Category: Encouragement

Encouragement Growth in the Lord Spiritual Growth Walking like Christ By Dr. Lisa Winchell 0 Comments

God Notices Those Who Revere Him

“Then those who revere Adonai (God) spoke with each other, and Adonai took notice and heard, and a scroll of remembrance was written before Him, for those who revere Adonai, even those who esteem His name.” Malachi 3:16

Oh wow!  What an honor that God takes notice of us when we are speaking together honoring Him, His ways, and His Name. Do you want to be a person that God takes notice of honoring Him? This is our loving Heavenly Father, who longs for a relationship with each of us. His love should evoke a desire in each of us to honor Him and His ways in all we think, say and do.

It is hard grappling with the reality that God loves us so much, but hates sin and will judge all evil. When you are in love with God because of His great love for you, it becomes so much easier to understand that God hates evil because it destroys – it destroys you, me, the world the universe, and others. He wants it all gone, and if one of His beloved creatures decides they prefer evil over godliness,  no matter how many times He has tried to get them to return to Him, they will end up under the judgment of the evil they embrace. It is not God’s will, it is not the prophet or teachers’ of righteousness will. It is the person’s will that produced the judgment. The greatest gift God gave all of us is free will.

Please don’t excuse evil by labeling your actions as “wokeness” because you think you are doing something loving toward someone. You are actually becoming part of or contributing to their fall away from the greatest love ever. We are called to be strong in the Lord, not strong in the flesh’s ability to hash out our thoughts and come up with a belief system that makes us feel good inside. We are called to yield to God’s Word, God’s love, God’s holiness, and in it, we will find joy, peace, righteousness, and will be able to lead others there. Stay anchored in the Word, praying in the spirit, worship from your heart not just to feel good, and above all stay in a place of a repentant heart. There is so much deception swirling around all of us. But greater is He that is in you and me, than he that is in the World. Our mission is that all people will awaken to who they truly are in Christ. Choose awaken over “woke”.

Dr. Lisa Winchell

Encouragement Growth in the Lord Spiritual Growth Walking like Christ By Dr. Lisa Winchell 0 Comments

Are You Looking For a Breakthrough?

Are you looking for a breakthrough? Have you noticed that often times many of us are living from breakthrough to breakthrough?  I remember one day recently when I was talking to the Lord in devotions, I said, “I’m done going from breakthrough to breakthrough!” and I heard the Lord say, “Yeah! Because the biggest breakthrough ever lives inside of you!”

Did you know that the greatest breakthrough ever lives inside of us? That’s Christ in us! That’s the mystery of God that was withheld for generation after generation. The greatest breakthrough ever, not just in your life but in the whole universe, is when Jesus Christ came down here as a baby, died on the cross, rose again. That is the greatest breakthrough ever! And the next step is that when you accepted Him as Lord and Savior, He came and now lives inside of you. What an amazing breakthrough! Let’s read it! Colossians 1:26-27, “The mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. To them, God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

That’s powerful! Christ in you is the hope of glory! Jesus prayed in John 17:21 to the Father God and He said “…even as I am in You and You are in Me that they would be in Us…” So the Word of God is telling us that if you are born again that Christ lives in you and you live in Him. That is the greatest breakthrough ever! As we learn to live in Christ, in His identity in us, in His image in us, we become overcomers. The Bible also says it’s our faith that overcomes. Let’s read this! 1 John 5:4, “For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world even our faith.”

As I was reading this the Lord began to show me that it is our faith—believing that what God has said is true—that overcomes the world. It is not what we get with our faith that overcomes the world. Think about that for a minute. A lot of us are believing for this and believing God for that and we end up waiting to feel like we are living in our breakthrough or living in the kingdom of God or even living in Christ until that thing shows up.  When that thing shows up that we are believing for, then we feel like we are really in Christ now and we really have a breakthrough. But the reality is the Lord is trying to teach us that we overcome by our faith, not by what our faith gets or receives over time. So how do we do that?

In another Scripture, the Word of God says–it is actually Jesus who said this—He said, “…in Me you have peace but in this world you will have trouble. Be of good cheer because I have overcome this world.” I asked the Lord one day, “okay, you have overcome the world, so how does that work for me?” And He said, “Lisa, this is an invitation to live in Me, vicariously, to live in and through Me. Do you see? You are seated in the highest place ever.” As the Lord began to minister to me and began to show me, He said “…Lisa, I am seated above the universe, in the highest place ever and you are seated in Me. Do you get that? You are seated in the highest place ever! You are above all of these things in Me. Your job is to learn how to live in Me in your thinking, and your emotions, and your heart.”

