Electives – Section 9

Page 1: Works to Grace for Women

…  (Your name) , listen to what you are saying. Let yourself believe, love, and be thankful for the truth!

…More and more, I am turning my heart away from idolatry and toward faith about seeking God’s face because without that God doesn’t have freedom to heal our land (2 Chron. 7:14). More and more I am turning my heart away from self-protection and toward faith for receiving the kingdom of Heaven and God’s presence around me as my strong refuge of protection (Ps. 91; Ps. 27:4-8). After salvation, and in ever increasing ways, because God has called us out of the darkness in the world and into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9), I must direct my heart into faith for walking in the radiant light that shines from God and washes my body clean (1 John 1:5, 7).

…Heart, to abide IN Christ to the fullest extent available, I must humble myself from pride and become more childlike in my faith so I can receive from the radiance around God by faith in His grace to come to me here. So, heart, I am using joyfully bold declarations of repentance and faith to help me grab my soul, and I turn it away from having to feed on myself on what I receive from earthly things, other people, or sin. I need protection from temptation and the evil in the air around me (Eph. 2:2), so I am turning away from having to receive from the world and its darkness! But heart, change of this kind doesn’t happen overnight! By taking one step after another, I am removing the obstacles and building up my faith (Isa. 57:14) with declarations that help me direct my heart away from idolatry and toward God (1 Sam. 7:3).

…Heart, my joyful declarations are helping me repent of sin before it occurs by building up playfully childlike faith that helps me be more intentional to enjoy the emotional benefits of God’s presence with faith that His kingdom is coming onto and around me, here. Heart, Jesus died to give me access into the throne room. So, more and more, I am directing my heart away from idolatry and into greater faith (1 Sam. 7:3). The more I can direct my heart away from what I receive from the world, the greater my capacity for faith becomes because, “How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?” (John 5:44). I am turning away from the glory of the world so I can better believe I am receiving the glory of God upon me like the sun gives it’s light: “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; / The Lord gives grace and glory; / No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Ps. 84:11). Thank You, God, that the shine of Your glory upon me helps me to abide in ways that enable me to “walk uprightly” and be kept from “stumbling” (John 15; 16:1). 

…Heart, it is through childlike faith that is intentional about believing. So, I trust I am coming before God and am presenting my body before Him (Rom. 12:1) like a kingdom priest (Rom. 5:10; 1 Chron. 29:11). I do this, by believing that I am drawing near to God, through intentionally trusting that He is drawing near, and washing my heart and body, by bringing Heaven down upon and around me here (Heb. 10:19-22; James 4:8). Heart, by faith that is intentional about believing, I CAN come to the Father and trust that God is rewarding me with His presence (Heb. 11:6). “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). It is right for me to believe I am receiving the shine of His face before me here and that He is giving me His peace by what shines from Him: “The Lord bless you…the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace” (Num. 6:24-26 NIV); “…He has not despised…the afflicted; neither has He hidden His face from him…” (Ps. 22:24).

…Heart, by joyfully turning away from dependence on the world and toward greater faith about what God promises, I am doing my part in giving Him freedom to heal our land (2 Chron. 7:14); and, to get there, little by little, I am boldly listening and intentionally hearing these joyfully bold declarations of repentance and faith! By these, I am resting more and more into loving, believing, and thrilling myself with the closeness of God so I can satisfy my thirst for God, with the greatness of His power and glory close to me here (Ps. 63:1-2, 5). Heart, my praise is toward the closeness of God. The presence of God and the kingdom of Heaven around me is my greatest treasure: “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field…and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field” (Matt. 13:44); for, “…where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Mat. 6:21).

