Armour Bearers

This past Monday I had the honour of going to see the Hillsong United Documentary, “Let Hope Rise” in theaters and man was it good! I have always been a big fan of Hillsong Church and the creative content that they are able to put out. This movie was nothing short of that. It was inspiring, entertaining and glorified Jesus. But I’m not here to give a movie review.

This blog however, was inspired by the Hillsong Movie. (SPOILER ALERT) Towards the end of the film, Joel Houston is pressed for time in his attempts to complete a song 77 minutes before their live recording! During this time, Jad Gillies narrates what is happening behind the scenes. Jad tells us how he empathizes with his friend as he tries to complete the song being pressed for time but still wanting to complete it with excellence and to his own personal standards. I loved the way Jad spoke about Joel and how he recognized Joel’s needs at the time. But what I love most was the analogy he gave about his friendship with Joel.

During a very heartfelt moment in the movie, after Jad and Joel had just ministered the song Joel finished 5 minutes before showtime, Jad tells us of the story of the armour bearer. In biblical times, the armour bearer was someone who was in charge of carrying the armour and standing by kings or generals in times of war. They played a protective role or even acted as a covering. Jad sees himself as Joel’s armour bearer and Joel as his own. I was captivated by this beautiful analogy and decided to look further into the life and role of an armour bearer.

In 1 Samuel 14, a brave Jonathan decides he wanted to go over to the Philistine outpost and enter into battle with them. When he shared this with his armour bearer his reply was, “Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul” (verse 7). An armour bearer dedicates themselves completely over to the one they are called to protect. This means that no matter how crazy, radical or outrageous your plan sounds, your armour bearer will stand with you completely. Later in the chapter we see that the Lord gave the Philistines over to Jonathan and where did we find his armour bearer? Right behind Jonathan following him and killing behind him (verse 13). That is what an armour bearer does, they stand right behind you and fend off any enemies that may attack you where your eyes can’t see. They intercede for you. When we look at multiple examples in the Bible, we can see that an armour bearer is someone you respect and can be vulnerable with even to the point of death. In Judges 9:54, Abimelech called to his armour bearer to kill him so that it wouldn’t be said that he was killed by a woman. King Saul also called upon his armour bearer to drive a sword into him so that he wouldn’t be captured by the Philistines (1 Samuel 31:4). And David, who you could say had an armour bearer relationship with Jonathan pleaded with him to kill him if he was found guilty so that David would not suffer the shame of being handed over to Saul (1 Samuel 20:8). An armour bearer is definitely not an easy or light role to have. It can sometimes require placing your life in someone else’s hands. But I see it as an important role that is proven to be valuable in God’s word.

As you’re reading this, you may be thinking of someone in your life who does just that for you. I love this position of an armour bearer because in my own life I have been doing a lot of “defining” in my relationships. It’s always very important to me to be intentional so I try to take time look at the people in my life and label my relationships. This way I know exactly what I’m called to do for each individual that enters my life. Some of these labels include: destiny-helpers, assignments, seasonal friendships, sisters and now armour bearers.

Being an armour bearer is not easy but as christians we are called to “carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). We are commanded to confess our sins to each other and pray for each other so that we may be healed (James 5:16). But most importantly, we are called to love each other selflessly and unconditionally. An armour bearer supports you even when no one else understands. They encourage you to walk in your God given path and they love you with their heart and soul.

Stay Blessed!!! 

Elena Asks. 

Prince of Peace

Hillsong United is in the process of releasing an album titled Dirt and Grace which showcases the songs from Empires in a different light. Taya Smith (my best friend in my head) leads the song Prince of Peace  which is such a beautiful rendition of the original and so timely in the wake of all that is going on around the world. When I first heard it, something about the lyrics and the music video brought tears to my eyes. One thing I love about Hillsong is that they are keen on sharing the unaltered word of God through their music. One of the ways they do this is by sharing “Song Story Videos.” These videos basically breakdown the song and give us a better understanding of the lyrics. During the Song Story Video for Prince of Peace, Joel Houston shares how every time he would hear a terrible story about someone’s circumstance, he would pray that the peace of God would surround them beyond their understanding (Philippians 4:7). He also shared that the thing he loves about God is that “He meets us in equal measure to the need. Every time. His grace is always enough and His peace is always enough for the season.” I love that so much. God always meets us right when and where we need Him to. While listening to these words, I was reminded of one of my favourite stories in the Bible found in 2 Kings 6:8-17. In this scripture, the King of Aram was fighting against Israel. But the Israelites had Elisha who was able to alert the King of Israel where the Arameans would be posted. So every time the Arameans were posted somewhere, they would miss the Israelites. The king of Aram was obviously fed up and even thought that he had a snitch is his camp. Finally, one of his servants told him that Elisha, a prophet of God was the one revealing his evil plans. So that same night he sent horses, chariots and a great army against them in Israel.

