A Word for TODAY, originally published on December 31, 2002.

“Examine your heart, My beloved, and see whether you are walking in the faith or whether you are moving by an independent spirit that keeps you bound up and motivated by that which is not of Me. This is a new year coming, and I admonish you that if you want to prosper and be in health, then you will have to realign yourself to My will. Didn’t I say in My word that if you put Me first and My righteousness, all these things will be added unto you?

Yes, those things the world seeks after will be yours if your heart yearns after Me, to do good all the days of your lives, and to bask in My presence unceasingly. Because if you do these things, you will be completely in tuned with Me. Your Father’s heart will beat as one with your own. My compassion will flow through you with the gifts of My Spirit. You will be rested and refreshed because you have been in My presence.

Why rush out and escape the motivation of My Spirit because you didn’t take the time to seek My face? Why go after the things that you need purely in your own strength? Don’t you know that the more you go off on your own, the less that you desire to be with Me? And I long to have you sit before Me quietly just to be with Me. Yes, I long to have your presence as I once had before you went off on your own. I blessed you and prospered you, and now you act like you don’t need Me. But these things will pass away. But My words will last forever and sustain you through hard times. They are more precious than gold. Your faith will enable you to stand through the worse of times, not your finances.

So I admonish you, My children, to launch out into the deep. Reach out past what you are used to, and allow Me to stretch you with what you are not used to having. Don’t settle for less than the best that I have for you for I want to sustain you and nourish you. I want to strengthen you so you can stand. And give you joy unspeakable and fill you with My glory. I want to clothe you with a garment of praise and engulf you with perfect peace, but you must stay before Me and seek My face.

Bask in My presence. Don’t be so hasty to rush off for I love you and want to take you to the next level. You cannot make it on your own. What you strive for is temporal and it is in vain to put that first. I encourage you to cry out to Me to stir up the gifts I’ve placed within you and to give you the hunger you need to go after Me. Stay before Me. Discipline yourself to cast down the distractions from the evil one. Crucify your flesh for it is your worse enemy, and it is depriving you of what you need this day. You need an outpouring of My Spirit, a full portion of My presence and anointing, and it only comes as you draw close to Me. For only as the deep within you draws forth from the deep within Me will you be able to be filled with the springs of living water that you need.

Don’t continue in your ways. Cast off all that holds you back, and leap and run and charge out after all that I died for you to have. I’ve called you forth to be warriors of faith and truth and to be My ambassadors of light. Cast off the darkness and go forth now. I’m calling you forth! Do not allow the enemy to imprison you any longer. This is the day to claim your victory and be free, and stay free”

… says your God.

Brought forth through Yolanda Ballard

Yolanda Ballard of At The Father’s Feet website shares with you, the body of Christ, the words she’s received quietly sitting at the Father’s feet. I believe Jesus set the example for us to follow. Whenever He could He would come apart from the busyness of the world so that He could quiet Himself before the Father, for that is where He received direction and strength to carry out His will.