Author Archives: Antranetta

As She Prays: Rekindling Intimacy with God

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Prayers release Power

As She prays is a devotional book that is being used to call women to position themselves in a posture of prayer. God is ready to do a new thing in and through us. There is an assignment that each of us have to fulfill and there are people waiting on us to be in the proper position. The power that is needed to overcome current and future circumstances is housed on the inside of a believer waiting to be released. It is released through times of prayer and intimacy. 

Repositioned in prayer. Postured for greatness 

Sometimes the things that brings us to our knees are tools used to crush the new wine out of us. I think of the time where Jesus is in the garden of gasenme  and He is asking the disciples can they pray for at least one hour. Yet the disciples did what many of us do from time to time and fell asleep on their assignment.

Prayer availeth much. 

It is the prayer of the righteous that avails much. It is when a woman chooses to express her total dependence on God that her prayers are heard and answered. When she prays her prayers tug on Heaven and demands for it to  release the kingdom here on the earth. She is aware that she is a daughter of the King and that she will never lack no good thing. For the earth is her Father’s footstool and everything in it was made by the power of His words. She walks in authority because she know that she was created in His very image and she has the power of life and death in her tongue. So, when she prays she isn’t just saying words with little to no meaning but she is bringing life to dead places. As she prays she is putting illnesses, sickness, and disease in it’s place. As she prays she is regaining control over areas if her life that has been robbed from her previously. 

Whenever you pray you are choosing to be in direct communication with God. Prayer is like a match it can light a fir in your soul that cannot be easily quenched. 

Prayer is our weapon. 

Prayer is our garment.

Prayer releases power. 

The power of the word.

The power of the tongue. Life and death is in the power of the tongue. 


3 Day Devotionals

INTIMACY WITH FIRST LOVE – PART 1

 ROMANS 5:8 (KJV) ‘But God commendeth his love toward s, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’

We have a father who loves us so much that he chose to give himself up for us. His love is so deep that we were still wallowing in the pit of our sins, still lost in darkness when he decided we needed saving. 

When we look at the boundless love He has for us, the way He brought heaven and His Son down to earth just so that we can be saved, we can only say that it is overwhelming. The nature of God’s love is that it is excess and that is why He always finds a way to reach out to every child that is suffering in the pits of addiction or sin. The question is that, will you allow yourself to be found?

The love of God is revealed in the death and resurrection of His Son. Most of us haven’t comprehended the depth, and height of God’s love. Daily, He calls us to s to come up hither: to come and experience the beauty of His Love. 

KEY POINT: We have a father who loved us while we were yet sinners, and still loves us now, irrespective of what we think we have done. His love still stretches out to us, calling us to come. 

PRAYER POINT: Lord, I yield myself to be ruled by your eternal love for me. My heart is filled with that love.

DAY 2

INTIMACY WITH FIRST LOVE – PART 2 (LOVING LIKE HIM)

BIBLE VERSE: John 13;35 (KJV) “By this shall all [men] know that ye are disciples, if ye love one another.”

MESSAGE 

When the twelve disciples of Jesus got too Antioch, they were so loving, so compassionate, just as Christ was, that the people called them Christians. 

As believers, we have a mandate to love our neighbors like Christ did. Our intimacy with his love rubs off on us. It is like a perfme that can’t be contained. 

We have the fullness of God’s love, not to keep it to ourselves, but show it to others. 

And in showing the love, we are to give it to those who are supposedly undeserving of it; just as we were undeserving of God’s love. 

The people who hurt us are to be loved most, because what is love if we only show it to those whom are good to us? 

God’s love for us, and his love in us, compels us to love as he has loved us: with no fault. 

KEY POINT: We have a responsibility to love every person we come across. The love he has given strengthens us to love like Him. 

PRAYER POINT: I pray that daily I love like you and never get weary in my spirit. 

Day 3

INTIMACY WITH FIRST LOVE – PART 3 (LOVE ENDURES ALL)

BIBLE VERSE: 1 CORINTHIANS 13:7 (MSG) “Puts p with everything, Trusts God always, always looks for th best, never looks back, but keeps going to the end.”

