Encouragement

Thought For The Week...

Tenacious II

Tell the truth shame the devil! At some time or another we’ve all been afraid or had
some reservations regarding moving forth and doing that which we’ve been assigned or
anointed to do. There are some people who just have a Mr. Chicken persona; they have
a downright nervous fear. Some individuals become so fearful that they’ll believe the
lies of the adversary because they’re afraid of what he’ll do if they refute him. Whether
we want to believe it or not, the adversary is afraid of us and that is why he does what
he does. HE’S A BULLY! A bully’s greatest weapon is intimidation, so he uses his weaponry

to build strongholds that are intended to keep us submissive to him; and when
we attempt to extricate ourselves from his grip, he tightens the reigns.
 
Here’s what the adversary does to keep us submissive to him; he’ll lie to us telling us
that: we’re not worthy, we don’t have what it takes, no one will listen to us, we’re ugly,
we’re too fat, we’re too skinny, we’re too short, we’re too tall, our hair is too nappy, our
hair is too stringy, we’re buck teethed, we have no teeth, we’re too black, we’re too
yellow, too white, we don’t have the money needed; and he’ll use people, especially
those closest to us, to berate us and tear us down. And if that is not enough, he’ll also tell
us that God doesn’t love us; and if we’ve faltered along the way, he’ll tell us that God
could never forgive us after the sins we’ve committed. Now as a child of God, this is
where we should be truly encouraged because God’s Word negates these lies. Why?
Because it is written in His Word, that He is love, we are created in His image, He chose
us, and is married to the backslider. So, with that being said, it’s time that we stop
believing the lies of the adversary and hold fast to God’s Word, keeping a firm hold to its
truths. We must be persistent, stubborn and obstinate, and pertinacious. We must be
stuck like glue with a cohesive resolve that we’re determined to trust God’s Word in
spite of what our flesh feels and circumstances dictate. And finally, we must have
bulldog like faith, walking with the Holy Spirit as our guide knowing that He will never
lead us down the wrong road.

‍
Listen and heed…

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified or
dismayed (intimidated), for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9
— AMP)

Rev. Donna M. Humphries

Heaven Gates Ministries, Inc.

Thought For The Week...

Tenacious

How many of us lack the wherewithal to do that which we’ve been assigned and/or
anointed to do? Something is always getting in the way of our completing the task. It
doesn’t make a difference if it’s people, trials, finances, responsibilities, etc.; we must
push forward and not throw in the towel, being mindful that God has not given us a spirit
of fear. As long as we have breath in our bodies, we will be faced with various
challenges; but we must be able to see pass those challenges and catch a glimpse of
the finished product.

Everybody has a gift or two; they just need to know how to tap into it. As for the child of
God, they’ve been gifted to further the kingdom of God here on earth. And the last thing
the adversary wants us to do is kingdom building. So, he’ll do all he can to deter us from
recognizing our gift(s), working in our gifting and fulfilling the purpose of our gifting.
Satan will use whatever means necessary to hinder us with the ultimate goal of stopping
us. He’ll use every imaginable distraction that he’s crafted over the centuries. However,
we must not be moved by this lying demon but be adamantly persistent in believing
God’s Word that He’ll never leave us or forsake us. Listen, when we trust God, we’ll be
able to accomplish the purpose of our gifting knowing that He always keeps His Word.
In fact, He has called, appointed and anointed us for such a time as this. For those of us
who are fearful, are easily intimidated, lack fortitude, feel unqualified, and are downright
scared of ever succeeding, we must be like the little red caboose and repeat over and
over again, I know I can, I know I can, I know I can. There just comes a time when we
must go forward, denouncing the lies of the adversary; even if we are shaking in our
boots, we must grab a hold of the Holy Spirit—with eagle like talons—knowing that He
will not let us falter nor fall.

Acknowledge, comprehend and understand...

No man will [be able to] stand before you [to oppose you] as long as you live. Just as I
was [present] with Moses, so will I be with you; I will not fail you or abandon you. Be
strong and confident and courageous… (Joshua 1:5-6 — AMP)

Rev. Donna M. Humphries

Heaven Gates Ministries, Inc.

Thought For The Week...

Wait II

As we continue to abide in God, let us eagerly anticipate the answers to our requests being answered even when they lingers longer than we want them to. It is doing the interim period that we must not hold back our praise and worship but continue to love on God and bask in the presence of the Holy Spirit so that we can be comforted and encouraged as we righteously anticipate the promises and blessings that belong to the children of God. We have two options in this life in terms of delayed prayers; we are either going to be a patient person or a hospital patient.

The next time that the adversary approaches us and attempts to initiate a spirit of doubt, whispering that our prayers will not be answered, let us boldly tell him that we are confident in our God answering our petitions at the appropriate time. And that in the interval we are taking a new exercise class, Spiritual Wait Training. With that being said, let us continue to persevere in building up and toning our spiritual muscles; it is in doing so that we gain strength and fortitude as we eagerly await the promises and blessings that God has for us. Persistence breaks resistance.

