As my church family prepares a place this weekend for all that are seeking, this devotional bubbled up in my heart and coursed through to my fingertips. They itched with anticipation to tell you…

“YOU ARE WORTHY to ARISE!”

Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 

They immediately left their nets and followed Him. Matthew 4:19-20

We are afraid of our greatness. Petrified of the potency that is infectious once seen. Our power lies dormant in deception within every crevasse of our intentional soul unless we feed it with truth. God’s truth. We walk in reluctance to cast our sticky love lines because we anchor our hearts in lies of the past, in the muck of our shame, and in disbelief: disbelief of our ability in Christ. We mistakenly rely on our own knowledge, strength, and skill to do the work that we are assigned and we fall short. We become discouraged due to our faltering and cycle back into paralysis. It is safer to watch others live in their greatness than to step into our own. So we sit. We wait.

Our souls are thirsty for His filling, yet when locked in fear; we sit vacant. When empty, we look for others to devour, to measure, to judge – so that we may feel better than they, hoping for fullness. When hollow, we manipulate, speak out of haste, and boast so we can be at the right place and at the right time, hoping to be in His will. When desolate, we allow our anxieties and worry to discern our days, hoping He is with us. After all our effort, we find ourselves frustrated, afraid, and immobile, once again.

Arise, my friend! I am rooting for you to rise! Cheering for your surge into your reason for your creation. Cast off the lies and disbelief, and rise! Receive His greatness. Consume it. Ingest it. Cast your love line and catch your love sisters. I want to see you walk into a room so full of Him that it is pouring out of your soul. Own His fullness without ego or arrogance, but with overwhelming gratitude that you have been given your specific gifts to further His Kingdom. You have the great pleasure and freedom to be filled by the One. Waste not one more minute and step into your call, your distinct call. Embrace the gift of His power to be yours.

As Jesus’ followers did; so can we. We can drop what we are doing right now and follow Him. Partnered with Jesus, they did their work and great multitudes followed Him. (Matthew 4:25)

Great multitudes will follow Him through you. The only step required is for you to … ARISE!