Peace of Mind is Your Portion.

  "Where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow." - Isaiah 35:7

(Where there used to be no peace, victory, or flourishing. God promises He will replace it with flourishing land, peace, and His glory.)


Do you ever feel like you're constantly being tested? Just as soon as something starts going right in your life something else crashes in and makes every good thing seem like it has lost its goodness. I think this happens to all of us. We go through seasons and days where we feel like we are constantly being attacked and most of the time it doesn't even make sense. For example the other day I spent my morning worshiping on my face. I love getting down on my face before God,I experience Him in such an intimate way when I do that. Anyways I spent that morning seeking God's face and asking Him for nothing more than to wreck my life and fill me up till I'm overflowing, basically I was just crying out for more of Him. About ten minutes after leaving that posture of worship I found myself being spiritually attacked in my mind. I got upset and confused and said "God why am I feeling like this and thinking these things, why is my family struggling, I just came out of worship with you I don't understand." A few minutes later I heard Him say to me. "Sofia I don't think you understand you've asked me for the most dangerous thing against the enemy." The Holy Spirit began to deal with me and I realized that asking God to fill me up and take complete control is a serious weapon against the kingdom of darkness because seeing God's face is what sparks revival. It's what breaks chains and causes men and women to rise up and radiate the glory of God that others may get saved and come into the kingdom. Seeking God with this earnest abandonment of the heart causes reverberations of his glory to go out into your city, household, church, workplace and so on. The enemy can't handle that so he attacks. You know one thing the enemy love is a stale Christian. He loves a Christian that isn't burning with passion for the gospel and the tangible glory of God. Why? Because this kind of staleness produces churches where people walk in sick and leave sick, where people walked in dead in their sin and leave even more dead in their sin, where people walked in depressed, stressed, and worn out, and leave the same way. If Satan can't get someone to be a non believer he will try with all he can to get a believer to be dry. If you ask me that's even more dangerous. So when the cry of our hearts becomes "Fill me up God" we become an even bigger target. I have to be honest I struggle a lot with my mind. As the stress piles in and I get caught up in my flesh and everything else that's going on around me the battlefield of my mind begins. Thoughts of worry, anxiety, pain, and tragedy will randomly pop up in my mind. Things that shouldn't consume my mind consume it and I begin to get frustrated with myself. This is why God's Word is vital. When attacks like this start to flood my atmosphere there's two things I do  1)Plead the blood of Jesus. You can call it old school but I promise that it works. The blood of Jesus is what saved you and me from hell and broke every chain of sin and condemnation off of our lives. What makes us think it still is not just as powerful to take charge over our minds and say "Not today Satan I plead the blood of Jesus over my mind which is renewed in Jesus, these thoughts do not deserve to enter me, I am a child of God." 2) Declare the promises of God over your life. The promises of God are found in His word so in order for this to take place you must read His word. These words have life and power. When Jesus used the word of God against Satan in the dessert the devil had to flee. Satan can not stand against the wonder working power of the blood of Jesus and His word. Use it. 

It's not as easy as it sounds. Sometimes I would much rather cry and just sit in my thoughts and sometimes I do. We are human and it will happen. But I hold on to the fact that God is refining me. That through the battlefield of the mind and trials and tribulations God is building me and fighting for me. That's why this life can sometimes seem like a war. Because God and His angle armies are literally fighting for our souls and minds every single day as the kingdom of darkness tries to overtake it. The good news. Jesus has already won and the devil has been defeated. Praise God! Even when it may feel like Satan is winning know that is a lie from the devil himself. He will never win. Your portion is not a disturbed mind your portion is Jesus and Jesus is "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isa 9:6).  Prince of Peace come and sit on out hearts and minds today. Transform us God and help us to pick up the sword of the spirit and shield of faith so that every attack on our minds from the enemy is  brought down to your feet and removed far from us. Fill us up God, so much to  the point that we are overflowing. In Jesus Name!

I pray that this doesn't just encourage you guys but that it makes you realize the power that lies within you and that we need to be people that seek the face of God and put the enemy in his place. We are not defeated. We are victorious. -Love Sofia.

