Recently someone messaged me and asked me about freedom. I felt led to share this with others. Let me know your thoughts about walking in freedom.

Victory is ours through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!

Here are my thoughts and what I have learned in the last few years about walking in victory.

It is about choice. While it is easy to let the words roll out of your mouth that I am free – the old adage, “Just cause you say it doesn’t mean it’s true” applies here. Recently, I sat through a sermon that basically said, “you are free. Believe it, Live it.” I sat there saying to myself – “show them how.”

Paul deals with the very battle that we are talking about. It is an emphasis on SPIRIT filled living versus fleshly living. The emphasis is on our spirits and the Holy Spirit living within in our spirits. In I Thessalonians 5:19-23 it says,
19 Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. 20 Do not scoff at prophecies, 21 but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. 22 Keep away from every kind of evil.
23 Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until that day when our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. 24 God, who calls you, is faithful; he will do this.

Testing and re-testing. This is what I have found. Most of the time in the church the Holy Spirit is quenched. Most believers do not abstain from forms of evil. Therefore, the God of peace is not able to make us holy and our whole spirits, souls, and bodies are not blameless (believers are forgiven of sins but not sinless). With that said, we walk in bondage. To walk in freedom is not just saying it – but it is giving God permission to go to the dark places. The wounded places of our lives that have been festering for some time. The places where there is unforgiveness. The place where there is deep hurt and resentment and bitterness have a root. It is in doing a deep cleansing before the Lord and asking Him by His Holy Spirit to come and clean out the places where the darkness has been. It is not easy to do this but it is necessary for freedom. It is appropriating the freedom. It is taking the freedom that we already have and living in it and walking in it and letting it out all over us and impacting the people around us.

We are made of 3 parts. In the Image of God our Abba Father. Spirit, Soul and Body. Father Son and Spirit.

If you look at the I Thessalonians 5:23, (and every other verse I have looked at in Scripture) reads, “may your spirit, soul and body be made complete or blameless.” I believe this implies that we are to nourish our spirits, where the Holy Spirit resides, with the Word and healing. You may have heard it said, “Don’t break the spirit of the child for if you break the spirit then you have broken the child.” I have heard something similar about horses. The point is I believe that the reason freedom is not easy is because we feed our flesh(soul – mind will, and emotions) and body(physical earth tent) most of the time. That is where the battle lies. But if we will learn to feed the spirit and ask the Lord by the Holy Spirit to feed the spirit man then you and I can have victory over our soul and body and walk in freedom.

Steps to take:

1. Cleansing and healing. Is there anyone you are holding onto unforgiveness. Is there any sins for which you are tolerating? Spend some time here in prayer. Write them down and confess by faith forgiveness that you cannot do without the help of your Holy Father. Renounce the stronghold in Jesus name! Tell the Father you do not want this sin as part of your life anymore in any form! This might take some time but it is key. Ask the Father to reveal any unforgiveness and any sin.

2. Ask for God by His Holy Spirit to come and heal you in the wounded areas of your life and to bring peace where there has been conflict. Healing where there has been woundedness. Ask Him to show you where He was in the midst of a difficult situation. Give all of the memories over to Him and allow Him to take them – never to return to you with conflict. You will remember but not with pain or anguish or conflict in your spirit.

3. Renounce any demonic spirit that has had a right to keep you “stirred up” because of the strong holds of sin and unforgiveness. In the name of Jesus, they no longer have a right to your mind.

4. Ask for the Lord to fill your spirit with His Holy Spirit. Pray that your spirit will awaken to the presence of the Holy Spirit and the your spirit, soul and body will come into the alignment that God desires for you to walk. This is freedom based walking. Walking by the Spirit not by your flesh.

Stay in the Word. Not just for reading it and checking off the list but that the Word becomes your FOOD from your Abba.

5. Learn the truth of who you are and how much your Abba Father God loves you! He knows where you are and He is not failing you or leaving you!

These are the first steps.

Galatians 5:1-9
1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery………
5 For we through the Spirit, by faith, are awaiting for the hope of righteousness.
6 For in Christ Jesus bneither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but cfaith working through love.
7 You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth?
8 This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you.
9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough.

This is the biggest step in walking in freedom. It is what I have learned over the last few years. It is the basis for all freedom. Because we live in a fallen world we will have pulls on our lives to step into the bondage and yoke of slavery. We will need to practice this not just one time but many through this life journey to our permanent home.

Hope this helps – I am praying for you even now.

Do not let your stomach turn flip flops any longer. Do not fear me or most of ALL the freedom that is waiting through the power of Abba Daddy God’s love.
Don’t let him win!