MESSAGE 

The book of corinthains teaches us what love is and how love should be expressed amongst humans. The fact that we are expected to love like this: selflessly and without judgement, proves that he first loved us this way – and still loves us this way. He expects us to show the light of whom we are. 

As sons and daughter, because we have a father whose love endures all, we are admonished to always see love as sacrifice. Love is not always convenient. Love doesn’t happen because you feel like it. It happens when we choose. 

And because we have the love of God flowing us, that love that passes all human understanding, we too can love like Him. 

We are the branches and he is the vine. Therefore, whatever thing God possess, we also have those things flowing through us and in us.

KEY POINT: We are to love like him because he has given us his love. 

PRAYER POINT: Lord help me to love like you. Help me love my enemies and those who have offended me because that is what your love is. 

Breaking Free from Overthinking

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Living a lifestyle free from overthinking is something that is way easier said than done. Many fall into the trap of overthinking by allowing one thought to linger too long. Once they notice that they are trapped they then try to find their way out by overthinking reasons of why they are overthinking. This isn’t what God has in mind for His children. Because typically where there is overthinking there is confusion and where there is confusion there is bondage to a mindset. God wants you to walk in freedom from this and be free in every area of your life. 
You can be free because Jesus provided a way for you to be free. You can remain free because who the Son sets Free is made free indeed.

Prayer Point: Father God help me to keep my eyes fixed on you and remember that you are the author and perfecter of my faith. Thank you for giving me the ability to have a sound mind. You have given me your word to renew my mind so that I may be transformed. Have your way in my thinking daily so that I may rest in your peace that surpasses understanding. 

John 8:32 

For whom the son sets free is free indeed.

Jesus offers total freedom

Have you ever found yourself going through a cycle of something that you just wanted to be free from? Straining and trying everything in your strength but just couldn’t shake it. This was me when I was struggling with overthinking. My mind would try to over process and figure everything out. This put me in a position of instability and left the door wide open to insecurities. I needed to be set free from the grips of overthinking. God gives reminders of the finish work that He has accomplished at the cross. When He says it is finished that includes any bondage of overthinking. “Whom the son sets free is free indeed. The wonderful thing about this scripture is that it shows who is doing the setting free “Jesus”. This is good news because if Christ can set free, He is able to keep one free indeed. The book of Jude tells us “now unto Him who is able to keep us from stumbling and present us faultless”. Let’s pause and think on the keeping power of God. He keeps all things in there place from the stars in the sky to the oceans boundaries and limits. 

Prayer point:

Father God I rest in you and on you alone to keep me from stumbling back into overthinking. You have not given me a spirit to fear but one of power love and soundness of mind. So today I thank you for clear thinking and wisdom to make the right decision. You alone God are my hope and resting place. Thank you for your unchanging love and protection toward me in Jesus name Amen 

“Don’t worry about anything but bring everything to God in prayer”.

wistful black woman with eyes closed touching face in thoughts
Photo by Muhammadtaha Ibrahim Ma’aji on Pexels.com

Change from a worrier to a prayer warrior.

If you want to see transformation come to your life you have to learn to worry less and make war through prayer. In doing so you must be determined to become a student of prayer. Knowing how you ought to pray will have you praying effectively and fervently. Knowing who you are praying to will have you praying dangerously and consistently. When we know the one who caused all things to come into existence we will stop trying to live life without Him. In all honesty we can do nothing apart from God. Jesus confirmed this in John 15th when He said “abide in me and I will abide in you” and goes on to say “apart from Him we cannot do anything”. We cannot live, breathe, not have anything apart from Him. Yet, we are guilty of doing life apart from Him and then trying to use Him as a mere accessory to our life. Christ is more and deserves to be put in higher regard in our lives. This exaltation is reflected in our prayer life. If we have any hope of seeing drastic and lasting change in our lives, we must commit to change our view of God and prayer. Once the views have changed we must discipline ourselves to make the time to pray and fellowship with God. 