Holy Spirit Power

             "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you." Acts 1:8

    A few weeks ago my pastor did this really cool demonstration. He took a bottle of lotion and squeezed some out onto his skin. He then said "this is how some people live/view the Holy Spirit. They think it's just something that we put on and can easily take off. They allow the Holy Spirit to just gently brush them and not really take effect. The minute they leave church they think the Holy Spirit has left them and they go back to living according to the flesh and world." He then took the lotion and rubbed it into his skin. "Now this is how we should be receiving the Holy Ghost. Not as just a mere thing that comes upon you, but as The Spirit of God that fills you and gives you power and produces fruit in your life." This message really opened my eyes to how I used to view the Holy Spirit. I was squeezing on the lotion and not rubbing it in. Basically I was unaware of who the Holy Spirit truly is and what he does. But God began to deal with me and  open my heart to not just merely knowing about the Holy Spirit but to being filled, empowered, and overflowing with him. Being filled with the Holy Spirit and living in constant communion with him will change your life. The Holy Spirit will empower you, lead you, comfort you, pray through you, convict you, and speak things through you and to you. When we walk in the power of the Holy Ghost we are no longer operating in the natural but we are operating in the supernatural. So much power is manifested in the works of the Spirit. Healing, prophecy, miracles, breakthroughs. This Sunday at my church  a woman was brought back to life!! Literally! This isn't the work of man, these kind of things only happen with an out pour of the Spirit. These kind of things didn't just happen when Jesus was walking the earth. They happen now! That's why Jesus promised and gave the Holy Spirit. We have the same Spirit with us that enabled healing and was poured out on Jesus and the early church. It's amazing. Right before Jesus was lead into the desert to be tempted by the devil and go without food for forty days and forty nights the bible says he was "full of the Holy Spirit." (Luke 4:1). The Spirit enabled Jesus to fight temptation, hunger, and have victory over Satan. The Holy Spirit empowered Him. That truth remains the same today. The Holy Spirit empowers. So many people are playing patty cake with The Spirit. They don't realize the extreme power that is held in being filled with Him. The truth is it's time to stop playing patty cake and time to start seeking the face of God and asking for a hunger that can only be satisfied by the Spirit. Jesus told the disciples in the book of Acts that they "will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you." (Acts 1:8). Not just any kind of power, but the power to call things that are not as though they were (Romans 4:17), to shutdown the evil works of Satan, to bring healing, prophecy, deliverance, to produce fruit (Galatians 5:22), to edify oneself with speaking in tongues (1 Corinthians 14:4) , and the list goes on. The Holy Spirit is active. Jesus said "and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8) the Holy Spirit empowers us to preach the gospel. Life is all about glorifying God and sharing the love of Jesus Christ everywhere we go. The Holy Spirit enables us to go into the world and proclaim the glorious and life changing news of Jesus. How beautiful is that!? God cares so much about us that he gives us His Spirit to fill and dwell within us so that we don't have to walk in defeat but we can walk in victory and grace and lead others into that same truth. I am so thankful for these revelations that have taken place in my life. I pray that we stop neglecting the Holy Spirit in our churches and personal lives but that we realize the importance and power that comes from being filled with Him and fully embrace everything He has come to do in our lives. My encouragement to you is to pray for the Holy Spirit to fill you, lead you, and change your heart to walk in harmony with Him. I promise that when you start living attentive to and according to the Spirit your life will never be the same.

                             ~Sofia  

Wondrous

Happy Monday everyone! It's a start of a brand new week and I am finding myself feeling refreshed and ready to go. Usually on Monday's I don't feel this way. I tend to be more tired, stressed out and ready for the weekend to be here already. But I had a really refreshing weekend and God revealed a lot to me through His word that has re -sparked the fire in my heart that burns for Him.  As a teenage girl there are times when I feel the intense pressures of this world. I can find myself stressing out about all types of things. College, homework, boys, my future, what I'm going to wear tomorrow. I've also come to realize that focusing on these stresses causes me to forget how precious I am.This world is loaded with stress and pressures that will crush us and cause us to feel out of control. By focusing on them we draw away from Jesus and therefore loose heart of our worth and value. Being a girl can be a serious challenge. Especially in  today's world. The pressure is crazy and I find so many girls my age breaking under it. This past weekend I found myself slowly slipping into that pressure. I knew that my stressful thoughts didn't line up with what God had to say about me though so I decided to worship. I cranked up Oceans by Hillsong and poured out all of my worries to God. And He came through meeting me in my breakdown and picking me up. He reminded me of  how precious I am.