15 When a servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went     out, a force surrounded the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant     said to him, “Alas, my master! What will we do?”

16 And he said, “Do not be afraid, for there are more with us than with     them.”

17 Then Elisha prayed, “Lord, open his eyes and let him see.” So the     Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw that the mountain was full     of horses and chariots of fire surrounding Elisha.

The servant could not see what God was doing and he became fearful. Yes, the King of Aram had sent horses, chariots and a great army. But God had filled the mountain with horses and chariots of FIRE. So much greater that those who were against them. In that moment, God gave them everything they needed to overcome the battle that was against them. Verse 23 tells us that the Aramean raiders did not enter Israel again! Like Elisha prayed for his servant, sometimes we need to pray that God would open our eyes of understanding to see and know that He is fighting for us. That He as the Prince of Peace will meet us at our point of need. Ephesians 1:18 tells us “I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.” Pray that our hearts would be open and filled with the knowledge of Christ and who He is in the midst of uncertainty.

 

 

As you pray, always remember that God has promised to supply ALL your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).

Stay Blessed!!

Elena Asks.

Get Rid of Guilt! Forgive Yourself

I have high expectations for myself. I always have. And frankly, when I fail to meet these expectations, I beat myself up for it. I hold myself to a high standard and it becomes detrimental when I make mistakes because I disappoint myself. To be honest, I'm always going to make mistakes. The sad thing is, I'm striving for a perfection I will never reach. This is because I'm trying on my own to do something that I can never do. In my own strength, I'll never be able to be that perfect woman, perfect daughter, perfect sister and perfect friend. 

This is why I'm so thankful for the hope I have. Because if the story ended here, that would be very sad. But what I'm learning is that I have to forgive myself. Our mistakes do not define who we are. If you tell a lie, you're not a liar. You walk in the light and truth of God (John 8:12). If you have an argument with a friend, you're not a bad friend. You many have done something wrong, but don't let it keep you down (Proverbs 24:16). You're still a reliable friend, a good sister, and a courageous leader. 

This is the first step in getting rid of the guilt that is kept in our hearts after making mistakes. Know the truth! Forgiving yourself is loving yourself. We must first go to God and ask for forgiveness just as it says in 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." When we apologize to God, he accepts it every time.  We can't dwell on the negative feelings and thoughts that come to our minds. That's a very dangerous place to be. Instead, we must "demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ" as it says in 2 Corinthians 10:5. Keep a positive mindset of yourself. Make the decision to let go of your past because God has already forgotten it. So who are you to hold yourself back! 

One thing I've been learning about is letting God define me. If you let God tell you who you are, whatever happens you can rest in that. So, when I want to point out all my flaws, I can be reminded of what God has already said concerning me. He says I am forgiven. I am loved. I am a co-heir with Christ. I have grace. And that it what I need to keep my confidence in.

We are all imperfect but God is able to blot out all our sins and wash us clean. There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). If you're like me and tend to criticize yourself, the best thing you can do is understand Gods love for you. He loves us because He is love. There is nothing we can do to make Him love us any more or any less. His love will always be for you. For the person that you are in this very moment. In your sin He died for you. There is no greater love than this! It’s hard for us to understand this love because it’s not human love. There's no one on this earth who can love us the way God does. And that gives me security. Because I know that NO MATTER WHAT, I have Jesus and I have His love. 

Remember this: it’s okay to make mistakes. It’s okay that you're not perfect. You're a work in progress. You're growing. Forgive yourself. Philippians 1:6 says, to be confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Stay Blessed!!

