It’s Your Time to Reign

“For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:17 NKJV).

Recent times have been full of challenges resulting from an ongoing pandemic to major military conflicts. Many people are suffering great loss and heartache. It would be easy to expect more of the same but God did not create you to live in fear, defeat, and constantly struggling.

I am sure God has already done some great things in your life. However, God never does His greatest miracles in your past; they are always in your future. If you are stuck in a difficult season, I want to remind you that God has created you to reign in life. You were not meant to battle sickness, worry, lack, and hardship. You are meant to experience love, life, peace, joy, laughter, and a bountiful year.

You Have Unprecedented Favor

Earlier this year, I was in another state when something came up and I had to schedule a return flight earlier than expected. I called the airlines to change my reservation, but they could not find me a seat. I prayed and decided to trust God to take care of my situation. By faith, I told my host to drop me off at the airport early the next morning. I walked up to the check-in counter and explained my situation to an agent, Mr. Alistair, who repeated that unfortunately all the flights were full. I thanked him and sat down. After about ten minutes, I felt the Holy Spirit prompting me, “Why don't you exercise your authority as a child of God? You have been crowned with favor and called to reign in life (Romans 5:17)!” I praised God under my breath, adjusted my invisible crown of favor, and boldly returned to the counter. I smiled and said, “Mr. Alistair, do you have some good news for me now?” He replied, “Yes, indeed! I see that you are at the top of our priority waiting list.” Once again, I thanked God for access to His unprecedented favor through Jesus. I came home early and took care of my business.

A Turnaround is Coming

Friend, God has already lined up moments of favor where He is going to make things happen that you could not make happen. Maybe you do not have enough experience, but suddenly you will be promoted. Maybe the medical report says you will never fully recover, but somehow your health is restored. Maybe your family has been struggling for years, but suddenly you come into opportunity, blessings, and overflow. Maybe you are bound by an addition, but suddenly you are set free. God is reminding you, “It is your time to reign. It is your time to live in freedom and victory. A turnaround is coming!”

The Bible says, “God has crowned [you] with glory and honor” (Psalm 8:5 NIV). You have not been crowned to live defeated and burdened by guilt, anxiety or addiction. You have been crowned to defeat giants, take your family to a new level, excel, and leave a mark. Whatever seems to be reigning over you—dysfunction, insecurity, and fear is about to shift. There is about to be a change in authority. You are going to reign over what is been reigning over you! Things that have been reigning over you—the loneliness, the shame, the bad breaks—are about to turn around. Adjust your invisible crown of favor! It is your time to be free. It is your time to step into abundance. It is your time to reign.

God is Watching Over You

In 2 Chronicles 22-24, tells the story of Joash. When he was a baby, his father, the king of Judah, was killed. One of the king’s sons should have taken the throne. But the king’s mother, decided she wanted to be queen. She massacred the whole royal family, so she would not have any opposition. But her sister hid young Joash in the temple, where her husband was the temple priest. When Joash was seven years old, the temple priest made a covenant with five different army captains who agreed to crown the young boy as the rightful king of Judah. So much was against Joash, yet God was protecting and preparing the child to reign. What made the difference? Joash was the son of the king.

Maybe you too have overwhelming odds to overcome. The enemy has come against you. Do not forget who you are—you are the King’s son! You are the King’s daughter! There is favor upon your life that will propel you to go where you cannot go on your own. God has the right people lined up for you. He has the right person to open door for you. You will excel, rise higher, and defeat the odds. You are the King’s son. That disappointment is not how your story ends. You are the King’s daughter. It is time for you to reign!  

Change Lives: www.buildinternational.org 

Building People. Spreading Hope. 

A Year of Rest

“Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new. It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it?” (Isaiah 43:19 MSG). 

The last couple of years have been filled with uncertainty and challenges resulting from a worldwide pandemic and ongoing instability. So many people have suffered great loss and heartache. It would be easy to shrink back and expect more of the same in 2022. However, God did not create you in order to live with fear, loss, mediocrity, and constant struggle. 

The Scriptures tell us that God crowned the year with His goodness and abundance (Psalm 65:11). God has done some great things in your life so far. But God never does His greatest miracles in your yesterdays; they are always in your future. If you stretch your faith this year, you will experience more peace, joy, laughter, increase, and influence. 

Visualize Your Victory

Tara wanted to become Miss America from the time she was a little girl. She entered the 1994 Miss Florida pageant and won the first runner-up. The following year she came short of winning the title again. She felt discouraged but rather than giving up on her dream, she stayed focused and entered the 1997 Miss Kansas pageant. This time she won the title, and later that year Tara Holland was crowned Miss America. A reporter asked her, “What’s the secret to your success?” Tara explained how she was tempted to give up after she had lost the Florida championship, but decided to rent all the videos she could find of previous local, national and international beauty pageants. She watched hundreds of crown-winning moments over and over again. Every time Tara saw a woman crowned a winner, she pictured herself receiving the crown. Another reporter asked if she was nervous walking down the runway in front of the judges and millions of people watching on television. “No, not at all,” Tara replied, “You see, I had walked down that runway a thousand times.” 

Friend, God has already crowned your year with victory. Have you ever pictured yourself winning a title, wearing a crown, doing something amazing? Can you see yourself feeling healthy, strong and whole again? Can you envision yourself free of debt, anger, and addictions? Is your vision one of abundance, increase, and the ability to help people all around the world or do you see yourself inadequate and struggling? If you want to reach your highest potential, you have to first see it on the inside before you can experience it on the outside. Paul said, “I do have one compelling focus: I forget all of the past as I fasten my heart to the future instead” (Philippians 3:13 TPT). 

Press Past the Pain

Genesis 11 tells the story of Abraham’s father, Terah. He lost one of his sons, Haran, at an early age. It was a great loss and a disappointment for him. Several years later, God put it on Terah’s heart to go to Canaan–the Promised Land. At first he was fired up and excited, but when they reached a city called Haran, the same name as his deceased son, he let the memory of his loss steal his mission. Instead of pressing past the pain, moving toward his goal, Terah got discouraged and gave up on his dream. Terah could have been the father of many nations instead of Abraham. He was the original one God told to go to the Promised Land. We could be talking about the God of Terah, Abraham, and Isaac instead of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The blessing could have started one generation sooner, but Terah decided to settle. He chose to stay focused on the pain. 

Are you lingering on your pain, loss, and betrayal? Are you holding on to the past? Do not let setbacks, losses, and bad breaks define the rest of your life! Do not allow a season of mourning to become a lifetime of regret! Press through the pain, regret, disappointment, and failure. Keep moving forward and God will repay you double for your troubles. Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 NLT). In the tiredness and weariness, do not let the heaviness contaminate this year. Jesus has promised to give you rest. Right now, God is releasing new things into your life–favor, healing, salvation, deliverance, increase, and anointing. I declare that you are blessed with wisdom, that you have clear direction, that you make good choices in life. I declare that you are blessed with a good family and friends, that you have healthy relationships, that your children will be mighty in the land. I declare that you are blessed with protection and provision. God is watching over you and your loved ones. No sicknesses, disease, plagues, or sudden calamities will come near you. You are blessed to be a blessing to the entire world. We love you and we believe in you! 

Spread Hope: www.BuildInternational.org 

Building People. Spreading Hope.