Scripture – The Gritfull Life

Rich Garments

This morning I was praying for a group of women I have the privilege of serving, and the lord spoke to me “robes of white.” I began to cast vision as I was seeing it for them in prayer, as God is doing some incredibly deep work in their hearts right now.

After bible study, I came home to have my quiet time. I always ask God, “What do you want to say to your people today?” and I ask him to use me to deliver the message.

Today, He led me to a passage in Zechariah. Verse 3 says, ” ‘See, I have taken away your sin and put right garments on you.’ Then I said, ‘Put a clean turban on his head.’ So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the Lord stood by.”

As the Lord spoke this to me, I recorded it in my prayer journal to share with you:

“There are those who are still believing the accuser of the brethren, but I the Lord, say today that I have taken away your sin and put rich garments on you.

I remove deception from your midst. The devil would have you believe that your past disqualifies you from sitting at my table, but I call you my heir.

I do not see Mephibosheths… I see my beautiful sons and daughters. Would you look at what you’re wearing? Would you see with your spiritual eyes what I have given you? You are robed in white. Purity. My son’s blood has taken away the stain of sin on you.

Walk as children of the light. Let your words declare my goodness over your life.

I am bringing you into your inheritance. You are royal in my eyes,” says the Lord.

Who is Mephibosheth?

There are actually 2 Mephibosheths in the Bible: 1 was a son of Saul and one of his concubines who was sacrificed to the Gibeonites; the second was Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan, son of Saul. Mephibosheth was the only living son of Jonathan. His history is reviewed in 2 Samuel 4:4 where it states, “(Jonathan son of Saul had a son who was lame in both feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan (their deaths) came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she hurried to leave, he fell and became crippled. The name Mephibosheth means, “exterminator of shame; one who destroys shame; end of shame.”

2 Samuel 9 gives the account of King David who asked his servants if there was anyone still left in the house of Saul to who he could should God’s kindness on behalf of his BFF Jonathan. He even inquired of one of Saul’s former servants who replied, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in both feet.” (Notice that he did not call him by his name but by his handicap.) Mephibosheth was living in Lo Debar, which means ” no thing; no pasture; or not having,” so, in other words, Mephibosheth was living at the place of nothing when David summoned him to the palace. He was lame in both legs, so who knows if he had to be carried there or if he had crutches, but the destroyer of shame was living in disability in a place of nothingness when the King called. Let that sink in for a moment.

Mephibosheth had a vision problem too…not as the bible describes per se, but when David told Mephibosheth, ” I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table” Mephibosheth replied with the way he saw himself, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?” I love how King David completely ignores Mephibosheth’s statement and summons Ziba, Saul’s servant, telling him, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the crops, so that your master’s grandson may be provided for. And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master will always eat at my table.” AND- the bible says, “So Mephibosheth sat at David’s table like one of the king’s sons.”

The Lord Has Put Rich Garments On You

There are some out there who God has called out of Lo Debar into Jerusalam, or the place of peace and covenant. There are those who the Lord has put clean, rich garments of forgiveness and holiness on you, but you’re still allowing what happened to you in your past define who you are today. And the Lord is saying, “just as David did not acknowledge the way Mephibosheth saw himself, I do not look at you the way you see yourself.” “You have been called to sit at my table. I want to show my kindness to you. You’re my son. You’re my daughter.”
“It’s time for you to see yourself the way I see you.”

The Lord is removing the lies, or the deception that the enemy has been saying to you about you. That devil is sneaky, because he will use your voice to talk to you and make you think his lies are your thoughts, when it’s really him trying to rob you of your inheritance. The Lord says he is removing the deception. You are not disqualified. You are approved by God!

A Child of The Light. Royal

A couple of things here: God’s word says that Jesus is the Light of the world and those who follow him will have the light of life on the inside of them. He says, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14). In 1 Thessalonians, Paul calls us sons of the light and sons of the day. It says in chapter 5 verse 8, “But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.”

Psalm 71:15 it says, “I will tell of your goodness; all day long I will speak of your salvation, though it is more than I can understand.I will go in the strength of the Lord God; I will proclaim your goodness, yours alone.”

In 1 Peter 2:9, God calls us “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

The blood of Jesus has given you royal DNA. The Lord would have you see your inheritance. Isaiah 61 says, “Instead of their shame my people will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance; and so they will inherit a double portion in their land, and everlasting joy will be theirs.”

You are not a Mephibosheth. You are a son/daughter of the King of Kings. It’s time to step into what God has been keeping for you. He calls you beautiful. He’s saying he’s robed you in white. It’s time to walk as a daughter and a son of the king. It’s time to testify to others about what he’s done in your life.