Elena Asks.

God Is Always On Time

Here's the truth. God’s timing is the best. Everything that happens in your life was pre-destined long before you were even born. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God knows the plans He has for you. He holds the plans He has for your life and allows them to come to pass.

I can see clearly in my life how God places people with such impeccable timing. It’s not everyone you meet who will be your BFF. Some people are just meant to pass by for a season, while others are meant to be life-long. But it is God who places each person in your life for a reason. And we must learn to trust Him when He is telling us to say bye or when he's telling us to open up and be vulnerable. Friendships are super important. Your friends should encourage you, hold you accountable, pray for you and rebuke you. We must walk with the wise if we also want to be wise (Proverbs 13:20). God knows exactly who you need and when you need them and that is why He places people in our lives. Left to us, we might surround ourselves with toxic people. 

In the same way, it’s not when you get to a certain place in life that God brings your spouse. I heard this earlier today and I think it is so true. Because the common discourse is “when God sees that you’re focused completely on Him, and content with being single, then He will bring your spouse.” I don’t think this is true because Your husband is a gift not a reward. Of course, it is important to keep your eyes fixed on God (Matthew 6:33), but you don’t work to earn your husband. Rather God gives or reveals him to you in His timing. And this is in accordance to His plans for you. Because even when your spouse comes, you're still on the journey of life. It’s not the end goal or final prize.  

For me, God’s timing in truly seen in my finances. I've realized that people aren't rich because God loves them more. In fact Jesus told a man to sell everything he had, give it to the poor and then follow Jesus. But the man struggled with this because he was very wealthy (Matthew 10: 17-29). Jesus loves the poor and the rich. It’s not because God loves you any less that you're broke. If anything it should show His love for you even more. In your 'lack' God is revealed as your source. He makes it so that He is all that we need (Psalm 23:1). In a practical sense, being broke can also teach us how to properly manage our money and how not to rely on ourselves. And during these times, when I have to put my faith and trust in God, I ask "God what can I do for you?" 

When I think about my life, I remember something that my friend Stephanie said. We were talking one evening about how we ended up where we are right now in our individual lives. I proposed a situation something like, 'could you imagine if your life was like this or if you ended up being raised in a different country?’ And to this she replied, ‘it would've happened the way it was supposed to.’ What was meant by this powerful statement was that everything that has gone on in our lives is in accordance with Gods plan. What is happening in your life is what is supposed to happen. God is not surprised by our life's ‘surprises.’ He knows everything we're going to do even before it is done.

When we face many trials, and go through what may seem like the hardest times in our lives, I'm reminded of Romans 8:18 which says, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” In life there will be good times and there will be hard times. But we can remain confident that we will get through it all just by trusting God to take care of us. Often times, God is using these situations to 'show off' in our lives. In this way people are truly able to see that God is at work. He alone is making you strong and getting the glory for it. It will sharpen you and cause you to renounce self- sufficiency and truly depend on God. And that is what trust really is.

So pick up you sword, re-adjust your crown and let's go to battle!

It’s not over, 

I'm holding on till the end,

If I stumble,

I'll rise again and again. 

-Prosper & GPM

Stay Blessed!!

Elena Asks.

Why Are You Crying???

Earlier this month, I was on good ol' Instagram scrolling through my timeline and I came across a post that seriously convicted me.

