I will be one of few people to make this declaration: I am not perfect. However, I am confident that God perfects all that concerns me. With each and every day that I am blessed to be a part of, I know that there will be challenges. Every day for me is not the same. Some challenges will be greater than others, but God is even greater. The enemy is busy but my God is busier. God is busier blessing me with reminders that I cannot be defeated. When the enemy tries to control the closest people to me, God reminds me to shift what I am thinking about. When the enemy tries to manipulate me into believing that I cannot succeed, God reminds me that I am the child of the most high God and that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. When the enemy tries to provoke me into accepting the bad that others may say to me, God reminds me that greater is He that is in me than he that is in this world.
We mustn't allow the enemy to sway and persuade us into thinking that we can't be all that God is calling us to be.
I come here today a little after midnight to remind you of what God reminded me of tonight. When things aren't going the way you would like them to go, when people are speaking things over you that sound foreign when you aren't being heard, when you aren't being understood, when you aren't being respected, when you are left reduced to tears, when the pain you feel is so great, you have to change what you are thinking about and shift the atmosphere.
Music is my therapy. It ministers to me. I hear from God during gospel and during R&B selections. Especially when I am going through something. Last night was no exception. My mind was going a hundred miles an hour wanting to crash into the nearest tree. But we can't entertain those types of thoughts. I mean, especially after experiencing such a joyous day where all you want to do is praise and thank God for just being God, right? I have heard many people say to me that things happen for a reason. I am a firm believer in that common saying. Things do happen for a reason. What I also know is that the good, the bad, the ugly and the sad, all things are working together for my good. No matter how you feel, you can shift the atmosphere. You can change what you are thinking about. You can shift your sadness into gladness by merely doing what you love to do while praising God. One of the favorite things I love to do is listen to music.
When the world lets me down, I listen to music. When I don't know what to do next, I listen to music. When the bad seems to outweigh the good, I listen to music. Don't get me wrong I love listening to music and it isn't solely when I am feeling low. I definitely enjoy it when all is well. I just know that the bad things that happen to us, we don't have to allow it to take up space in our minds. We must shift the atmosphere and listen for the lesson that is bigger than the negative things that have happened.
I know you may be thinking, well hmmm, what happened to her? I must share that what brought me to write this post isn't important. What I will say is that I was experiencing a low energy moment. It is a lesson learned in which I choose to accept. Through my fistful of tears, I began speaking, I am the child of the most high God. Followed by I am an overcomer and I overcome by the blood of the lamb and the word of my testimony. My anger and hurt started to lessen with each word spoken. Then the thought came, listen to Pandora.
I turned on Pandora around 11:34p with the absolute expectation that I would stop thinking thoughts of defeat about my current situation. What I know is that you cannot think negative and positive thoughts at the very same time. We have the power of choice. We can choose what thoughts we keep on repeat and what thoughts we eliminate from our spirit immediately. The goal here is to take my energy from low to high. I desire to go higher.
The first song that played was "Gracefully Broken" by Tasha Cobb Leonard. She begins by saying,
God will break you to position you
He will break you to promote you
And break you to put you in your right place
But when He breaks you He doesn't hurt you, He doesn't
When He breaks you He doesn't destroy you, He does it with; grace
This first song held so much power and spoke to me that I am gracefully broken by God. It doesn't matter how much the enemy tries to break me down like a fraction, God breaks me up more in a better way for my good. I'd rather be gracefully broken by God than shattered by the wiles of the enemy any day. I have grace, God's grace. It is sufficient. I am reminded that I must extend that very same grace to others. I forgive them Father for they know not what they do, respectfully. I pray that they forgive me.
Forever Jones' "He Wants it all" played next.
And He says love me, love me with your whole heart
He wants it all today
Serve Me, serve Me with your life now
He wants it all today
Bow down, let go of your idols
He wants it all today
I found the confirmation in this chorus that I cannot rely on man. I should not love man more than I love God. I should not desire more of man than I do of God. God wants me, all of me. Accepting this fact means that there is nothing man can say or do to me that will make me feel inadequate about myself. Keep God first place.
Then I heard, "Victory Belongs to Jesus" by Todd Dulaney.