I’m praying you really catch this and that you see yourself the way your Father sees you. Leave the past in the past. Embrace your inheritance!

1/10/23 A Word From The Lord

This morning the Lord put a song in my heart by Chris Tomlin. It’s a song I used to sing to my son at bedtime during his early elementary years. Mainly because I remember being his age and carrying big feelings, that for various reasons, my parents were unaware of. I would remember being in my bed alone at night thinking about God and wondering if he saw me. Many times feeling fear and loneliness. Fast forward to having a child of my own and wanting to instill in him the understanding of a Father’s Love from our heavenly father. Here are the lyrics and video link if you’d like to play it here:

Oh, I’ve heard a thousand stories of what they think You’re like
But I’ve heard the tender whisper of love in the dead of night
And You tell me that You’re pleased and that I’m never alone

You’re a good, good Father
It’s who You are, it’s who You are, it’s who You are
And I’m loved by You
It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am

Oh, and I’ve seen many searching for answers far and wide
But I know we’re all searching for answers only You provide
‘Cause You know just what we need before we say a word

You’re a good, good Father
It’s who You are, it’s who You are, it’s who You are
And I’m loved by You
It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am

Because You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways to us
You are perfect in all of Your ways
Oh, You’re perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways to us

Oh, it’s love so undeniable
I, I can hardly speak
Peace so unexplainable
I, I can hardly think
As You call me deeper still
As You call me deeper still
As You call me deeper still into love, love, love

You’re a good, good Father
It’s who You are, it’s who You are, it’s who You are
And I’m loved by You
It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am

And You’re a good, good Father
It’s who You are, it’s who You are, it’s who You are
And I’m loved by You
It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am

You’re a good, good Father
It’s who You are, it’s who You are, it’s who You are
And I’m loved by You
It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am
(You’re a good, good Father)

You are perfect in all of Your ways (it’s who You are, it’s who You are, it’s who You are)
(And I’m loved by You)
You are perfect in all of Your ways (it’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am)

The Lord spoke a verse to me from James 1, verse 17 (PT). It goes, “Every gift God gives us is good and perfect, streaming down from the Father of Lights, who shines from the heavens with no hidden shadows or darkness, and there is no subject to change.”

He gave me this word for someone:

“Good fathers only give good things, yet the enemy has convinced some that I don’t love them- because of the circumstances in their life. I am the God of Choice. I created you and love you with an everlasting love, but I will not force you to choose me, love me, or worship me. I don’t make robots. I make human beings. Humans that would think on their own, act on their own. Humans who would choose me back. Your circumstances are a result of your choices, not mine. There’s still time to turn the boat around. Some things you will have to walk through, but I am here to journey with you if you will let me into your life. You will see the miracles of a Romans 8:28 life where I will even work this together for your good. Again, I am your good, good father, and I LOVE YOU.”

There’s Still Time To Turn The Boat Around

I asked God, “why did you use that expression?” and he led me to a definition at Wordsense.eu which explains that turning the boat around means “making a major change in behavior or strategy.” There are those of you who need to turn the boat of your life around, and you need the wind of the holy spirit to redirect your sails in a direction that will prosper you and not harm you.

A Little More About James, Chapter 1

The writer of the book of James was the actual brother of Jesus and he wrote this letter after Stephen was martyred for his faith in Jesus. In it, he is encouraging and instructing new believers on gaining wisdom, spiritual maturity, faith, and grit. Relating to the word from the Lord, I want to hone in on verses 13-16 which state,

“When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don’t be deceived, dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.“

How powerful is it that, through a new birth (a spiritual birth) in Jesus who is the Word of God, that we become the first fruits or top ten percent of his creation!? If you’ve given your heart to Jesus, you’re in God’s top 10%, for his use and his glory!

Secondly, God’s word today says that, based on the word given to me, your present circumstances are a result of your choices. I need to say that God has not tempted you into the situation you are currently in. He’s not testing you there either. You might be in a furnace of affliction right now or dealing with some really heavy things. I am reminded of something I heard growing up: The further you move away from God, he will use circumstances and your choices to get your attention. At first it starts as a mist or drizzle, progressing to a steady rain. Then if you continue to move in rebellion and sin, your life becomes like a thunderstorm, a tornado, even a hurricane. Till you feel as though you’re drowning. But in this case, it’s like drowning when there’s a life preserver floating in the water next to you. Is pride preventing you from grabbing your life preserver, a.k.a. Jesus?

