Good morning ladies! I’m writing to you from home in Sussex. There are parts of this lockdown that I am actually enjoying! One is having wonderful opportunities to hear from God without rushing.

A ladies leader asked me to bring a word of encouragement to you this morning and here it is:

Be wholehearted in your love for the Lord. 

There is a scripture which says: “Whatsoever your hand finds to do, do it with your might”.

When the lockdown began, Will and I had just arrived home from Europe; ministering for Jesus. We had to change much of our travel arrangements for the year.

The scripture which came to my mind was “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might“. 

So we began to adapt to the circumstances we found ourselves in.

The little church that we had been part of here in our village was needing leadership. We had resisted having further input previously, but now the opportunity and the need was in front of us!

So, when everyone was in shock, Will started recording a short devotional talk each morning for the small congregation.

It helped them to stay focused on Jesus, not the virus!

Since then, we have taken on working with this team here – on a temporary basis – until God calls us and opens the doors elsewhere.

So, when I encourage you to be wholehearted, that’s what we’ve started to do.

One thing which we needed to do personally, was to begin again using the gifts of the Spirit which God had given to us, and which had fallen into disuse.

Maybe you have precious gifts, assets, relationships that you haven’t used in a while because of being busy?

My word of encouragement to you today:

Use the gifts of the Spirit in combination with the fruit of the spirit in whatever role you find yourself.

Exodus 28:34 describes the design of the priests ephod: “a Golden bell and a pomegranate, golden bell and a pomegranate upon the hem of the robe roundabout”.

God never intended us to work single-handed without his help and he has given us the help of the Holy Spirit in our gifts of the spirit and fruit of the spirit.  Gifts and fruit, gifts and fruit. 

So here’s a challenge for you: each day for the next six weeks speak in tongues for 15 minutes per day.

Combine your speaking in tongues and interpretation with willing obedience. Be willing to obey all that the Spirit reveals you to do.  

How many of us have used lockdown time to sort things out in our wardrobe or our cupboards? It’s amazing what we find that we stored up. Things we thought would be useful one day!

I have news for you: today is the day!

In your spiritual cupboards you have treasures that need to be pulled out, maybe polished up, maybe repaired. You might even have a load of dust and bits of remnants that you no longer need!

Clear out the dust, do some tidying up in the drawers and cupboards of your mind, your life, your relationships, your spirit. Reassess the importance of what you used to treasure.

Exodus continues that the reason the bells were there was so that everybody would know, even though the priest was hidden in the holy place, as he moved around the bells would ring and people would know that he was moving.

So it is with us, those of us who are secret intercessors for our families, for our church, for our land. People may not see what we are doing but they will hear the sound of it. And by the fruit that we display they will see the results of it.

We are not just “a clanging cymbal” but with love, we will reach hearts and people that have previously been unaware that our God is on their case and cares about their family.

Use your gift of tongues and interpretation today. See where it leads, follow the spirit of Christ. “You lead Holy Spirit, I’ll follow“ 

Whenever Will and I have faced impossible situations which we could not handle nor see change we have used a hidden gift and it’s been like a key turning a locked situation.

From P. Barbara

Currently based out of the UK, Barbara and her husband Will lead a ministry making highways for God’s word to the nations. They equip God’s people to fulfill their vision, potential and calling.