Category: Leadership Development

Copyright 2015 Theresa Harvard Johnson

There are families like the Duggars’ all across America. You might be sitting across from them in your local church or standing in line with them at the local grocery store. That family just might be your own.

The situation surrounding the Duggars’ might sound rare, but it is not. Child sexual abuse among siblings is quite common. The Duggars’ are in the spotlight right now because they are “famous” and the feelings of their “fans” – who put them on a pedastal and entered into idolatry – have been hurt. (Listen, I understand what it is like to believe in someone you’ve watched on television. But the reality of what is happening is still relevant.) So instead of facing broader issues in the midst of this media sensation, some people follow the crowd and take sides on who they believe; and why this or that was handled a certain way by the family. In the end, the media gets what it wants: more views, attention and even more advanced opportunities to attack our faith in Christ. Listen, we don’t have to participate in that.

Copyright 2015 Theresa Harvard Johnson
 

Suicide is defined globally as the intentional act of killing or murdering oneself. In our country, there is a national push to enact suicide prevention strategies, raise awareness concerning the early warning signs, to educate communities about its devastating effects and to explore every possible option for intervention. There are also numerous, Christ-centered organizations that stand as watchmen for suicide prevention, offering hope for the hopeless and even helping those who have lost loved ones heal. We desperately need these services.

Then, there is also the startling reality of “spiritual” suicide.

Spiritual suicide can be defined as the willfull, intentional act of causing one’s own spiritual death in Christ. Sadly, among the congregation in this nation, we do not have a national push to enact suicide prevention strategies or an awareness campaigns to educate the global church concerning its devastating effects. We do not have visible lists posted on websites or distributed city by city specifically identifying the early warning signs of “spiritual” suicide. We are without unified efforts to explore every possible option for intervention, and it seems that the most blatant signs are often ignored. In fact, there are very few organized programs or Christ-centered watchmen identifying the devastation of “spiritual” suicide among us.

Copyright 2014 Theresa Harvard Johnson

Sometimes, it’s not always easy to identify when we are in a pit — a deep, dark hole that is obstructing our perspective due to an unnamed, unconfronted or unidentified stronghold in our lives. But I tell you, a clear sign of being in a pit is living in self-denial – unable to see one’s own condition, and spending an enormous amount of time living in the valleys of heaviness instead of  PRACTICING self-motivation and self-propulsion in the Spirit. Daily we must remind ourselves that we are MORE SPIRIT than natural. We are created in the very image of God and therefore, we have the power to press upward and out of those dark places with the strength God provides.

People of God, either we believe he is an all powerful God or we believe that He isn’t. This is the question that I place before you today as we identify “the victim mentality” that has taken hold of the hearts of God’s people and “SHUT THIS STRONGHOLD DOWN.” It is EVICTION TIME! YES. It can be shut down. David gave us a valuable example how it can be done.

1 Samuel 30:6 CJB says, “David was in serious trouble: the people were talking about stoning him to death, because all the people were in such deep grief, each man over his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in Adonai his God.”

Copyright 2010 Theresa Harvard Johnson

In my studies this morning, my heart was a little bit heavy as the Lord revealed some things to me in his Word. It was heavy because I know that many of us, over the course of our lives, have missed seasons of reaping. I want to share this message with you today in hopes that you will understand that PIONEERS & TRAILBLAZERS are sent to launch you. Make an assessment of your pastors, leaders, mentors, etc. to see, by the Spirit, who is in your life.

Holy Spirit drew me into John 4:35-38 (CJB) this morning. It reads: 35 Don’t you have a saying, `Four more months and then the harvest’? Well, what I say to you is: open your eyes and look at the fields! They’re already ripe for harvest! 36 The one who reaps receives his wages and gathers fruit for eternal life, so that the reaper and the sower may be glad together — 37 for in this matter, the proverb, `One sows and another reaps,’ holds true. 38 I sent you to reap what you haven’t worked for. Others have done the hard labor, and you have benefited from their work.”