Love you and praying
Diane

Hope your Easter was as outstanding as ours!  Lotsa food, Lotsa of friends but most of all the reality of the price paid for us to be able to experience and celebrate Easter!

Last Sunday as I taught my ladies Bible Study Fellowship class, I was (as usual) caught up in amazement that Jesus used a woman to tell his disciples that, “He was alive!”  Jesus always did the most amazing things.  His ministry clarified, validated and elevated a woman’s worth.  Someone said, “It was the first woman’s movement.”  We never need a movement.  We just need to know our Abba Daddy God and His Son, Jesus Christ.  When we know who loves us and who truly validates us then we will walk in bold confidence with humility in the world we are called to live.  I often imagine what it must have felt like to be Mary Magdalene, who had 7 demons delivered from her.  What did she think after she saw her Lord alive?  After a brief conversation, He gave her the important task of going and telling the disciples that, “Jesus Christ was alive.”  They were to go out from where they were and He was going to come to them.  Can you even imagine! What excitement, what fear, what questions, what anticipation, WHAT JOY!  This woman had been delivered from much, forgiven much and loved much!  And now she got to tell the good news of her Savior’s Resurrection!!! WOW!

I want to be of the character and nature of a Mary Magdalene!  I want to remember what I have been delivered from.  I want to be one of the first to seek Him.  I desire His presence and oh how I  pray that I will know Him.  ”Don’t let me miss you oh my sweet Savior!”  If we seek Him we will find Him and He will come and speak with us!

Praying for you!

I am uploading a few more pictures from the Mother/Daughter Mission Trip in Seattle, Washington.

Enjoy them.

The Work in Seattle

Ok – incredible trip!  Met Mom’s and daughters from South Carolina and North Carolina.  Right at this moment I am sitting at the table of this incredible family.  They have made a choice to trust our Abba Daddy God and come to a place where the name of Jesus is not known.  They have trusted our God for much and although life is difficult they still have the faith that “He who began the good work will be faithful to complete it”  Phil. 1:6

We met yesterday morning as a team and had a team meeting to go over the day and hear the history of “Connect Church”  Connect Church was launched in September 2009.  At this moment they have about 50 people attending.  Most are new believers or seekers.  How incredible.  They are following a “simple church” model.  Because of monetary restraints  and truly the vision that the Lord has given them they are striving to connect to the community.  One of things the city of Lynnwood does each Easter is a city wide “flash light” easter egg hunt. This hunt is on Thursday night the day before “Good Friday”.   Connect church has  partnered with the city to help carry out this city wide event.  In simplicity we washed and sorted  about 1 billion plastic eggs. (well it felt like that)  They have another team to stuff them tonight.

I had another great gift – my friend and pastor’s wife from Salmo, BC, Canada drove 8 hours to be with us.  I will share her picture later today.

I’m off to work.  We are handing out flyers for the church and I will be praying as we walk through the community.  Be glorified today Oh God as we do the simple things!

Love ya, Diane

Heading to Seattle

I’m on the plane heading to Seattle, Washington.  Meeting a group of women from FBC Spartanburg, South Carolina.  Seattle is a beautiful city.  It’s still cold.  Well, it’s cold to me.  High today will be in the lower 50′s and it’s rainy.

I always think about the movie, Sleepless in Seattle, when I head this direction.  Can’t wait to see what God is going to do.

Did you know that Seattle is one of the most unchurched cities in America?  Approximately 96% of the population claim to have NO religious background or affiliation.  My job this week is work with a church plant.  I have been asked to encourage the church planters wives.  Will you join me in prayer for this worthy endeavor.

The new church plant was started in September and they already have had 50 people join them.  It’s slow, hard work.  A friend who has lived in Seattle told me that there is a lot of witchcraft in the area.  Please, Please, Please pray a hedge of protection around our group of women(10 total).  I’ll be posting some pictures this week and also.

Love you guys, Diane

Recently, I had the distinct privilege of watching my Rachel sing, “Somewhere over the Rainbow” in the Wizard of Oz. She did an outstanding job for her first stage performance. What most people didn’t realize was that none of the cast had gone through the entire play until that night. They had run lines but never be able to be on the stage on location and run through the entire play….So on the night of the performance – I was amazed at the talent of all who performed.

Check out Rachel singing at the following link.  http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?v=app_2392950137&ref=name&id=1283212297

Rachel, I love you! You make my heart smile. You are such a gift to me and I know that God is smiling when you sing! Can’t wait to see what you do with the rest of your life!