Did you ever wonder why out of all the things the disciples could have asked Jesus for they asked Him to teach them to pray? The disciples can testify that they witnessed Jesus exude radical miracles, power, wisdom and even joy from God through prayer. Jesus withdrew often to pray. If our Lord and savior saw the need to pray, we must do the same. Jesus repeated that He does nothing on His own accord but only what the father tell him to do. Jesus also made a way that we can come into the throne room boldly and let our request be made known to God. Therefore we can rejoice to be given such a great gift of communion with our God.

Prayer Father God you are good and there is no one like you. You hold all things together perfectly and causes even the chaotic things of this life to work together for our good. God I ask that you make yourself known to me and that you flood my mind with your peace and my heart with your joy. God how I love your presence and the freedom and joy I experience in you. Have your way in my life and thank you for loving me in Jesus name Amen

Jesus Teach me to Pray

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There are over a million of things that the disciples could have ask Jesus to teach them. This is Jesus we are talking about here. Jesus the son of the living God. Jesus the one who was born of a virgin. Jesus the one who when He was a young child spoke with such wisdom that commands attention in the room. Jesus the one who was, is and will always be. Jesus the one who forgive, forgave and died for all sins. They had access to this Jesus. This was not the Jesus who is simply somebodies homeboy or used as a decoy. He is the one and only true Jesus. 

Pray according to God’s word
brown book page
Photo by Wendy van Zyl on Pexels.com

Yet, out of everything that they  could have ask Jesus to teach them, His disciples had only one thing to ask of Him. “Teach me to pray” .  

If we are going to see the transforamtion and healing God promises, we are going to have to humble ourselves and pray.  Lay ourselves bare before God, casting our cares on Him knowing that He cares for us. We must be willing to turn from everything that is unpleasing to God and than He will hear from Heaven and heal our land.

As we pray, we releases power from the kingdom of God that is within us.

Prayer 

Our father, who is in Heaven, your name is holy and great and there is know like You in all the earth. You make mountains tremble at the sound of your of your voice and you give sight to the blinded eye. Holy is your name. Father God let your kingdom come and your perfect will be done in every aspect of my life. Let your kingdom rule my heart, mind and soul. Where there was torment, anxiety and mental distress, God remove it and cause peace to be still. Where there was bitterness, depression and grief in the heart uproot it and give us the mind of Christ and the peace hat surpasses all understanding. Lord God have your way in our homes and families. Help us to demonstrate Your love, grace and mercy everywhere we go. Nevertheless not our will but Your will be done in our lives. 

Day 2 

“Our Father which art in Heaven”

What comes to your mind when you hear father? Do you think of a protector, provider, or do you think of rejection, abandonment? Unfortunately not everyone who hear father has warm fuzzy feelings associated with that name. In some cases the name father is someone’s source of pain. 

“Father of the fatherless” Psalms 68:5

ROMANS 5:8 (KJV) ‘But God commendeth his love toward s, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’

We have a father who loves us so much that he chose to give himself up for us. His love is so deep that we were still wallowing in the pit of our sins, still lost in darkness when he decided we needed saving. 

When we look at the boundless love He has for us, the way He brought heaven and His Son down to earth just so that we can be saved, we can only say that it is overwhelming. The nature of God’s love is that it is excess and that is why He always finds a way to reach out to every child that is suffering in the pits of addiction or sin. The question is that, will you allow yourself to be found?

The love of God is revealed in the death and resurrection of His Son. Most of us haven’t comprehended the depth, and height of God’s love. Daily, He calls us to s to come up hither: to come and experience the beauty of His Love. 

KEY POINT: We have a father who loved us while we were yet sinners, and still loves us now, irrespective of what we think we have done. His love still stretches out to us, calling us to come. 

PRAYER POINT: Lord, I yield myself to be ruled by your eternal love for me. My heart is filled with that love.

Transformed Life

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When we decide to make a change in our lives we have to start with our minds. In the same way when we take a dive, you go into the pool head first it is the same thing with a transformed life you have to dive into it head first. It isn’t any wonder to me that each new season of my life was faced with a boat load of worry, anxiety, negative thoughts and wrong thinking. If the enemy can get me distracted and focusing on things that can go wrong, it can prevent me from experiencing the abundant life Christ spoke of. 