But God says, “there’s still time to turn the boat around.” There’s still time to make major changes. The first starts with recognizing that you are not God. The second starts with going to God in repentance, asking for forgiveness, so that you can be restored to a right relationship with him. Then, you’ve got to let go of controlling your boat. Give him the wheel. Seriously. Watch the circumstances slowly change from sinking to swimming to winning the race of life.

I Want To Leave You With Two Verses

Romans 8:28 (NIV) God says, ” And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:31 (NIV) What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all- how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any change against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.

Romans 8 goes on to state that Jesus is at the right hand of God RIGHT NOW interceding for YOU. Nothing- no circumstances, misery, pain, sin, bankruptcy, abortion, drugs, you name it, NOTHING will separate you from the love of Jesus Christ. I pray that you’ll choose your good, good father today, and watch him turn your boat around.

Deep Calls To Deep

The Lord showed me Psalm 42 today and gave me a word for someone who has been struggling to find God in this season.

Here is what Psalm 42 says:

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with my God? My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng.

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon- from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.

By the day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me– a prayer to the God of my life.

I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?” My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day, “Where is your God?”

Why are you so downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

For the person who is battling depression, loneliness, separation and maybe even isolation, this psalm is for you. You might be living life with a mask- the you that you let the world see, and the secret you who battles the same thoughts and feelings as the psalmist wrote. This psalm was written by one of the sons of Korah who was a temple musician. What this tells me is that, even someone who was appointed by God to lead others in praise can keep struggles buried deep inside of them that perhaps no one will ever know or see. But let’s remember that the struggles are there whether you choose to let others see them or not. God sees them. And He sees YOU.

This person might call themself a christian but their life and possibly even their secret life testifies against them. They’re doing things that they know do not please God in an effort to soothe themselves, but I’m here to tell you that secret sins are not a security blanket for the believer or anyone else for that matter. They wind up causing guilt, self-condemnation, and even shame. The psalmist, even cries out to God, asking, “Where are you?” “Why have you forgotten me??” “Why must I go on feeling this way, suffering?” It sounds as though the psalmist is even dealing with physical pain in his body, and whether it’s actual people taunting him by saying God isn’t real, or the enemy screaming, “Where is your God?” the clamoring is almost too much for his mind and spirit to take.

The psalmist goes on to do what David did- he spoke to himself in TRUTH declaring in spite of what he was feeling, in spite of his physical pain, in spite of the mocking by the devil and others: “Put your hope in GOD, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” He says my soul is downcast, therefore I choose to remember you from the land of the Jordan- from a place where you parted the waters for our people. A place where we stepped into our promised land. A place where you commanded us to set up memorial stones so that we would never forget the great things you did for us in Egypt. In the wilderness of our lives. I choose to remember the good things you’ve done for me and believe that you’re the same God- you’ve still got good things for me!

The deep things, the deep love of God is calling out to the deep things in you. The person He knows you can become- who he created you to be that the devil or maybe even you have tried to bury. He’s calling to the deep hurts in you- some of those hurts have been caused by others while you have also afflicted yourself with many of the wounds you carry. You might be in a place now where you feel forgotten by God, but the psalmist says, “By the day the Lord directs his love, at night (the literal night but also the dark times in our lives) his song is with me- in other words, I pray to him, I cry out to him, I cast my deep hurts, pains, and pleading prayers out to him in prayer. He hears you. He’s listening. He’s waiting for you to drop what you’ve been gripping onto and come to him whole heartedly so he can heal you.

The Lord gave me this word this morning to share:

“Stop drinking from the wrong wells. You’ve tried porn. You’ve tried relationships. You’ve tried filling yourself at the work well. At the wells of owning things you thought would make you happy and satisfied. Are you satisfied?

No- you are still thirsty. Your soul pants for water that it knows not of- and everything else has left you dissatisfied. You can consume and consume, but I tell you it will NEVER be satisfying. Your thirst only gets greater. The holes, the gaps only get wider. How much longer will you resist coming to me to quench your thirst? My water satisfies. My well never runs out. It bubbles up and becomes springs of living water inside of you. You will find rest, peace, joy at my well. I bid you to come!

This water does not sour after you drink it. It does not cause shame, guilt, or bitterness. It’s a water you can swim in, you can float in. My water washes the stains of bitterness, rejection, and condemnation off of you.

Come in and believe. Be immersed. Be changed. Leave the bad things and be revived,” says the Lord.

Sometimes words like these can make us feel uncomfortable because we are seen. There may be aspects of this word that resonate with you more than others. The point being is that God is saying it’s time to come back to him. Be revived. He calls out the things that he can see because he wants you to know he sees everything you think, feel, and do, and he still LOVES YOU.