Take heed…

Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord. (Psalm27:14 — AMPC)

In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides]. Put on God’s whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil. (Ephesian 6:10-11 — AMPC)

Rev. Donna M. Humphries

Heaven Gates Ministries, Inc.

Thought For The Week...

Wait

Patience can be one of the most difficult and frustrating disciplines that we are faced with. We are a hurry-up people; if we’ve prayed and asked God for something we expect immediate results. If we do not learn to practice the art of patience and adhere to it, we will become stressed out, overtaxed, restless, irritable, depressed, oppressed, and/or nervous. All of which will cause trauma to our bodies and opens the door to sickness. It is imperative that we learn how to abide in, lean on, relax in, rest in, and snuggle down in the arms of God; if we do not, we’ll find ourselves as a patient in somebody’s hospital.  We must never believe that God doesn’t have our best interest at heart. He is not like our earthly fathers who may promise and then be not able to answer because things didn’t happen as they planned. No, God has already orchestrated everything that we need to sustain us along this life's journey. With that being said, let us be mindful that God is not neglecting us and understand that a delayed/postponed petition does not mean that it is not going to come to fruition; it’s just not feasible and/or beneficial for us at this time. We can be assured that God knows what we need; He is never late; He is working out all things to our good and always provides more than enough to meet our need.

Take heed…

He gives power to the faint and weary, and to him who has no might He increases strength [causing it to multiply and making it to abound]. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and [selected] young men shall feebly stumble and fall exhausted; But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired. (Isaiah 40:29-31 — AMPC)

Rev. Donna M. Humphries

Heaven Gates Ministries, Inc.

Thought for the week...

Burden

There is not one individual who at some time or another has not been bound by the cares and concerns of the world. In fact, some are still bound and seem unable to find a way out of their dilemma. What is it that is keeping you bound? This is something we all must determine. And once we become aware of that which hinders us, we must take the necessary steps to keep ourselves from being steeped, trapped, ensnared, shrouded, etc. by it's talons of deceit.

In order to understand what it means to be protected and hedged in from hinderances - difficulties, troubles, disasters, obligations, etc., we must first understand who it is that protects us. GOD! God is the creator of the universe; He knows all and nothing gets by Him. Without Him, there would be no sustainable nutrients and/or air to breathe. His Son, Jesus, died for our sins, and all who receive HIm are promised protection and a life that will outlast this earthly realm. [He will] usher us into our eternal life with Him, His Father, the Holy Spirit and the great cloud of witnesses.

When we become truly serious about wanting to be protected by God and reach our eternal home in glory, we will adhere to the principles and precepts outlined in His Word. The Bible provides everything we will ever need to know about living. And when we read and study it, it will instruct us as to how we can remain shielded/cloaked from the hinderances even while they are transpiring. With that said, let's make sure that we are doing that which the Word instructs so that when we are attacked/tempted by the adversary and/or presented with the adversities of this world, we don't think something strange is happening to us.

Listen and take heed...

Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail). (Psalm 55:22 - AMPC)

Rev. Donna M. Humphries

Heaven Gates Ministries, Inc.

Thought for the week...

New II

What is it that you're looking for? Are you looking for lasting change, a change from the old you, the way you did things, saw things and that "stinky" thinking? Well, there is a way to change all of that; and that is to change you. We will never achieve lasting change on our own because there is no good thing in this flesh suit that we wear; but, there is a way, and that way is Jesus. Jesus hung on a tree, shed His blood and died, freely giving up His life so that we could live a life free of sin's penalty of death. And, the only way that we can live this life is by accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Savior.

The only way that we are capable of not surrendering to the stratagems of the adversary is to live holy and upright. My brothers and sisters, God has so much for us; He wants us to truly experience His unconditional love, blessings and promises. More importantly, He wants us to spend eternity with Him. But we can only do that when we are willing to change and let go of that which we want; you know, our way or no way. Jesus provided the way for our fresh start, a do-over; but He will not force us. We have a free will, the choice to do right or do wrong. No one can say that they don't know the difference; even a little baby knows. Therefore, it behooves us to want to grow in the things/ways of God so that we can be assured of our eternal life of living with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and experiencing His love face-to-face. I can't wait!

Listen and take heed...

For I'm going to do a brand-new thing. See, I have already begun! Don't you see it? I will make a road through the wilderness of the world for my people to go home, and create rivers for them in the desert! (Isaiah 43:19 - NLV)

Rev. Donna M. Humphries

Heaven Gates Ministries, Inc.

Thought for the week...

‍Judge

Every person has been given the ability to think and form an opinion. When a person doesn't take the time to think matters through and evaluate the pros and cons of their actions, they will continue to make rash decisions and live with the adverse effects of those consequences. Now before we are quick to point the finger, we must look at ourselves and see what consequences we are living with because of the rash decisions we have made.