First Baptist Church Villa Rica Women’s Conference
January 22 & 23

What an exciting time we had at Villa Rica First Baptist Church.  It was a joy to be with some old friends and to meet some new.  There were 13 different churches represented in the crowd.  The women of the group were hungry for the throne room of the Father.  The praise team took us to the the throne room of our Father to worship.  Thank you Villa Rica Ladies for all your hard work and for the desire to reach into your community with an event such as this.

Well, we landed last night in New Orleans. It was bitter sweet. We are all very tired but it’s the kind of tired that happens when you have poured out and you know that you have done what you were supposed to do.

Funny thing about life…..it keeps going….have you noticed? So everyone on the team has been up this morning living life. Getting back into the rhythm of our everyday life. I pray that we will be impacted for sometime by the Salmo trip.

I want to run the race without the encumbrance and without the sin that entangles. I want to run the race with the great cloud of witnesses cheering me on. Oh Glory! What a gift to know that I can run without giving up on this life because I have the promise of a better life. I can run and have abundant life now not just for eternity but for right now……Please come run this race with me and one day let us hear together….”Well done, enter into your reward!” Halleluiah!

Enjoy our Vancouver pictures! The girls were enjoying the city while I met with three precious saints for future ministry. What a glorious time to be in the presence of people who have faithfully served our God.

Thank you for praying for us and for allowing us to go and serve our Lord in the town of Salmo, British Columbia, Canada.

We love you!

What an adventure.

On Monday morning we got up at dark thirty! The car was partly loaded from the night before. (Kudos to Maureen for pushing us to get up and get going.)

We took off down the road to the Esso service station to fill up with gas and to head down the road. I started filling up and Brooke stayed with me.

We decided that we would go in and get some refreshment……checked the ignition….keys not there….so we locked her up and headed inside. You guessed it. The keys were laying on the console and we had just locked ourselves out the car.

After a phone call to triple AAA of Canada. A sleepy eyed, hair tossled, bearded man came and began to work on the car to get us in. It took an hour but finally he worked his magic and we loaded up and took off across the beautiful, British Columbia.

The pictures that we took early are beautiful and if we had left when we had planned we would have missed this beauty.  God’s timing is always perfect!  He continued to show us that on this trip.  Why is it that we get so frustrated when things do not go as planned?

Some years ago a very wise woman said to me, “Diane, what is wrong?  Is not God on His throne and He will be bring everything to work for your good in His time?”  I don’t pretend that it’s easy living this kind of faith life but I want to.

Thank you for following us on this journey.  I am posting some incredible pictures of the beauty of Canada.  I will make my final post later this morning.  Love to you, Di

This is the third time that I have attempted to upload these pictures. So this will be short. We finished Sunday with worship and the Radio show. Brooke debuted her new song on Salmo Community Radio.  I shared my story and lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina

Donna and Hutch treated us to dinner at the Salmo Golf Course and we ended the night with a prayer time with Donna. God worked in us and through us as He always does.

We are almost home but the work is never done until Jesus comes again.

We love you. Enjoy the pictures.

We finished the retreat last night with a time of commitment with the ladies.

I just have to tell you that God always amazes me when He puts together a team. Carol, Maureen, Kendra and Brooke were the exact peopl to come along with me on this trip. What is interesting about this is that they did not know each other before this trip. Each of them are uniquely gifted to do the work that God has had for them to do here. They have been amazing. Thank you girls for your sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. Thanks for making yourself available to the women of Salmo Baptist Church and the surrounding area.

The retreat ended with women kneeling before the altar and praying. Many of us wrote out decisions on pieces of paper and then laid those decisions at the altar. These decisions will be prayed over for the next several months by the prayer team of Salmo Baptist.

Hutch, the pastor of Salmo Baptist and his wife, Donna are amazing people. They are faithful to God and to the call of God on their lives. They have come to this place in Canada and invested themselves into the Community. On Friday night, of the retreat, Hutch was awarded by the town, the award of volunteer of the year! When he was given the award then he was given the opportunity to give a brief speech. Hutch used the opportunity to tell the people of Salmo why he did what he did. Thank you God for showing favor and honor to Hutch.

We are getting ready for worship. This afternoon will be for exploring and resting and then tonight, Brooke will play and sing and I will share with this community my story of my families’ journey after Hurricane Katrina and the faithfulness of my God. Please pray for us. You can listen to us on the internet at http://www.salmofm.info/index.htm. The time for most of you will be at 9:00 p.m.

I am posting some pictures of the retreat. We love you family!