Speaking from personal experience, acting your way into a feeling is a lot harder than feeling your way into acting. You have to go to God in faith when you don’t feel him. There are things that die on the inside of us that keep us from feeling. As you go to God’s well for cleansing, healing and renewal, your physical and spiritual senses will be revived. Your hunger for the word of God and the presence of God will be renewed, and you WILL yet praise him again. I’m praying for you, and believing for you.

-Jessica

Words for 2023: Reclaim and Possess

In 2020, I began asking the Lord to speak to me personally about his direction for my life. I had really made a mess of things in my own life, and God gave me the gift of time to really begin to seek him for what my future would look like. Over the course of the next 2, now almost three years, this evolved into asking for personal words for the new year to spearhead what he wanted me to grow in and accomplish for him and my family, business, and ministry. My tribe, Elevate Life Church, also does this. We align corporately for a vision and mission for the year, and without going into too much detail, it’s been an integral part of my transformation journey.

About a month ago, I was praying in the spirit during my quiet time and I heard the Lord speak two words to me. I had been asking him to reveal to me what he really wanted me to strive for this year. I heard His voice say, “Reclaim and Possess.” I wrote them down in my prayer journal. Sometimes he will give me a word, or a vision or a dream, and I’ve learned to write it down because sometimes it’s not always for me and it’s helped be develop my spiritual senses to where he’s leading me +/- who he’s leading me to to encourage.

I find that going back to the definition of these words helps lend context to what God is trying to say to you because sometimes we think we know what a word means but there’s deeper revelation, or layers of meaning in the things he’s speaking to us. And it’s easy to take a word and run with it, but I have started asking the question, “What demand does this word (or words) put on me to do all and be all that God is calling me to be in this season?”

So, let me lend some context to the meanings of these words.

The definition of reclaim: to retrieve or recover (something previously lost, given, or paid); obtain the return of. get back, claim back, have returned, recover, take back, regain, retrieve, recoup, recuperate, Opposite:forfeit

The definition of possess: to have and hold as property. own. to have as an attribute, knowledge, or skill. to seize and take control of. take into one’s possession. to enter into and control firmly dominate.

The Lord took me to a passage in Joshua, chapter 1, where the former leader Moses had just died and God told the Israelites it was time to cross over into their promised land. Hear these words:

“Get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give them.” “I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates- all the Hittite country- to The Great Seas on the west. No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” God then goes on to tell Joshua, “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let the Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified. Do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Then Joshua ordered the officers of the people, “Go throughout the camp and tell them people, ‘Get your supplies ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.

2022 was my year of Promise, Birth, and Expectation. I was to believe for the Promises of God, Expect the Promises of God and allow the Holy Spirit to birth the promises of God through me. I would also experience a birth of the new things He wants to do in my life. Seeds have been incubating inside of me, new ministries, new businesses, new rooms, and now I have new babies, things that are in infant stages to care for and nurture. Things that I have been carrying must now be cared for. For new things to be born, old things had to die. In many areas, this meant letting go of the past, old mindsets, old blue prints, old relationships. New means never been done before. The world hasn’t seen it yet. It requires god-given imagination, bravery, courage..not to speak my truth, but to speak his truth in my life through actions, words, and works. Bravery to be his mouthpiece, to go where he tells me to go and say what he tells me to say. And I’m so grateful.

Reclaim and possess are words for me but they’re also words for his people. His remnant. What things have you forfeited in your past? Did you give up on your dreams? Did you settle for less than God’s best in one or all areas of your life? I’m having this vision of a white round table in a dark room with a spotlight. It’s covered with wrapped presents. Beautiful bows, shiny paper, gifts stacked high. You don’t have to earn the gifts, but you do have to become who God needs you to be in this world to properly steward them. If you’re praying for gifts, or asking God for greater increase in areas of your life, what are you willing to do, to train to be to be prepared for what He’s got for you?- For what you’ve been asking for. In God’s word he says to Israelites, “Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and possess the land.” Part of who we must become is achieved little by little. A little growth, a little gain. A little growth, a little more gain. Life and success is not a sprint it’s a full-blown marathon. You’ve got to have discipline to have staying-power, or in this case possessing-power.

To possess all of the promises God has for you, it’s going to take, as God told Joshua, strength and courage. When looking through the world’s eyes, this is not exactly the type of landscape that says, “Now’s a great time to start a business, build your dream home, go back to school, etc.” But if you’re journeying through life with kingdom-shades on (think Neo in Matrix), you’re just going to see things God’s way: “Now is the perfect time. I’ve called YOU to this. I’ve equipped YOU for this. I’ve been preparing you for a grand season. Cast off the weights and run your race with grit. Little by little, I will drive out those before you and clear your path so that you can run unhindered into your Promised Land. I’ll build your faith with each victory, if you’ll just trust me and cross over.