We do this by faith.  We do it by intentionally putting our hearts and our minds on Christ in us. Pulling up the Word of God and what it says about who you are in Christ. You are seated in heavenly places, you are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus, and you are a new creation in Christ Jesus. There are over 300 Scriptures in the New Testament that teach you about who you are in Him!

Our purpose is to empower people through this ministry to walk in God’s image in them, Christ’s image inside of them. When we live there, here is the difference: if I am focused on Christ in me and throughout the day I am dealing with something and I stop and say, “Wait a minute! Where am I seated, Lord? Oh yeah!” and the minute I go to that place with Him I end up walking in this sense of value and strength and significance and authority over the thing in my life because I chose to take the time to yield to realizing to where I really sit and where I really live which is in the Kingdom of God.

If we focus on the trouble around us or even focus on trying to get rid of the trouble through our faith, then we are still really not living in Christ right now  We are working to get rid of something instead of living in what we already have. Now as we live in what we already have, many of these things we believe for begin to start happening. But some of them are not because Jesus said we live in this world and there will be trouble. And oh, do we see trouble! We see trouble in our personal lives. Other people see it in the world and the country around them. So it’s time, it’s always been time, but it’s time to learn how to live in and through Christ in you and Christ in me.

Jesus said that the work of God is to believe. Now think about that – many people don’t know that Scripture. The work of God is to believe, Jesus said that. That is our labor, our labor is to believe. And we will talk more about this in the identity moments and all of the scriptures that lead to this.

So how do I believe? Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. It is important to take the time to get in the Word of God – not just other people teaching you but you personally in the Word of God. I want to encourage you this week to get into 1 John. Read and write down every concept that God shows you about your life in Him. As you write it down say, “Lord, show me more about that. Tell me more about that.” And write down whatever He gives you.

We are going to learn how to engage in these truths, not just hear them in a service and go, “Wow, that’s great!” and walk away and go yell at somebody or get offended at the news, or get offended at this or that. All of those are signs that reveal I don’t know who I really am. When we know who we are in Christ, we are not walking around offended because we know our value and our significance and our authority over all of it.

I encourage you to get into 1 John this week and read through it.  Invite the Lord to reveal to you and your heart these truths. Until next time, remember, it is Christ in you that is our life and our hope for glory.

Blessings!

Dr. Lisa Winchell

Confidence Encouragement Growth in the Lord Spiritual Growth Walking like Christ By Dr. Lisa Winchell 0 Comments

Walking Like Christ

“I have loved you, says the Lord.”

“..As I have loved you…”

“God so loved the world that He sent Jesus His Son for you!”

3 direct scriptures that declare how much He loves you! I love the first scripture that starts off the book of Malachi. It is so personal. The Lord is calling out to all who have been created in His Image. I love you!!!! You are valuable to me!! I have been hearing from some prophetic people that the revival coming is not about longer meetings, but about family. What will revive our families in this nation more than God’s love?!?!

 

Dr. Lisa Winchell

Anxiety Confidence Depression Encouragement Growth in the Lord Spiritual Growth By Dr. Lisa Winchell 0 Comments

The 3-1 Miracle to Peace and Joy

Do you know the Word says when you put your mind on gratefulness, you will have the peace of God? God is calling us to put our minds on who and what we appreciate every day, especially Him and our salvation. Want peace and joy? Practice daily, three times a day, for one minute, appreciating God 1st, self 2nd, and others the 3rd time. I call it the 3-1 miracle to peace and joy! Remember to use your imagination to SEE what you appreciate. When you only engage your thinking, it will not transform you as it will when you engage your imagination. The Word of God says to take every thought captive, casting down vain imaginations and breaking strongholds. So therefore, we need to take that same path to develop good strongholds of peace, joy, and love.  Put your thought on what/who you appreciate, then “see” it in your imagination until you feel completely engaged in joy and connection.  You see,  a strong emotional capacity is the ability to stay connected in the midst of pain, connected to God, your true self, and others! When we get offended, frustrated, angry, anxious, and fearful, we disconnect from God and our true self (who we really want to be) and often from others. We get in self-preservation mode, and that sends us into what we call enemy mode. That is when you and I act in a way that those around us feel they are all of a sudden our enemies.  But we can turn that around to love by focusing with our imagination on who we appreciate and retraining our brains to go that way instead.  So it works like this.   In the morning, I think, “hmm, what do I appreciate the Lord for? Oh yes, Lord, thank you so much for being near to me each time I have been in a hard struggle.” Then I engage my imagination to see those times He was so near and “see” them over again for 1 minute or more. When you are done, you will feel peaceful and connected to the Lord. Then when a struggle comes that day, it will be easier to retrieve that place of peace with Him at that moment and not react.  Then do yourself at lunch or when you want.  You will think, “what do I appreciate you for self (name)?  Oh yes, I really appreciate how kind you were to those people that other day.” Then see you doing that and stay in that appreciation for a minute or more. When you are done, you will feel so at peace with yourself and will more clearly be able to hear God and follow Holy Spirit,  because you are not jacked up with self fears, etc.  Then that evening, move on to someone else and do the same thing about them in your imagination for 1 minute!  If you practice this each day, you will find in a month that you are far more peaceful and joyful and far more able to stay connected to the Lord instead of being triggered by the world around you!!  Remember the 3-1 Miracle to peace and joy!  Dr. Lisa Winchell

Encouragement Growth in the Lord Spiritual Growth Walking like Christ By Dr. Lisa Winchell 0 Comments

Born for Relationship with God

As I ministered to a client about the spirit, soul, and body the Lord began to show me something in Genesis 2:17. Many see that verse as talking about Adam and Even eventually dying. But I have always seen it as much more than that, as the death of the spirit. But the spirit could not have actually died, because a body apart from a spirit is dead, as Paul said. But what did they die too, they died to their full connection with God and their ability to walk in His freedom, love, and holiness, thus peace and joy. They were now slaves to fleshly passions, and could not freely go into the presence of the Lord anymore. I began to think that the word die is a strong word for God to use for this. Dead is dead, gone for good, without a resurrection. Then I began to see that the connection they had with God was so full of life and flowing freely back and forth, that God saw fit to use the word death to describe what would happen to them if they disobeyed. Ponder that for a moment, they had a connection with God that none of us have ever experienced consistently, day after day. They had no bad thoughts that got in the way, just pure connection, love, relationship with the Father! That is what we were meant to have, we are born for that. We are born created in His Image, and were meant to reflect that image through our relationship with Him!! Wow! Lord I long to have that depth of connection, don’t you?

Dr. Lisa Winchell

Confidence Encouragement Growth in the Lord Spiritual Growth Walking like Christ By Dr. Lisa Winchell 0 Comments

We Belong to a Kingdom that Can Not Be Shaken

What can be shaken will be shaken, but since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude-through this we may offer worship in a manner pleasing to God, with reverence and awe, For our God is a consuming fire. Heb.12:28 We are not of those that shrink back to destruction, but those who have faith and are saved. Hebrews 10:39. Though they (the enemy and his diseases, his chaos, his poverty, his persecution) will fight against you, they will not win, for I am with you, to deliver you. It is a declaration of the Lord. Jeremiah 1:19 I was thinking about something David Wilkerson said years ago, in countering some people’s concerns that America would go through a great persecution phase. He said something like this, “Americans are wimps, God knows that American Christians would not come out well in persecution therefore we probably will not deal with as much as others.” I laughed, at how right he was and considered it a few times. But as time moves on, we get greater revelation on things that build on previous believers’ revelation. I agree with David’s premise but I do also see how God will USE things like the present scenario to strengthen American Christians. (I am not saying God sent the virus, it is the enemy fighting against us), God will prepare those He loves for whatever will come. We can even see how the economy got so strong right before this happened-preparation. Also, large parts of the church have been sensing and declaring that a great move of God is coming, and have been empowered in deep ways – preparation. Most of you can look at your lives and see great times of growth that were followed by great pain or hardship -preparation. God loves us and He prepares us. Will we answer His call to respond to HIs preparation in faith, not shrink back but allow our “faith muscles” to be tested and grow. We can come out of this a mighty army to be dealt with in the spiritual realm, or we can remain weak even as David saw decades ago. This world and God’s time clock will not wait on us. But God will never leave us behind, He worthy to be worshipped and worthy 

Confidence Encouragement Growth in the Lord Spiritual Growth By Dr. Lisa Winchell 0 Comments

