves and are in need of support too. We have nothing to give because we’re in need just as much as they are.

Even though Job was at the lowest point in his life with hardships beyond our comprehension, he still managed to pray for someone else. In his low place, having to deal with the many accusations and judgments of his, so-called, friends, he managed to step outside of his own hardship long enough to pray FOR his friends. He didn’t just pray about them. Even though he had great need himself, he still was able to see the needs of his friends even though they added to his suffering by failed attempts to offer support and encouragement. After Job stepped outside of his hardship and prayed for his friends, God restored his fortunes. It wasn’t when Job felt like giving up. It wasn’t when he wanted to die. It wasn’t when he was confused and feeling hopeless. It wasn’t when the person closest to him told him to curse God and die. It was when he prayed for someone else that God shifted his circumstances. Here’s what God is telling us today. The difference and distance between your dilemma and your deliverance may be your ability to get over yourself and pray for someone else.

*Tressa Jo

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

As simple as this formula is, it’s often the last resort for the children of God. We may vent to the Lord, but are we praying to Him? We vent lacking faith and hope that God can or will do anything about what we bring to Him. He’s just a listening ear, a sounding board. We don’t really expect Him to do anything. So we remain in a state of panic, confusion, faithlessness, anxiousness and despair. In other words, we act like the world–without hope.

But every now and then, we approach God full of faith and hope trusting Him to intercede. We have this trust not even knowing what God will do. But we know that He can do. There’s a reason God instructs us to approach anxiousness, initially with Thanksgiving. It’s a reminder that if God did it before, He can do it again. It helps us shift our focus from trouble to having hopeful anticipation of triumph. It shocks us back into the truthful reality that we’re not even in a fight FOR the victory. We’re actually fighting FROM the victory. We’ve already won! But being consumed with what our outer man is experiencing paralyzes us from being able to connect to and rely on what our inner man has already confirmed. We’re going to be alright! God has us! We must remember that even when we’re fearful, intimidated, nervous or unsure, nothing has the ability to take God by surprise, catch Him off guard or intimidate Him. He’s all powerful!

Soooo, discipline your thoughts today. Don’t allow the enemy to consume you with what he’s trying to consume you by. He’s a bully. His bark is a lot bigger than his bite. And he knows it. Focus on what you’re thankful for. Bring those things to God that the enemy is trying to use to rob you of your faith. Trust and believe that God has you and is still in control. Then experience His blessed peace. That peace will be so amazing that you have to shake your own head at yourself and wonder why you’ve wasted all this time worrying when you have a God so powerful.

People of God, there’s a lot of stuff going on around us. And for many, there’s a lot of stuff going on in us. Truly take it to God and know that it’s going to be alright.

*Tressa Jo