Say It Out Loud
Her tidy white bun shook at the top of her head as she nodded vigorously punctuating her agreement with what the speaker was sharing. She sat at the back of the room in this Lighthouse meeting, attending with her granddaughter who served on the Lighthouse Leadership Team. I was drawn to her peace and sat with her after the meeting ended.
Her gentle smile never left her face as she shared part of her story with me while she held my hands. She was now 92 years old, but had left her tiny South Texas town for Chicago in the late 1920’s as a 16 year old to do missionary work.
She told of several adventures and real manifestations of the Holy Spirit in what could have been terrifying situations in such a large city in the eyes of an innocent teen.
“What made you so brave?” I asked her at a pause.
“Well, honey, it was not ever a choice for me. I knew without a doubt what God called me to, and I hung onto that. All I did was believe God and what He said about me. He did the rest.”
There are places in leadership where sometimes we want to run in the other direction because what looms before us is so uncertain. Those are the times we have to be rock solid certain of who God says we are and what He says about us.
Graham Cooke says, “My questions are, what has God spoken over you? What promises has He granted you? Take them for granted. We need to get away from this needs driven culture and come under the spirit of our inheritance and therefore the spirit of proclamation, so that we can start to move in the opposite spirit. It also means that we cheerfully abide in all that the Father wants to be for us in Himself. There is a proclamation over you. When God speaks something in your life, He is proclaiming, He is declaring, and your confession needs to join that language of Heaven. It is floating around over your head and when you speak out, it is like your words join God’s words and something is created in you. But it has to be spoken out loud constantly and consistently.”
Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Practical Application
God always begins with us individually to take us to a new place that builds a corporate, unbeatable strength. It is important that you know who you are from Heaven’s point of view. Graham Cooke has said that what you believe about yourself must be proclaimed aloud into the atmosphere of our circumstances. The enemy’s job is to steal your destiny from you. He attempts to blind you to your own calling!
Partner together with 1-4 friends who can tell you how they see you. Jot down their comments. Here are a few questions you might use:
