God's Heart for 2016
I am a big proponent of making New Year's Resolutions, or at least of writing down what you're asking/believing God to do in the new year. It's just something I've always enjoyed doing. This year, though, I felt like God was pulling me to ask Him what He wanted for the year instead of what I wanted. Which makes sense, because I know I spent a lot of time focused on myself and my goals last year--and that's really exhausting! So I asked Him, and, in response, He wrote me a letter.
I'll explain that before I tell you what the letter said... It's actually just like it sounds. God wrote me a letter, but He spoke it to my heart and I physically wrote it down with pen and paper. This is not something God and I have done very much, yet. In fact this is only my second time doing this with God. I learned it from the book Eyes that See & Ears that Hear by Jennifer Toledo. The book is all about learning to hear God's voice. Jeremiah 33:3 says, "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things that you do not know." All we need to do to hear God speak to us is just to ask Him and to believe that since we have Holy Spirit living inside of us, what we hear comes from Him.
So I asked God, "God, what is your heart for 2016?"
And this is what He replied:
Two-thousand and sixteen is a year of awakening in America. People will see things happen and the seeds once planted in their hearts will be reactivated, taking root, spurred on (watered) by individual acts of obedience by Christians. Their worldviews will shift toward me because of the words and acts of of my people and my Holy Spirit working on their hearts. My heart is for my people. I will keep them safe, protect them, and watch over them. They need not fear the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at their side, ten thousand at their right hand, but it will not come near them. They will only observe with their eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If they say, "The Lord is my refuge," and they make the Most High their dwelling, no harm will overtake them, no disaster will come near their tent. For I will command my angels concerning them to guard them in all their ways... (Psalm 91:5-11)
My heart is for bravery, courage, and obedience. My heart is for life. I want people to speak life into every situation. That means refraining from negative jokes about the future. That means focusing on what they are going to do instead of joking about or putting their attention on [drawing attention to] what they're not going to do.
My heart is to carry you. My heart is for you to know that not everything is a task for you to carry out. My heart is for you to lead, to carry my joy, to rest your heart in me even when you're busy. My heart is for you to be confident because I'm taking care of everything--what people think of you, your success, where you go, how you get there, who you talk to, what you say, and, if you'll let me, what you think. I want to take good care of your thoughts and your mind. I want to hold them.
My dear Kristian, I love you and I have put you where you are because I know you will do very well there. You will have enough love in your heart to love the people in your life--those you encounter briefly, and those who are there permanently--very well. I will give you the words to say if you are to say words. I will tell you what to do if you are to do something. My love will encourage you and sustain you each day. I am answering your prayers. I will strengthen you for each task I give you and I will help you to know which tasks are not from me. I love you. My heart is for you. My heart is with you. My heart is in you. You are doing well.
Come visit me every day. I will sustain you.
My joy is your strength. It's MY joy, not just any joy, because I am always joyful. And you can be, too. So there! I have freed you to be joyful!
If God said these things to me, they can be for you too. You will have enough love in your heart to love the people in your life. God's heart for your 2016 is bravery, courage, and obedience. He will sustain you this year, and the joy that comes only from the Creator of joy will be your strength in 2016! He has freed you to be joyful this year!
May God bless you and your year.
<3 Kristian
I'll explain that before I tell you what the letter said... It's actually just like it sounds. God wrote me a letter, but He spoke it to my heart and I physically wrote it down with pen and paper. This is not something God and I have done very much, yet. In fact this is only my second time doing this with God. I learned it from the book Eyes that See & Ears that Hear by Jennifer Toledo. The book is all about learning to hear God's voice. Jeremiah 33:3 says, "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things that you do not know." All we need to do to hear God speak to us is just to ask Him and to believe that since we have Holy Spirit living inside of us, what we hear comes from Him.
So I asked God, "God, what is your heart for 2016?"
And this is what He replied:
Two-thousand and sixteen is a year of awakening in America. People will see things happen and the seeds once planted in their hearts will be reactivated, taking root, spurred on (watered) by individual acts of obedience by Christians. Their worldviews will shift toward me because of the words and acts of of my people and my Holy Spirit working on their hearts. My heart is for my people. I will keep them safe, protect them, and watch over them. They need not fear the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at their side, ten thousand at their right hand, but it will not come near them. They will only observe with their eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If they say, "The Lord is my refuge," and they make the Most High their dwelling, no harm will overtake them, no disaster will come near their tent. For I will command my angels concerning them to guard them in all their ways... (Psalm 91:5-11)
My heart is for bravery, courage, and obedience. My heart is for life. I want people to speak life into every situation. That means refraining from negative jokes about the future. That means focusing on what they are going to do instead of joking about or putting their attention on [drawing attention to] what they're not going to do.
My heart is to carry you. My heart is for you to know that not everything is a task for you to carry out. My heart is for you to lead, to carry my joy, to rest your heart in me even when you're busy. My heart is for you to be confident because I'm taking care of everything--what people think of you, your success, where you go, how you get there, who you talk to, what you say, and, if you'll let me, what you think. I want to take good care of your thoughts and your mind. I want to hold them.
My dear Kristian, I love you and I have put you where you are because I know you will do very well there. You will have enough love in your heart to love the people in your life--those you encounter briefly, and those who are there permanently--very well. I will give you the words to say if you are to say words. I will tell you what to do if you are to do something. My love will encourage you and sustain you each day. I am answering your prayers. I will strengthen you for each task I give you and I will help you to know which tasks are not from me. I love you. My heart is for you. My heart is with you. My heart is in you. You are doing well.
Come visit me every day. I will sustain you.
My joy is your strength. It's MY joy, not just any joy, because I am always joyful. And you can be, too. So there! I have freed you to be joyful!
If God said these things to me, they can be for you too. You will have enough love in your heart to love the people in your life. God's heart for your 2016 is bravery, courage, and obedience. He will sustain you this year, and the joy that comes only from the Creator of joy will be your strength in 2016! He has freed you to be joyful this year!
May God bless you and your year.
<3 Kristian