Standing Strong and Having Compassion

Standing against fear and having compassion! It is important to understand that every believer operates in different gifts of the spirit. Those that are more gifted in prophecy, discernment, words of knowledge, etc are going to be more instructional even in their natural statements about what is going on in the world. Those that tend to the prophetic will be more assertive in their approach to lead people away from things like fear, sin, etc. Those that tend towards the gift of mercy are going to speak, even naturally, from the perspective of mercy and feeling what those hurting are feeling. It does not mean either is wrong. It does not mean that those that take on the fight against fear and sin don’t have compassion for those hurt by the pain and disease creating it. It does not mean those who feel the pain and go there with people in their words or posts, don’t see the intense ramifications of the fear or sin. We are all different parts of the body, called to be who God has called us to be. What we are not called to is accusing each other that others do not see this or that or are minimizing this, or judging and not loving these people, etc. Yes, there are weaknesses each person with each gifting has, and each of us grows to have more of the part we need from God to bring balance. But we will always tend to the approach that comes from the giftings God gave us. God’s word is full of all of these because He, the Holy Spirit, is the one that fills us with His gifts in the first place. In one place in the Word He is firm and takes a strong stance against fear, and sin, in another place He is showing great compassion for those hurting and scared. God hates fear and sin, but He loves people. This is why there are different messages coming from godly people who care enough to speak out against the fear or sin and to have compassion for those most vulnerable in sin, sickness, or pain of any kind.

Encouragement Growth in the Lord By Dr. Lisa Winchell 0 Comments

Identity Struggles

So what are God’s thoughts about identity struggles?  I am sure we would all agree we don’t know all of God’s thoughts, but we would equally agree that He has laid out most of his thoughts about mankind in His Word.  In his Word, identity is a big thing to Him. So much so, that He started out this whole world with making us in His Image!

So what is your identity? Is it where you live, what you wear, where you work, what you look like, who you hang out with, or how well you succeed?  If your answer to any of these is yes, then you may have just found the reason why your sense of self value is ever-changing, and you may be trying to be someone you are not.  Because each of these potential sources for identity, and your perspective of them, are ever-changing.

How important do you think your identity is, to your life and your sense of fulfillment, happiness, and success?   If God started the existence of the human race off with creating us in His Image, making our identity in Him, than that tells us that identity is a powerful force in our lives. The Word of God says, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he” Proverbs 23:7.  Interestingly, neuroscience is discovering more every day about how much our thoughts of ourselves control our life.  How you see yourself, will be who you act like in life, how you feel, and where your perspectives come from.  The more you follow this truth, in the Word of God, you will find His Word chock full of who He created us to be.  You will also find in there who mankind decided to become as we listened to lies and not His truth.  But His answer to our slipping way, was to restore our identity, through Christ Jesus. At least 50% of the New Testament is about who we now are in Christ Jesus.  He restored us to our original image, through Christ!!!

God created us to live from our identity, and gave us the identity that would make us most fulfilled, happy, and successful. That identity is His image, in us.   He knows our happiness can only come when we get back to that core identity, being created in His Image. Then all other parts of our identity will come into balance and peace.

It takes being transformed by the renewing of our mind, to these truths, to begin to walk in the freedom this identity brings us.  It never changes, it is always who we are, we are forever valued as God’s chosen race, to be created in His Image.  His Image is love, peace, joy, and holiness.

In the press lately we have all seen much about Bruce Jenner and his identity struggles. I would like to say first, that we have all had identity struggles.  They may not always be in sexuality, but we all have dealt with or do deal with a lack of value, insecurity, uncertainly of who we are, and many more value issues.  Many in this world reject themselves every day, by never being able to say no, or by being prideful, and unwilling to change for their own success, or by not loving on those around them and thus producing an environment where people give them a hard time, or by never forgiving, and by putting themselves down, condemning themselves, people pleasing, being someone for someone else, and many more ways.

Could it be that Bruce Jenner moved into the ultimate self-rejection?  That He never accepted himself, his own identity? Therefore, convinced himself he wasn’t supposed to be who he was, and turned away from his masculinity, and male gender?  The unfortunate thing is that when any of us turn away from who we really are, we never find peace until we deal with our core identity issues, rather than our sexual identity, or financial identity, or social identity, etc.