                     "And how blessed all those in whom You live, whose lives become roads You travel; They wind through lonesome valleys, come upon brooks, discover cool springs and pools brimming with rain! God-traveled, these roads curve up the mountain, and at the last turn----Zion! God in full view. God-Of-The-Angel-Armies, listen ; O God of Jacob, open Your ears--- I'm praying! Look at our shields, glistening in the sun, our faces, shinning with Your gracious anointing...All sunshine, and sovereign is God. Generous in gifts and glory. He doesn't scrimp with His traveling companions. It's smooth sailing all the way with the God-Of-Angel-Armies."~ Psalm 84:5-9;11-12 (The message)

We are precious. We are daughters of the God of the universe. The God who created the oceans and skies created us and loves us. We are blessed because we get to travel through this life with Jesus. We go through trials and hard times and then find ourselves coming upon "brooks, cool springs, abundance, love, forgiveness, deliverance!  Our faces shine with the gracious anointing that comes from God. This message gives me hope and opens my heart to the abundant love of Jesus. I know that I am dearly loved, and I want all of you to know that as well. God has a beautiful and amazing purpose for each of our lives and desires to pour His love out on us. So this week, as you dive into the motions of school, work, and life, fix your eyes on Jesus. Don't fall into the pressures of this world but fall into the love of Christ. You are beautiful, you are fearfully and wonderfully made, and the anointing of grace and splendor is there waiting to be poured out onto your life. Dive into it and you will find a peace and healing that goes beyond the pressures and stress of this world. Have a beautiful week , and remember because of Jesus we are free.

           Love,
              Sofia.

He Knows Me

                                                                           

Hey everyone! I hope you guys have been enjoying your weekend so far, I know I have. This past school week has been so busy and stressful, full of tests, projects, quizzes, homework, and a very difficult math class, I have been awaiting a relaxing Saturday. Although this week has been a hard one full of different trials and obstacles that tested my faith I have found great comfort. In the beginning of the week right before school stared I came across this verse "For the Lord is a God who knows." - 1 Samuel 2:3. I carried this verse in my heart the rest of the week. Through every stressful day, heartache, and frustration of this week this verse would come to my mind. God knows me. He knows me better than I even know myself. The God of the universe who created the stars and skies knows me. I found so much peace in that truth this week. At the end of every day I would find myself resting in the love that Jesus pours out on me and the truth that He knows me. This week also made me think of what my life would be like without Jesus. It honestly is scary to think about. What would I have done with myself this past week without the peace and hope that is found in Christ? I can't imagine. I know this, I wouldn't have found peace. It's truly amazing that we have unlimited access to a peace and love that can't fail or run out or be shaken. Although spending time with God and trusting in His truth's did not change the difficulty of my math class, the not so nice people I encountered, or the workload I was presented with, it changed my heart. His peace and comfort restored me and filled me up after such draining days. Take a minute to think about the fact that God knows you. He loves you and longs to refresh you after awful days of stress and trials. This week was tiresome but refreshing. God has drawn me nearer to Him and I've found myself wrapped in His love, which by the way is an incredible feeling. God doesn't have to love us or care about our small lives that consist of stresses and worries but He does. He loves and cares and that's so wonderful. In our pain and mistakes, God loves and knows us. Rest in that truth and take a minute to breathe and realize that the Creator of the universe is deeply in love with you and knows you better than you know yourself. 


                                                                      Love,
                                                                          Sofia

                           Watch this awesome video to hear some awesome acoustic music by Hillsong that will definitely fill your heart.