Go through it, to get to it

18 Again the one who looked like a man touched me and gave me strength. 19 "Do not be afraid, O man highly esteemed," he said. "Peace! Be strong now; be strong." Daniel 10:18

Within the last week I have been feeling this incredible stretching in my spirit and to be honest it's been something unlike I have ever felt. I've felt an attack against me but I've also felt this incredible call from God to trust Him more at the same time. Can you imagine having a vision like Daniels, his city, his people were going through desolation and it burdened Daniel so much that he pleas with God. Sometimes we encounter times in our lives when God accelerates his move upon our lives and so does the enemy. If the enemy can stop you with fear, distraction, discouragement he will. Here's what this passage reveals God provided strength to Daniel in his time of stretching and he will provide strength to you as well. Daniel was called "Highly esteemed" another word for esteem is value, favor, distinction. Then God said Peace! Be Strong Now; be strong.

Last night I went to our worship event "Collide" at first I did not want to go. Little did I know what God had planned. I was at a point where I felt like Daniel in a sense. I felt the stretch of God but I also felt the discouragement and distraction of the enemy. Had I not gone I probably would not be journaling this morning. I felt the Lord touch me as we went through a prayer line there were prayers all around but several words hit me and stuck and it was similar to Daniels message of encouragement. A word went out saying relax, just relax in the Lord. I could feel that I was tense when I went up, I wanted God but was afraid to let go so the word came at the perfect time. Then I heard the words champion, I heard the word overcommer, I heard the word new thing that God was starting over in my life. Then when I went and prayed to the side afterward I just cried out to God help me I need you. I had my hands lowered to the side and stretched out. The Lord told me raise your hands like a champion, I felt God saying I'm declaring you a champion right now. I felt God declare victory over my life last night in the craziest way. For the rest of the evening I could not keep my hands stretched out and lowered, they had to be raised up with two fist. I'm still in the time of stretching but I feel like a champion in the middle of it. You see, sometimes you have to go through it to get to it. You have to go through a fight, have to go through a stretch, have to go through a fear of the unknown to become all that God wants you to be. In the middle of going through it God says your highly esteemed, your favored, your valued, there's distinction upon your life, in other words your set apart. "Peace! Be Strong Now; Be Strong. God declares you a champion now, he speaks victory over your life, raise your hands like a champion, the victory is yours.

Lord thank you for your word, thank you for your strength, thank you for your encouragement. Thank you for never leaving me.