You will deliver (You're a provider)
You're a provider (I find my victory)
I find my victory in You (forever victorious)
Forever victorious (forever we win Jesus)
Forever we win (the victory is in You Jesus)
I find my victory in You
I know that Victory belongs to Jesus and with Him, all I do is win!
Immediately following, Kirk Franklin's "Father knows Best", William McDowell's "All I want is you", Tasha Cobb Leonard's "I have decided". Confirmation after confirmation came into play that I am on the path of Righteousness and there's no turning back. God knows best. All I want is Jesus. With the cross in front of me and the world behind me, I have decided to follow Jesus!
When "Big" by Pastor Mike Jr. started playing I nearly lost all composure.
Let's go I don't know what you're going through But we stopped by to tell you That what's in front of you is bigger than what's behind you Your destiny, your promise, your future You might as well shout before you get it Because God sent me here to tell you That what He has for you is gonna be big
I believe That it's my season That it's my season You ought to declare that over your own life Say I believe
This song here stirred me in such a way that all I could do is shout my thank you's to God as I made my declarations according to this song and God's Word. God is opening the windows of heaven and pouring me out a blessing. God is working miracles just for me. It's my season. Breakthrough is in my room. What God has for me is so big I won't be able to contain it. I am excited about my future for God is going to blow my mind! I am positioned and ready to receive all that God has in store for me in Jesus' mighty name. Amen!
If you haven't noticed yet, I deal in confirmations. Last night I received more than 16 confirmations from 16 different songs that played within an hour. Obvious confirmations such as "God is Good" by Jonathan Reynolds, "The Rock" by William Murphy, "The Blood Hymns Medley" by Tasha Cobb Leonard, "He's Able" by Darwin Hobbs, "I Know Who I am" by Sinach, "Awesome" by Charles Jenkins & Fellowship Chicago, "God Provides" by Tamala Mann and "Praise on the Inside" by J. Moss.
It was the very last song that played that wrapped and sealed it all up for me in shiny gold wrapping paper with a big pretty blue bow. Le'Andria Johnson's "Better Days".
Sometimes it feels cold And you feel all alone But hold on, better days are coming
It can be rough in this world I know it ain't easy but hang on in there I know better days are coming
You seen good, you seen bad You been hurt beyond sin But just remember that better days Better days are coming
Friends will leave you all by yourself But don't cry 'Cause better days are coming, oh
Better days (better days) Better days Better days are coming
It's only a season Hang on in for you going through, yeah But stay focused and never lose sight
I know people, people They don't see the hurt you feel inside But keep on smiling 'cause everything will be alright
Better days (it's here now) Better days (I feel it) Better days are coming (You've got to believe in better days)
Better days (for your mother and your father and your sister and your brother) Better days Better days are coming
Hey yeah Better days are coming Better days are coming your way soon
Now had this song played first, I more than likely would have kept it on repeat and missed all that God wanted to speak to me through these songs. What I know and what I am aware of is that Better days are coming.
Tonight was a surefire test of my faith. Instead of weeping and wallowing in my feelings of loss of peace and understanding, I chose to apply my teachings of praising God through the good and the bad. I chose to trust God that all things work together for my good. Tonight I found out that praise is truly what I do and it is praise that shifted my atmosphere and reminded me that God is good and He isn't finished with me yet. I am thankful for this opportunity to go through a mental trial and come out victoriously.
I am human. I am going to make mistakes. The people around me to are going to make many mistakes. What we must know is that we cannot change people, only God can. So if you find yourself in a difficult situation with someone you love, extend grace to them and pray that God allows them to extend that very same grace to you that He provides.
Surprisingly, Jason Nelson's "Shifting the Atmosphere" did not play last night.
Our worship and our praise is shifting the atmosphere
10 out of the 16 songs that played I had never heard before last night. When I say God speaks, I know God's voice and the voice of a stranger I will not follow. Glory be to God. Thank you, Lord! Confirmation is a gift that I love receiving. I appreciate receiving it through the sound of music.
In closing, don't allow the enemy to implant negative thoughts in your mind. Negative thoughts will come to your mind but remember that you don't have to allow them to rent space. You have the choice and the power to change your thoughts. Remember that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. Change what you are thinking about and change your life. Don't forget to shift your atmosphere.
Marcia S. McNeill
Words By Marcia
Poet|Author|Songwriter
Inspire|Uplift|Motivate