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Holiness from heaven

April 10, 2016 thepearlsisters 14 Comments

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How does one define celibacy? The world defines celibacy as the state of voluntary being unmarried, sexually abstinent, or both, usually for religious reasons. It is often in association with the role of a religious official or devotee. In addition to this, individual Christians have set their own rules of “do’s and do not’s” during the celibacy walk. But how does God see celibacy? What is true celibacy in God’s eyes?

I have found that in this day and age, Christians have really misused the concept of celibacy. For some, it is because of lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6), others it is a way of acceptance and honour within the community. When I sought the Lord concerning this issue, He kept referring me back to holiness. What is holiness in the sight of God and how does it override celibacy? As a Christian who has fallen many times and had to get back up, I always wondered how other Christians did it. Am I the problem or are people not truthful with what they are dealing with? Why do we keep falling?

The Holy Spirit ministered to me and said it was because our hearts are not pure. We continually cut the grass, but do not uproot the plant. We claim we are living pure, holy, righteous lives yet our hearts are filthy. The Holy Spirit said it is not so much the sin, the sin is a product of what are hearts have been feeding on. Feeding on it is just as bad as acting upon it. And if you feed on it, it is just a matter of time before it brings about ungodly fruits (Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows).

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The Lord is calling us to holiness, holiness which is found in heaven. God would rather have us go one whole day in divine holiness, than years of celibacy with a filthy heart. It is not the duration; it is what you do during that time. The Holy Spirit continued and said that if you are:

Masturbating
Watching pornography
Dwelling on former lustful activities
Imagining future lustful activities
Looking at lustful images
Looking at an individual in a lustful manner

You are no different from someone who is involved in the act because you are uniting yourself with spirits of lust, sexual immorality, perversion, fornication and jezebel.

Also, people are not honest about the things they are struggling with. It could be because they do not want to be judged, or because they think they are only ones’ dealing with it. However, if we do not speak up about these things and stand together in prayer, how will we ever overcome?

In addition to this, if one does slip, do not stay in that situation, that is what the enemy wants. Do not be afraid of what others will say, they are also not righteous. Come to the Lord with a repentant heart and He will forgive you Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

God is very serious about His coming and for us to stand in holiness and righteousness in every aspect of our lives. I have repetitively had a dream of my wedding day. In each of the times, the wedding came unexpected, I was not prepared, ready or dressed. But the wedding services continued. This symbolized that I was not ready for the return of Jesus.

One has to ask themselves, that If Jesus was to come back today, would He find you ready?

Revelation 19:7-8

Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.

(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people)

Let us stand together and genuinely repent to our Father for our filthy hearts. May He cleanse our hearts from the root, renew our minds and let us replace the empty holes in our hearts with the word of God. May God reveal all the things that are still hindering us from living a holy life. May He give us daily grace to keep walking and to overcome the temptations that come our way. May our hearts be pleasing in His sight. May He give us the grace that even when ungodly thoughts come our way, we will resist them. I pray that when Jesus returns, He will find us ready, prepared without any blemishes in the name of Jesus.

Holiness from heaven-prayer

Dear heavenly Father,

I thank You for this day, time and for allowing me to come into Your presence. It is by grace that You have preserved me for a time like this. Thank You for my life, my family and friends. I pray that You will continue to protect us and shield us from the plans of the enemy. Lord, I come before you as a sinner. I have sinned in ways man does not know. I pray Lord that You will have mercy upon me. Have mercy for all the times I have been ungodly and have fallen short of Your standard of holiness. I pray that You will cleanse my heart from the root, and uproot anything in my heart that is not pleasing unto You. (Psalm 51:10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me)

I repent for all the hidden sins all the ungodly thoughts and the hypocrisy, have mercy upon me. Deliver me from sexual immorality, lust, perversion, fornication and Jezebel. Help me to be transparent with You when I am spiritually struggling. Assign angels to me to guide and strengthen me. I desire the holiness, purity and righteousness which is found in heaven. Help me not to conform to the ways of this world, but to strive to attain Your standard of holiness. I pray that You will prepare me and that You will find me ready when You return. In Jesus name, AMEN