<-- This picture here. The caption went on to explain that you have to put yourself in the place of this woman and ask yourself, "why am I crying?" What is it that is breaking my heart?  You are crying because your 'lord' for the moment has been taken away. So I ask again, what dead thing are you crying over? Pining for? Ultimately placing before your relationship with God. If you have given your life to God, He has to be number one. There should be nothing more important. In my own life I have been struggling with prioritizing. As a student this is important but as a christian even more so. Your personal walk with God MUST be number one. After all that is your purpose here on earth. Jesus died on the cross so that He might have a personal relationship with YOU. Not you and all the false burdens you're carrying. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him (John 3:16-17). We all know this verse, but understand that God is not taking things out of your life because He is mean it is because he loves you and wants to save you! God corrects those He loves just as a father does to his child(ren) (proverbs 3:12). 
One of my favorite verses and literally my life motto is Matthew 6:33, "But seek FIRST the kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you." It answers all my questions, what does the bible say about priorities.. there is my answer. What does the bible tell me I should do with my life... there is my answer. However, as I seek God, and allow Him to be Lord over my life He is going to take things away. He going to clean out some things and open some doors that I shut a long time ago. Isaiah 48:10 "See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction." God wants to perfect you. Don't cry over it. It is not worth your tears... That person is not worth your tears. While you are standing there crying you don't realize that God is right there calling your name. So many times I have cried over something or someone being removed from my life but with that same mouth I prayed 'Lord I wanna be more like you' or 'Take out everything in me not like You' or 'I surrender all.' I'm a hypocrite if I sing 'Jesus I'm desperate for you' but I'm not actually longing for Him. Instead I'm longing for something He can bring or will do for me. A lot of times we see certain materials as our reward but don't realize that salvation through Jesus is our reward. So yes, a spouse is not your reward... Salvation through Jesus Christ is. He is more than enough. He has already given us all we need and could ever want. Let God be your Lord (in everything).

Stay Blessed!!

Elena Asks.

What Are You Doing With Your Answered Prayers?

Throughout our lives we will experience many different seasons. Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us, "for everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven." One season commonly referred to is the 'dry season'. It is usually in that time that you find yourself emptied before God asking for a breakthrough or you will start fasting for a miracle. In that time of desperation before God many of us tend to make deals with God. We will pray things like Lord give me a car and I'll stop smoking... Lord bring me my spouse and I'll start praying consistently.. One thing about living on Earth right now is that we are constantly being bombarded by words and images promoting materialism. But really, what good is it to gain the whole world but lose your soul? Don't believe the lie that you need something to happen before you can serve God. You're waiting till you turn 25 before you commit your life to Him or till you get that job. Don't wait for it to be too late.

For me, it was friendships. I love people. I love having lots of friends and being surrounded by great and holy minds. I prayed consistently for God to send me Christian friends because at the time I felt like I had none. Being in  a new city (Ottawa), it made it even harder to be alone. (You're never truly alone but that was what I was feeling). I remember being home for the summer and complaining to my mom that I had no one to hang out with. The few friends I did have were doing thing I didn't want to do and our lifestyles were so different. God was really using that time to shift my focus off of the world and onto Him. I know this because there were (and still are) great people in my life. However, at that stage I wasn't ready for the blessings of friendship that He was giving me. But because of that time of preparation, I am now able to grow in relationships, appreciate the people in my life and be myself. One thing I love about God is that He is all powerful. If God is in it and its His will, you don't need any pastor or woman or man to hand it to you. You don't need anybody except for God for it to happen. All you have to do is submit to Him and be whoever He is called you to be and the rest will just fall into place (Matthew 6:33).

Another prayer I prayed (and continue to pray) was for an enlargement of my territories in that God would surround me with people I could disciple/mentor/teach and with people I could evangelize to. Now I'm gonna be real here... These past couple months (Sept & Oct) I've been getting approached by an abnormally high number of men who I would describe as different. I was struggling with this because most of these men approaching me were those who I would most likely meet if I was still clubbing or dressing provocatively. But I wasn't doing any of those things and I wasn't putting myself in places where I should be meeting these types of men. Having so many of these encounters made me examine the reason for it. As I was talking to God a light bulb went off! 1 Peter 3:15b-16a says, "And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear." God was putting me in situations to encounter men  who freely waned to talk to me. The thing is, instead of politely declining them I should've been taking time to talk to them and bring the light and truth of Jesus into our conversations. Or instead of ignoring them, taking the time to get to know them and telling them about Jesus in a way that would address their needs. So next time when they say 'oh so when am I gonna see you again' invite them to church so they can see you there! At the end of the day we are all created in the likeness of God (Genesis 1:27). I can't be praying for God to open doors that I might meet more lost souls and then when He begins to literally poor them my way I send them in the opposite direction.

So I'll ask again... what are you doing with your answered prayers? And are you putting in the work to maintain and be a good steward of what God had given to you?

God will answer your faith. When you pray believing that He is going to answer you even if your natural eyes can't yet understand or grasp it. And when He does, acknowledge Him for it. Give thanks to Him that He is working on your behalf with sincerity.