A biblical principle that I use is “be transformed by the renewing of you minds” Romans 12:1. This scripture helps me see that true transformation comes through renewing the mind. The mind is like a steering wheel it guides the direction that you are headed. In a practical sense it is nearly impossible to see changes when you cannot visualize it. Take for example a bird in a cage. This bird has been in a cage day after day, week after week and had adapted to the restriction of the cage. The bird after a awhile becomes accustomed to being trapped and when the cage is unlocked and door left slightly opened the bird stays and fails to escape to freedom. Why? The opportunity is right in front of him and it is that easy. The trouble is that this is truly easier said then done. When a bird has become comfortable being confined and now depends on the routine of feeding. I have found this to be the same among some people in all my years of ministry. A person can become so comfortable being ensnared by something that the moment you tell about the freedom that is available, they make up an excuse to stay comfortable in bondage. Yet, it is for freedom sake Christ has set us free. He frees us to live and love according to His plan for our life. In order to walk continually in that freedom we must continually set our minds on things above and have our minds renewed by the washing of God’s word. 


For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7 (NIV)

If you show me your thoughts, I will show you who you are becoming! It is vital that we choose to think about what we are thinking about. Make conscious decisions to cultivate our minds by choosing to regulate our thoughts.

It is important to know that the scripture is not just talking about thoughts that pass through your mind. Because the brain produces ideas every three to six seconds and we cannot control all the thoughts that enter our minds. The scripture above is talking about what we allow to get into our hearts. Our hearts are also known as the subconscious. The subconscious and soul are where the very issues of life come from. The heart is not to be trusted alone for it is noted that it is deceitful. That is why it is good to know that whoever enters a relationship with Jesus receives a new heart and, but it must be guarded. Therefore, the mind of man must be renewed daily with the word of God. This is also known as the washing and cleansing of the word. Since we live in a world filled with hate and bad things happening all around us, we must choose to start fresh daily. Isn’t it astonishing that our thought life is interwoven with our hearts? God is continually concerned about our heart condition. The matters of our hearts matter to our heavenly Father. Men keep their eyes fixed on the outward appearance, but God sees past the outer layers of our external expressions and facades. Even when we have something going on, He goes straight to the heart because he knows the issues flow from there. In the book of Proverbs, it directs our attention to a profound truth about the principles of so as a woman thinks so shall she Become.

It also shows us how thoughts are the producers of our lives.

Our thoughts are like bricks, and our mind is like the structure in which the blocks are laid. When it comes to laying bricks, a part of the process of laying bricks is you must pour concrete to prepare the foundation. The foundation in which you build your blocks should be a firm foundation. Therefore, the foundation symbolizes the word of God, and the bricks express our thoughts.

We know that before anything is built, there is a blueprint and a plan written up. As each thought is being used to build the life that you envisioned. We must be sure to have each thought on the foundation of what Christ has spoken.

Prayer point:

Father God help me to keep my eyes fixed on you for you are the author and finisher of my faith. You alone have all authority in your hands and in your commands. You have called for peace in the midst of chaotic storms and you can do the same when that storm is in my mind. I thank you for your love and care and right now by faith I cast that care on you in Jesus name Amen.

Be Resilient

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Resilient Faith 

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.

Resilience is having the capacity to recover quickly from hard times. Faith is the component that makes this possible. In this life it isn’t if difficulties will come but when. Resilience is the ability to bounce back when those difficulties come. Having resilient faith requires looking past the circumstances in front of you and keeping faith fixed solely on the promises of God.

In 2 Kings there was a Shunammite woman who was barren and sought favor from Elijah to have a son. After receiving her promised child, she had her world turned upside-down when he suddenly died. Could you imagine waiting years on end for a promise to come to pass and all of a sudden it’s gone? This Shunammite woman’s promise died right in her lap. She didn’t see this as a point of defeat but used it as an opportunity to be resilient. She chose to have faith. She believed that the same God who gave her the promise will be the one who will bring her son back to life. It was her ability to spring back quickly that allowed her to get Elijah the prophet to come and resurrect her son. 

The question is “What do you do when faced with difficulties, setbacks or roadblocks?” Do you choose to trust God no matter how things look? Being resilient boils down to how bad you want something and what you are willing to do to get it. Keeping the faith makes it possible to not give up in the face of troubles, setback and obstacles.

