Posted: 04/22/2009 at 7:07am | IP Logged

Dear Friends,

Many of you may have been following the recent activity of the Mount Redoubt volcano in Alaska. Now, I don't know about you, but when I heard the name "Mount Redoubt" my thoughts began to put two and two together with the words DOUBT and RE-DOUBT! Things began to click for me regarding what many of us have been going through in this time.

Often what happens in the natural speaks of what is going on in the invisible realms. And in this time and season, many have been having "mountainous volcanoes" of DOUBT and RE-DOUBT exploding upon them. It's been a seemingly unhalting assault! And it has seemed as though the hits just keep on coming.

Why Did You Doubt?

The official name of the mountain volcano that has been erupting is Redoubt Volcano. That name is a translation of the Russian name "Sopka Redutskaya," referring, as does the word "redoubt," to "a fortified place." Truly the enemy has tried to fortify his position of DOUBT and RE-DOUBT against God's people. However, we have God's promise that "the gates of hell shall NOT prevail" (Matthew 16:18).

In the days that Scripture was written, the men of the town would meet at the City Gates to make their plans. So basically, what that statement is saying is, "The plans of hell shall not prevail against you!"

The Lord says to you today: "'They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you. For I am with you,' says the LORD, 'to deliver you'" (Jeremiah 1:19).

You may feel like you are floundering in a sea of doubt. But as with Peter, Jesus takes your hand immediately and lifts you up and out of the waves of doubt and fear that have been trying to overtake you! And He speaks to you as He did to Peter in Matthew 14:31, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" And He lifts us back up to walk on top of those waters with Him!

Jesus reminds us (through His Word) to SPEAK to whatever mountain it is that has come up against us and command it to be removed in Jesus' name as it says in Mark 11:23:

"For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says."

Proclaim and Declare the Word!

"And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."—Ephesians 6:17

"...faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."—Romans 10:17

His Word is quick and powerful and sharp and alive!

"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."—Hebrews 4:12

As we plow the territory ahead with the Word, we will be plowing with hope: "For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope" (1 Corinthians 9:10).

As we do this, His Word does a work in us: "For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe" (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

Don't Give Up On the Hope of Your Calling—Walk In It!

"There is one Body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling."—Ephesians 4:4

God places great hope and passion inside of us through that which He calls us to do. Therefore, the enemy likes to try to cause us to give up that hope of our calling. Don't let him! Get violent!

"And from the days of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force."—Matthew 11:12

That doesn't mean we go around punching people! But it does mean, "Don't lay down and die, and don't accept what the enemy dishes out!" Wage war by refusing the disparaging thoughts the enemy tries to bring upon you!

"Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ"—2 Corinthians 10:5

Wage war with what God has promised you through the words you have been given: "This charge I commit to you...according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare" (1 Timothy 1:18).

Don't let ANYTHING start stopping you, for it will never stop stopping you! Press toward the mark! "I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13-14).

When you go to war, don't cry and hide—rehearse your previous victories like David did! It will build your faith!

David said, "The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine" (1 Samuel 17:37).

A Prayer and Declaration Over You

I pray and declare this over you today:

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit"—Romans 15:13

"(I pray) that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the Church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all."—Ephesians 1:17-23

I'm thankful that the Lord has allowed me to be a part of what He is doing in the earth today. Chains have been broken and captives have been set free. Praise God!

Love and Blessings in Him,

Joni Ames
A.C.T.S. Ministries
Email: joniames@aol.com