Do you know who you are? It seems like a simple and silly question, right? This question is one I have been asking over myself for over a year. At the start of 2017 I experienced a heartache that began to cripple me and over time I allowed it to down right paralyze me. I stopped being me. I retreated. I isolated. I questioned. I feared. I stopped sharing my faith because someone used their words to hurt me, and I allowed it.

“She’s a fake and a fraud.”

Those were the words that stopped me in my tracks and put me on my “mat” where I could not get back up. I’m afraid there are many of us in this condition. In John 5 you read about Jesus healing a lame man by the pool. Check this out:

“Here a great number of disabled people used to lie – the blind, the lame, and paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time he asked him, “Do you want to be healed” John 5:3-6

I am going to pause the story. Do you see how the broken congregate together? Do you see that the man had been paralyzed for 38 years? He had remained on the same mat by the same pool surrounded by the same people – unchanging, accepting his condition, wanting to be pitied when Jesus came up and asked him if he wanted to be healed. Wouldn’t you think he would jump at the opportunity to say yes? Let’s pick up the story…

“Sir, the invalid replied, I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes in ahead of me.” John 5:7

Pause again! REALLY! That was his answer? He was waiting for someone else to do the work to get him to the water…after 38 years? Here are some amazing nuggets of  truth that I just learned from Christine Cain at the “Heaven Come 2018” Bethel Conference from this past weekend:

• Sometimes we make our peace with our brokenness.
• We believe the lie that it’s noble to be the victim.
• The devil wants us to stay on our mat.
• What about the generations that are counting on you to get up off that mat?

“Then Jesus said to him,  Get up! Pick up your mat and walk. At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.” John 5:8-9

Friends, my Lord has been stirring me to get up off my mat all year. ARISE is my word I felt him speaking over me for 2018. This weekend just affirmed it again. GET UP! ARISE! There are generations waiting on us to get up off our mats. Whatever has caused you to get down and into the pit, please allow me to encourage you to not wait for someone else to come and pull you out. You CAN DO THIS! Jesus will meet you in the broken! Healing will give you access to places you never would have gone before.

Write this down and remember it:

God’s words to Jesus after being baptized in the Jordan – “You are my son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” Luke 3:22

Satan’s words to Jesus following the baptism when being tempted – “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” Luke 4:3

Brothers and Sisters, if we have accepted The Lord as our Savior these words are for us. We are HIS sons and daughters who He is well pleased.  Don’t allow Satan the opportunity to question your identity. YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD!

This song brought me liberation and freedom after hearing this message of truth. Close your eyes and listen to the words. Claim them over your life. Those words that were spoken over me are gone. They will never be spoken from my mouth or thoughts again. I AM A CHILD OF GOD!

I will never forget these beauties and this moment in time. Thank you Jesus!

Heaven Come 2018 – Bethel Conference – May 31 – June 2nd 2018