Daily declarations

I am God’s watchman and my eyes shall be used for the work of God.
I am God’s mouthpiece and I shall declare what is pleasing unto the Lord.
My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and shall remain holy, as God is holy.
My heart is pure and rooted with things that please the Lord.
My mind is renewed in the ways of the Lord.
I will overcome every temptation that comes my way through Christ Jesus.
I shall walk by the ways of the spirit and not of the flesh.
My thoughts are the Lord’s thoughts; His ways are my ways.
There shall be no retrograding in my spiritual life

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Seasonal people

November 13, 2015 thepearlsisters 31 Comments

The year 2015 has been a year of rearrangement, growth and isolation for me during my Christian walk; in particular, concerning the people in my life. The Lord has rearranged my friendship circle, brought individuals who have helped me spiritually grow, and kept me isolated to spend more time with Him.

The discontinuity within friendships is never an easy one to comprehend: in particular, when God mysteriously removes people from our lives. One wonders: “Why would God remove this person? We have been friends forever”. These friends are seasonal and have fulfilled the purpose God had for them in your life. When this disconnection occurs, one may feel a number of negative emotions. However, remember that God knows what He is doing and sees ahead of time (Isaiah 46:10 “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please”). In addition to this, rearrangements allow us to move unto the next stage in our lives without hindrances.

Not long ago, I went through one of the most difficult seasons I have ever witnessed in my life. I was being tested in every area of my life and unable to cope. It was as if God was playing hide and seek with me and the trials and tribulations of this world had really gotten to me. I had not guarded my heart and the deceits of this world had started to creep in. I had gotten to a place where I was so overwhelmed and asked God to take me home (thank God He doesn’t answer all our prayers). But I remembered what Jesus did when the trials of this world got to Him (Mark 14:36 “Abba, Father, he cried out, everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine).

So I cried unto the Lord and asked Him to give me the grace to keep walking. And out of the blue, people started calling me saying that God had placed it unto their hearts to pray for me. Others had visions and dreams of my pain. These individuals were not my usual friends or people I would usually turn to in tough times. In fact, those people actually turned their back on me during this season. The individuals God sent were seasonal people, who helped me overcome the battles and pass the test.

Recently, I was not feeling too well and spent the day at the hospital. Unable to walk properly and in excruciating pain, I decided to download the UBER app to take a taxi home. However, for some reason the app refused to fully download and kept freezing at 2%. I turned my phone on and off, sat in various positions to get reception (though I had full reception) and it refused to load. I decided to give up and cross the road and take a bus home. In the far distance, I saw a lady cross over the road and walk towards me. Upon arrival she said: “ Excuse me, the Lord has told me you are in pain and that I need to give you a lift home”. I was in so much shock “Could this really have been God?”. I decided to take the leap of faith and went along with her to her car. I sat next to her daughter who was about 7-8. I asked her what her name was and she said Vanessa Anne (my full name is Vanessa Annelies). At this moment it hit me that God was with me, in fact He never left!

I just want to encourage you today to keep pressing on and keep walking. Our Christian walk is packaged with many challenges, but God will always bring someone to pray for you or use them to show you that He is still with you. Thank God for the people He has brought, the people He has taken away and the seasonal people He is bringing to help you reach your destiny.

Seasonal people – pointers

Do not be upset when people leave your life, they have fulfilled their purpose.
Allow God to rearrange your friendship circle, He knows what is best for you.
Do not look at people you have helped to stand there with you during difficult times. God will send His seasonal people to stand with You.
Periods of alone-time are good, it allows you to hear God’s voice more clearly and have an intimate relationship with God.
When times are tough, look unto God and not unto man (1 Samuel 30:6 David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God).
People will always disappoint you, but God never will (Psalm 118:8-9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes).
Guard your heart (Proverbs 4:23 Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life).
Focus on God and all things will fall into place (Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things).
You are not forgotten and God has placed you unto the hearts of His servants to intercede for you (Galatians 6:2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ).
Ask God what He is trying to teach You in this season and ask Him help you to pass the test.
Strive to please God and not man. All other things will fall into place (Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you).