I have spent my career helping people find freedom in life, through their true identities in Christ.  Which always leads them to loving themselves and building stronger, more loving relationships.  It is a glorious transformation!!  It is what God intended, for transformation.  Our path to being happy with ourselves, is not to reject who God created us to be. But it is to embrace who we are in Him, and be transformed by His love, peace, and joy in every other area of our life and identities!

Depression Encouragement By Dr. Lisa Winchell 0 Comments

Holiday Blues

The Holiday Blues!  Many around the country know what these blues are.  Some have no idea.  All the glitter, and fun, and smiles and presents, and family getting together.   Why would anyone have the blues? It is the happiest time of the year!  Isn’t it?

For some, it sure is. In fact, for many it was at one time.  But for others it truly is the saddest time of the year.  Those of us who have lost someone whom we spent every Christmas with for years, feel grief and the pain of the loss more during this season than any other.  Those who take on the stress of having to get the “perfect” gift for someone, or even for everyone, tend to dread this holiday.   We cannot forget to mention those who feel “forced” to spend the holidays with some unsavory character in their family, or many unsavory characters.   Just mentioning each of these things, I can hear many of you calling out, or even crying out, “please Lord, let the holiday pass by fast”.   You may even be setting your mind on the New Year, as a way to avoid thinking about this month, at all.

So is there an answer, or a hope for this month to be more than what we presently experience?  What do you think?  If there was, would you want to know what it is?  If your answer is yes to the last question, then I propose an answer.  As soon as I say the answer, you may think, “I know, I know”.  But do you really KNOW?

So what is the answer? Who is the answer, is the real question.  JESUS, He is yours and my answer!  Now WAIT a minute, don’t go anywhere.  I have more for you.  No not more than Jesus.  There is no one or nothing more than Jesus.  But there are empowering ways to receive the Answer.  What do I mean by that?  I am glad you asked.  LOL.

Well, if I were to tell you that Mr. Grace, down the street was your answer to a joyful holiday, would you need to do something to receive that answer?  Yes, you would need to go talk to Mr. Grace, right?    Now when you get there, Mr. Grace is going to tell you how he is your answer.  He starts out with, how amazing you are!  He goes on to say, “I am thinking every day, how I can bless you with my peace, love and presence and make your wonderful smile shine”.   He goes on.  “You are the apple of my eye.  Did you know that I designed you perfectly for the world you would live in?”  He says, “You are my son, my daughter for eternity, and I can’t wait to walk with you in my gardens one day.  But now we can walk together on this earth, as I watch you open each new “package” I have for you along the way.  Remember, every good and perfect gift comes from Me, and you have many more of those to open here on earth.  You have this twinkle in your eye that reminds me of the day I created you and all the amazing things I put in you that day.  Your eyes, your nose, your heart for that passion you have, and so much more.  I knew how much you would need me close to you, so I came down here on earth, and put on an earth suit just like yours.  I lived, I felt the pain you feel now, I died for you, and I broke the chains of the enemy from off of you when I rose from the grave.  I took the sting of death, of fear, and of sin so you would not have to.  I ripped the veil, so you could talk to me freely, and receive great truths from me that remind you how valuable you are to me, and who you are in me.  My son, my daughter I am right here, and you need my comfort more now than any other time of the year.  Come to me, come close to me. Hear my voice, and I will tell you new things.  I will give you greater revelation of my love for you, and for those around you.   I am holding your dear loved one right now, the ones who died and the ones who expect so much out of you this season.  Now, I want to hold you.  Cozy up on the couch with me, get a warm blanket, some tea and let’s make some special times together this season.  I know you miss your loved one, I know that pain well.  So how about this?   I am going to bring someone or a group of someones to your mind this week. When I do, I want you to call them up and open your heart and your doors (doors of your life) to them.  I am going to share life with you this season, and I am opening the door for you to do the same with others, as we make new memories for the Christmas season, together.  Honey, you can do this, I am with you now and always”.

Do you feel better?  I do!!  Because the answer is Jesus!  But He only becomes our answer when we sit down and hear His voice and spend time with Him.  That is the place we have relationship.  Relationship that far surpasses any on this earth, and fulfills to the depth of our soul.  So I don’t ask you to forget your love one.  But I do ask you, instead turn your focus to Jesus, on purpose, use this season to pursue a new and fresh relationship with Him,  and that one, or more that He sends your way.   Then when the season is over, email me and tell me about how Jesus helped you create new Christmas memories, with Him!

In Christ’s Love,

Lisa Winchell

www.inhisimagecounseling.org