Time as we know it is soon to come to an end, and it is imperative that we make wise decisions - ones that will bring forth positive results. Even after weighing the pros and cons of our desired outcomes, there will be times when we err in our decision making because we are not perfect. However, those times should be few and far apart. If we want to be assured that the decisions we make will bring forth positive results, then it is imperative that we seek God's advice, and then follow the instructions He provides. God's Word tells us that if anyone lacks wisdom, all they need to do is ask Him for it, and He will generously supply them with it. Make no mistake, we will all stand before God and give an account; the evidence of how we lived our life will be revealed. Therefore, we must not waste our time looking at others' mistakes, but be extremely careful that we evaluate the decisions we want to make. Because whether we want to believe it or not, those decisions will be instrumental in determining our eternal life.

Listen and take heed...

The Lord judges the peoples; Judge me, O Lord, and grant me justice according to my righteousness and according to the integrity within me. (Psalm 7:8 - AMP)

Rev. Donna M. Humphries

Heaven Gates Ministries, Inc.

Though For The Week...

Decree

I don’t know what you are going through, but I do know that God is able to bring you through it and over it. You are not alone, we’re all going through something; we’ve either just came out of something or are getting ready to go through something, but we must come to the understanding that we are not left on our own. God’s promise is true; He’ll never leave us or forsake us. Therefore, no matter how alone we may feel, God is with us, enabling us to go through and come out with the victory.

The Word of God tells us that life and death are in the power of tongue. Regardless to what we might be going through, we need to begin to proclaim what God says about the situation. If we will take the time to focus on and understand who we are in Christ, then we’ll begin to command with all the authority and boldness of the Holy Spirit and spew forth the biblical principles and precepts of God’s Word. The Bible tells us that we are healed, delivered and set free from every affliction. It tells us that God sent His Word and healed our disease. It tells us that sin shall not have dominion over us. It tells us that we are the head and not the tail. It tells us that we are above and not beneath. It tells us that we are to be lenders and not the borrowers. And it tells us that we have more than enough. Listen, it is imperative that we stop substantiating the diagnoses, symptoms and negativities in our lives and begin to boldly proclaim, command, declare, charge, prescribe, direct, and pronounce the blessings of God’s Word and live.

Take heed…

You shall also decide and decree a thing, and it shall be established for you; and the light [of God’s favor] shall shine upon your ways. (Job 22:28— AMPC)

And they overcame and conquered him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony… (Revelation 12:11a— AMP)

Rev. Donna M. Humphries

Heaven Gates Ministries, Inc.

Thought for the week...

New

‍So many times, we attempt to change ourselves; we don’t like who we are, what we’ve
become, how we look, how we sound, or how we should go about doing things. We say
if I could just do this, then I would feel better about myself, people would like/love me or
God would be satisfied with me. But guess what, we, as a people, are never satisfied. As
soon as we accomplish one thing, we’re off to the next; and most of the time, it’s without
consulting God on what it is that He has for our life. This is especially true for the non-
believer.

We’re good for starting over. We’ll make New Year’s resolutions and even move to a
different location just so that we can begin again. However, what we fail to realize is that
we’re taking the same old person with us, US. And, if we don’t surrender ourselves, the
very essence of who we are to God, we’ll never truly experience lasting change. Why,
because the old us, our tendencies and characteristics, are just lying dormant waiting for
an opportunity to surface. Whenever we don’t crucify, that old man mentality, will
always find a way to resurface because it was never put to death in the first place. Of
course, there will be individuals who will disagree with this, and they have the right to
their opinion. But for the born again believer, we understand that there’s no good in our
flesh; it does what is familiar and hates change. So with that being said, it is imperative
that we daily surrender our will for God’s will, letting the mind that is in Christ Jesus be
also in us, so that we are assured that when this life is over we’ll live for all eternity with
God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit in the New Jerusalem; the new
heaven and new earth.

Listen and take heed…

Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new
creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away.
Behold, the fresh and new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17 — AMPC)

Rev. Donna M. Humphries

Heaven Gates Ministries, Inc.

Thought for the week...

‍Release II

Satan hates it when we surrender to our life to Jesus because he knows that his
strongholds will be torn down and the control he once had is fleeing from him. As our
conscience becomes alive to righteous, we are able to understand how detrimental our
past lifestyle was and the damage it did, not only to us, but to other as well. We begin
to understand the consequences of our action and penalty that will be paid.
We lived our lives so long outside of God’s will that we may find it hard, at times, to relinquish
our old ways; but God gave us a helper in the name of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is
always available to help us. He’ll strengthen us to stand up under the pressure from the
adversary to do wrong. He’ll stand by us to encourage us and let us know we are not all
by ourselves. He’ll counsel us as to that what we should and shouldn’t do. He’ll

intercede for us and advocate on our behalf. With that being said, we must be careful
that we don’t open the door for the adversary to lead us back into the depth of his
darkness, and find ourselves submitting to the things that we dilly dallied in prior to our
conversion.

Listen and take heed…

Since we have such a huge crowd of men of faith watching us from the grandstands, let
us strip off anything that slows us down or holds us back, and especially those sins that
wrap themselves so tightly around our feet and trip us up; and let us run with patience
the particular race that God has set before us. (Hebrews 12-1 — AMPC)

Rev. Donna M. Humphries

Heaven Gates Ministries, Inc.