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Rededication of the flesh

July 23, 2015 thepearlsisters 20 Comments

The inspiration for this blog came from a vision I had three months ago. In this vision, I saw women of God walking in disobedience. I didn’t understand why or what this disobedience represented. These women were Sunday school teachers, choir members, ministers, evangelists and intercessors. They all play a vital part in the body of Christ. I asked the Lord: “Father, why are these women walking in disobedience? They are doing what you have called for them to do”. Then the Lord showed me that all these women were engaging in sexual sin and were refusing to repent. They were covering it up, pleasing the ways of man and rejecting His word (Proverbs 28:13 “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy”). It didn’t surprise me, because I was once that lukewarm Christian, trying to please the ways of this world.

By the grace of God, I have had the chance to minister to many women. Whenever God gives me a vision about their involvement in sexually immoral activities, I always share my story with them; how God delivered me and that God reveals to redeem. At times, God reveals these things as a warning to enable us to pray against our shortfalls (see my blog post: matters of the heart). Other times, it’s the current state of our life. God sees what man does not see, and because He loves us, He wants all of us to be in eternity with Him. However, 9/10 of the time, these women deny any form of involvement and become very defensive. She builds a wall around herself, refuses to utter a word of agreement and walks away.

I remember when I was struggling and opened up to my fellow Christian sister. I was suffering in silence and needed some wise counsel. Her life story was different to mine; she had remained pure all of her life. I remember her response, it was very negative and judgemental. It made me feel worthless and I was shocked a fellow Christian could respond this way. I never wanted to open up to anyone again. I was full of regret. I felt naked. I remember pouring out my heart to God. He helped me overcome, heal and also forgive my fellow sister.

It is my heart’s desire that as the body of Christ, we will be able to stand together, help one another rather than judge. May God mould us into Christian women who will stand and pray for one another during tough times (Proverbs 12:26 “The righteous is a guide to his neighbour, but the way of the wicked leads them astray”). We all have flaws and we all fall short. We can lie to ourselves, convince others, but God knows our hearts (see my blog post: matters of the heart).

I want to encourage Christian women reading this that if there is an area which you are struggling with, pour your heart out to the Lord. He will not judge you, He will not guilt trip you, in fact He loves you just the way you are (Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”). There is no mistake you have made or will make that He does not already know about. All He wants is for you to come to Him with a sincere heart and repent. He still has great plans for your life. God cares about the end point of your life. Just like a distance race,no one really focuses on the first few laps – it’s the last lap that counts! (Job 8:7 “Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be”). I encourage you today to rededicate your body to the Lord; your body is precious to Him. You are victorious and will overcome, don’t allow the enemy to lie to you.

Rededication of the flesh –prayers

Dear Lord,

I thank you for this time, I thank You for my life and that of my loved ones. Thank You for the gift of life; for it is by Your grace that You woke me up today. I do not take this for granted. Before I ask You for anything, I repent for my sins, for all the things I have done knowingly or unknowingly, have mercy Lord. I come before you with the area of sexual immorality; this is an area which I have been struggling with. Your word states in 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, You are faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness”. I pray Lord that You will purify me and make me righteous in Your sight. God, give me the strength to fight the desires of the flesh. Today, I rededicate my body to you as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship”). May my body be used in the way in which You ordained for it to be. Your word states that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your bodies”). From this day on, I pray that this scripture will manifest in my life. Help me to be a good Christian sister and counsellor to other Christian women. Use my story as a testimony to others. Give me the wisdom to help other women who are also struggling in this area (James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you”). Thank you for answering my prayer. AMEN.

(If cohabiting or in a relationship)

I and my partner come before You with the issue of sexual immorality. Lord, this is an area which we are struggling with. It is our hearts desire to do things according to Your will, but are finding it hard to keep ourselves pure (Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak”). We stand with You in agreement (Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them.”) and ask You to help us with this matter. I pray Lord that You will help us to overcome the desires of the flesh. Today, we rededicate our bodies to You as a living sacrifice. Help us to be able to keep ourselves for marriage. Give us the grace, strength and self-control to remain pure. I pray that You will re-lay our foundation based on Your principles and may You be the centre of our relationship. Cover us in the precious blood of Jesus. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.

Pearl Sisters