2016 promises!

I was asking the Lord what He wants me to share with you all for this new year and He showed me a few verses. Isaiah 60:1-2 “Arise, shine: for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.”

There is no doubt that we are living in a time where there is so much darkness around us. All you have to do is turn the tv on and watch the news to see what is happening all around world. This verse is saying that the darkness will cover the earth and the people, but HE will arise over us and HIS GLORY will be upon us. The only thing we can see in complete darkness is LIGHT. Even a small flicker of light is enough to cancel out darkness. The Lord wants you to be the light and shine through the inevitable darkness around us.

How can you do that?  By setting yourself apart from how everyone else wants you to live and focusing on how God wants you to live. Is the way you are living bringing glory to God? What are you living for…and more importantly who are you living for? If you are not living your life for the Lord, then you need to figure out who are trying to please. Are you easily influenced by those around you? Or are you secure in your identity in Christ?

Being a woman of God is more than a pretty label. A woman of God desires to do the will of the Lord. Her relationship with Him is based on trust and faith. She puts Him first and knows everything else in life will follow. She has reverence and fear of the Lord….in other words, she respects God so much she would not want to hurt Him in anyway. She will live according to His desires for her life. And she is secure knowing that He called her by name. I think this new year, God wants everyone to get serious with their relationship with Him and stop playing “hard to get” or “mind games” with Him. Relationships take time, commitment, energy and most of all trust. Can the Lord trust you to do His will?? Can He use you to be the light in the darkness??

If you said yes…then these next promise verses are for you:

Isaiah 61:1-3 ” The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach the good tidings to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted. To  proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”

This is how God wants to use you if you open your heart to Him and live for His glory. The way He want to use you is limitless, but the only person that can stop it from happening is you! I pray you will make yourself completely available to Him this year and the years to come. I believe this year is going to be a fresh start for a lot of you. And I know He will use you in incredible ways. Surrender your heart to Him today…you won’t regret it! He loves you more than anyone ever has or will.

 

-Briana Uthayacumaran