The same thing applies to our walk with God. We are to believe in a God that we have never seen with our eyes or touched with our hands; this is what we call ‘FAITH’. Faith in God is casting all our cares on God and trusting Him to take care of all that concerns us.

KEY POINT

Simply put, faith is trusting God too much to give up.

Prayer: Father God I thank you for who you are. I ask that you strengthen me in my times of need. 

Fight the Good Fight of Faith

1 Timothy 6:12

“For I can do all things through Christ” (Philippians 4:13)

 Throughout the Scriptures, there are numerous examples of suffering as well as miraculous victory. Yet in my opinion, there are few we come across in the New Testament, other than our Lord Jesus Christ, who endured more affliction than the apostle Paul. In 2 Corinthians 11, Paul recounts all he has suffered:  being whipped, beaten and shipwrecked, and much more. (Read 2 Cor. 11: 23-28). Having endured such agony, Paul still was determined to press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14).
 

Like Paul, we may face various trials (whether anxiety, depression, the loss of a job, persecution, or abandonment by those closest to you), yet we have hope. We, too, can draw strength from knowing our Lord has all things under control. We, too, can be fully persuaded that nothing in this world, “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39 ESV). We can rest assured that nothing we go through is in vain, but something glorious, something of great value is being formed for God’s glory and our delight in Him as we endure. “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake…” (Philippians 1:29, ESV).
 

Believer, you are more than a conquer. Even when your trials seem to obscure your vision and weigh you down with a heavy burden, take hope in God’s promises, knowing that you have not lost. Like brother Paul, if we endure, we can say “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved His appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7–8 ESV)
 

Background Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 11; Romans 8

Prayer: Father God, thank you for always being present in the storms of life. You command the world to be still and bring calm to my soul. I ask that you have your way in my life. In Jesus name Amen 

 

As She Thinks, She Becomes

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Do you ever really think about what you are thinking about? Are you in control of your thoughts or are your thoughts controlling you? Paths are made through series of thoughts that we allow to be housed in our minds. Our minds is like the control center to our lives and destiny. That is why I often say if you show me your thoughts, I can show you who you are becoming. 

One thing that is popular at the beginning of each year is people awareness of their need of self development. Yet, the question to ask oneself is “how bad do you want to grow”? It is not enough to just talk about the changes you want to see and not establish anything new to see something new. If you want to develop and see lasting change you have to be willing to see what is hardwired inside of your mind.

When it comes to our minds, it is a highly powerful instrument. One of the reasons is because it houses the capability to control our thoughts and emotions and that will undoubtedly affect the way we choose to act.
It is a vital task for an individual to have an awareness of her concepts, thoughts and emotions.
Whenever a person is aware of the way they think, the idea of “becoming what you think in your heart” is not that hard to grasp. The reason behind this is that when you’re aware you are conscious of your thought patterns, and the thoughts that contribute to a set of emotions.
On the flip side of that, choosing to ignore your emotions and thoughts would only lead to a life of denial and suppression of feelings and thoughts, therefore posing the dangers and threats of erratic behavior.
Our thinking isn’t solely dependent on our thoughts and feelings alone. We tend to take on other people thoughts.
In general, the way thinking is, it’s a process that is made up of various parts. Part one is becoming aware of our emotions and feelings to choose the appropriate reaction for a particular scenario. How we react comes from how we played out the action in our minds. Look at the word respond, the (re) in the word means to do it again and act is to do something or to behave in a specific way. Therefore, the reaction is the individual merely behaving in the way they played it out in their thinking.
Let’s say an individual is acquainted with their thinking patterns, it will allow for the person to learn to associate their thoughts with their own identity.
At the point this is accomplished, it places an expectation on the individual to fully accept more of who they are and how they feel about the world around them.
Why is this important you ask? It is essential because it matters more how you view and see yourself.
Sometimes it is easier to look at someone else, and say what we think they meant by what they did. Sometimes we even go as far as saying that we know what others are thinking. In reality, we cannot know for sure what is going on in someone else’s mind.