During my searching of God’s meaning of reclaim and possess, I found this word that stamps or seals meaning onto and into everything else the Lord has been showing me about these words. Here’s what it says:

“On the way to your promised land, God is going to ask you to do something. This may be where you are right now. You’ve worked on the first five steps, and now…here you sit… right at the water’s edge. But to cross the Jordan, the Israelites had to make the first move (Joshua 3:8) before the waters parted for them. What move do you need to make? What step of faith will open the waters of the Jordan for you? Stop procrastinating and step out of your comfort zone. Don’t get stuck waiting in camp. Dip your toe in the water, and keep moving forward!” -Kenneth Copeland.

It’s time to reclaim your inheritance, your promises. It’s time to possess all of the gifts that God has wrapped and waiting on your table in heaven. It’s time to advance in becoming who God needs you to be to steward what he wants to do in you, to you, for you, and through you. GOOOOOOOOO!

New Wine

This morning when I woke up, I found myself singing, “Make me a vessel. Make me an offering. Make me whatever you want me to be. I came here with nothing but all you have given me. Jesus make new wine out of me.” Over and over, those words were coming out of me like a prayer, but with no accompanying vision or dream. As I sat down to start my quiet time, I went searching for the full lyrics to the song “New Wine” by Hillsong, and here they are:

In the crushing, in the pressing, you are making new wine. In the soil I now surrender. You are breaking new ground. So I yield to you and to your careful hand. When I trust you I don’t need to understand. Make me a vessel. Make me an offering. Make me whatever you want me to be. I came here with nothing but all you have given me. Jesus, bring new wine out of me. Jesus bring new wine out of me. Where there is new wine there is power, there is freedom. I lay down my old flames to carry your new fire today. The song is here if you’d like to listen.

I heard the Lord say, ” Before I can give new wine, I make new wineskins.”

The scriptures say in 2 Timothy 2:20-26, “In a large house there are articles (vessels) not only of gold and silver but also of wood and clay; some for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy and prepared to do any good work.”

We are all vessels that carry something. Vessels of different status and purposes, but vessels nonetheless. As scripture points out, some of us are being used to bring honor and glory to God while others are carrying purposes that are ignoble or dishonorable. The Bible states that if a person will cleanse himself from the ignoble things, he will be made holy and ready to good works for the kingdom of God.

The reason I talk about vessels is that a wineskin is a vessel, or a container for wine. The Bible states in Mark 2:21-22 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he doesn’t the wine will burst the skins and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new wineskins.”

To provide a little context relating to wineskins, I am sharing this passage from The New Frontier Ministries which states, “The new wineskins were filled with unfermented juice and left to age for a period of time. Gasses formed within the wineskin as the flavor, color, balance, and boutique of the wine grew. Because the wineskin was new, it could expand and hold both the wine and the gasses. However, if someone poured unfermented juice into an old wineskin, the forming gasses caused the skin to burst. As a result, they lost both the new wine and old wineskin.”

As I was reading this passage I wrote this:

“God has new wine that he is preparing to pour into his vessels. But the old wineskin, or the old you, won’t support the new wine. He’s in the process of transforming you into a new wineskin and vessel of honor for His good work.” Then the Holy Spirit spoke, “Some are feeling crushed, pressed, but it is me, refining them. Drawing out the sweet, pure fragrance of my work in them. The fragrance will draw others to them so they will be drawn to me. The crushing is making new wine, new rooms, new ministries where my Spirit will not be suppressed. Allow my work in you to be completed so that those who I have ordained will come.”

His words inspired me to look into aroma, and more specifically the art of perfume making. The word perfume is Latin: “per” meaning through, and “fumum” meaning smoke. Ancient perfumes were made by extracting natural oils from plants through pressing and steaming them. The oils were then burned to scent the air. In Exodus, Moses speaks of perfumed anointing oil that was used to anoint the priests and sacred vessels of the tabernacle. 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 states, “For we are the aroma of Christ for those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one, we are the smell of death and to the other, the fragrance of life. Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity like men sent from God.

I just want to encourage you today. You have a treasure, a new wine that God is preparing for you to carry as His vessel. Allow him to continue His transforming work on and in you so that you are fully equipped to carry His glory into where He is sending you. I am praying that you continue to, as the song “New Wine” states, “yield to Him and to His careful hand. I pray that you continue to trust Him when you don’t understand the process. I want to leave you with this verse from 2 Corinthians 4:7 “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God, not from us.”