Stay Blessed!!

Elena Asks.

So There's This Guy...

Four words commonly heard by a girl with a crush. It is normal for girls to have feelings of attraction towards the opposite sex. God created us that way. But when it turns into lust, or an idol or a distraction then we have a problem. Earlier this year I developed a crush on a guy and I started to noticed that he was taking over my thoughts. This lead me to begin researching what God requires of us and how we can honor him when we have a crush on someone. We often get to a point where we obsesses over our crushes. I found myself 'changing' my interests to impress this guy. Some of you might be using other people to get to your crush or even denying your faith and beliefs to get in good with them. This is no beuno! You shouldn't have to change yourself to make someone like you or notice you. With that being said, I am going to elaborate on what I do when I have a crush on someone.  

1) Give it to God 

Philippians 4:6 says, "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done." The first thing you need to do is pray. Thank God for the qualities you see in the guy. Thank God that He created him fearfully and wonderfully. Ask God to keep your heart guarded and protected. Surrender your control and your feelings to God and allow Him to work on you. 

2) Pray for the will of God 

Ask that God would close the door and remove the desire if it doesn't line up with His will. And also pray that if it is the will of God that He would give you a clear sign and give you patience in His timing. If it is God's desire allow Him to work it out and reveal it to the guy. Don't become impatient and manipulate the hand of God. James 4:7 says, "So humble yourselves before God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you." God will show you whether it is of Him or the devil. 

3) Guard your thought life 

I can't stress enough how important this point is. There is a reason that Philippians 4:8 instructs us to " fix your thoughts on what is true, and honourable, and right and pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent on worthy of praise." So easily we allow our mind to wander off especially when there is a boy. One minute you're listening to your pastor preach and the next you've created a whole fantasy in your head of your first date, your proposal or even the first dance at your wedding. Your crush may be a mighty man of God but constantly thinking about him is keeping you from being fully devoted to the mighty God of man! There is power in your prayer. If you are struggling in this area, the moment you start thinking like that, pray! And don't just pray for the guy (because that can just be used as another excuse to think about him.. trust me, I know) but pray intentionally for someone else, pray for someone who needs healing, who needs Jesus etc. Satan will begin to notice that every time he tries to distract you, you begin praying selflessly for others and he will regret ever trying to mess with your thought life. A friend of mine introduced me to this great app call 'InstaPray' which is basically like an IG but for prayers. It is a great way to meet people from all over the world who are in need of prayers and intercessors that you can pray for. 

4) Guard your heart 

Proverbs 4:23 says, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do." Don't be led by your emotions. Give your heart to God and seek Him so he can discern it for you (1 Chronicles 28:9). 
God will give you the desires of your heart but you don't truly know what these desires are because the heart is deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9-10). Get to know the word of God for yourself so that you don't make the mistake of sinning against God (Psalm 119:11). 

5) Ask God for discernment in your interactions and conversations 

Let God reveal to you if what you are doing, saying or thinking is pleasing to Him or if it is sinful. And be aware of how you interact with your crush. You don't wan't to lead him on and be against God's plan. You also don't wan't to treat your brother in Christ as an enemy because you're bitter. Don't manipulate them in any way or confuse somebody else's future husband. Psalm 19:14 says, "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer."

Finally, instead of focusing so much on finding the right one, look at your self and see if you are also becoming 'the one' for someone else. Enjoy your time of being single and seek first the kingdom of God. He will give you all that you need. Everything you're looking for is found in Him alone. 
I'll close with this quote, "I struggled with not thinking I’d ever find someone who had swag and was serious about having a relationship with Christ. I felt like I would be more passionate about the Lord than other guys my age. If you have felt the same way, please know that this type of thinking is directly from the enemy. Just how God is developing you, he is preparing and developing your spouse. Don’t be afraid of becoming "too religious". There is no such thing. The most beautiful relationship you will ever have is the one you have with God. Be encouraged." -http://www.ashleyempowers.com/ 


If you're looking for more info on this topic, visit (http://setapartgirl.com/search/finder/opposite%20sex) 

Stay Blessed!!! 

Elena Asks.