 …Heart, rejoice in the truth that I don’t have to be ok by achieving human standards of perfection and beauty. God is seeking true worshipers who will depend on His nearness for the security (Deut. 32:37-39; Psa 36:7-9), confidence (Hab 1:11; Jer. 17:5-8), and worth (Jer. 2:11-13) that we need. So, because of these Scriptures, I embrace that because of God’s intentional design, I MUST depend on something that I “drink” and receive from to find the worth, security, and confidence I need; and, heart, God wants to be that to us, or idolatry is our only other option. By joyous declarations of repentance and faith I am directing my heart into the place of childlike faith so I can trust with confidence that I am receiving the kingdom of Heaven here (Heb. 12:22-24, 28). When by faith in God’s grace that Heaven is coming to me, the perfection and beauty of God are shining all around me because: “Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shone forth” (Ps. 50:2). So, I repent of wanting to make my beauty and perfection an idolatrous replacement for the presence of God. God’s beauty with me is so great, that I can be much more confident in God and His perfection with me than I could ever be by depending on myself. 

…Heart, by listening to myself make bold declarations of repentance and faith, I am turning my heart away from dependence on myself and the reactions of other people. I am turning my heart to love the nearness of God’s presence as the reassurance I need. Heart, I am turning away from trusting my human perfection and beauty. I am telling my heart to treasure the nearness of God as my God. Heart, by hearing my thanks and praise for the truth, I am directing my heart into faith that enjoys God’s desire to be near me as the perfection and beauty I enjoy and am reassured by. I am turning my heart toward greater childlike faith about receiving the kingdom of Heaven around me here (Mark 10:15; Heb. 12:22-24, 28). 

…Heart, turn away from self-protection and enjoy believing that “The Lord is my light and my salvation…The Lord is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread…One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His temple. For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; in the secret place of His tent He will hide me…” (Psa. 27:1, 4, 5). Heart, hear it and enjoy treasuring the truth where it says, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32); and, “Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shone forth” (Ps. 50:2).

…Thank You, Lord, that when I trust like a child, Your kingdom is coming to me, the tabernacle that is the “secret place” of God is coming down from above, and the “beauty of the Lord” is all around me here. Little by little, and more and more, I am cutting off and turning away from wanting to receive confidence, worth, and identity because of my human beauty, attractiveness, or perfection. I am turning my heart to depend more fully on God by telling myself to treasure believing about God that “…You, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head.” (Ps 3:3).

…Heart, rejoice in the truth that I don’t have to set my hope on sin that brings their approval or pleasure. I set my heart to drink from God and not from other people. Lord, You are my God and You are my perfection. My perfection is not how well my performance measures up and earns or causes pleasure. I am turning my heart to believe that my faith about receiving His presence causes God to feel pleasure: “And without faith it is impossible to please Him for he who comes to God must believe that…He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Heb. 11:6). So, I am turning my heart to believe the pleasure of God enough to enjoy it and be motivated by knowing I am causing God to feel it. 

Page 2: Works to Grace for Women

(Your name) , listen to what you are saying. Let yourself believe, love, and be thankful for the truth!

…Heart, my appearance is NOT my worth! I am humbling myself to depend on God to draw near because of what He wants to accomplish in me and in the earth. By opening up to God with faith about His grace for drawing near, I can feel worthy because the greatness of God’s presence is close to me here. Heart, submit to the truth that I can draw near to God by trusting Him to draw near to me as protection from evil (Ps. 91:1-4), and so He can wash my heart and my body clean (James 4:8). The stress of wanting to depend on myself or the world for perfection and worth is not healthy for me and isn’t what is best. Heart, “The Lord of hosts has planned it, to defile the pride of all beauty…” (Isa 23:9), and age does that to all of us. So, I embrace the practical truth that I can depend on God’s beautiful presence and kingdom drawing near as the perfection and beauty I need because, “Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shone forth” (Ps. 50:2).

…Heart, I am cutting off and turning away from thinking that I should have to earn God’s presence. By faith in the truth about God’s grace to draw near, I can receive the cleansing beauty and perfection of God from the radiance around Him. Instead of staying in bondage to depending on something about me or from the world, I am turning my heart to believe that when my faith is childlike, I CAN receive the kingdom of God upon and around me here (Mark 10:15). Thank You, God, for the freedom of being able to receive and depend on the glory that shines from You! Heart, “…Around God is awesome majesty” (Job 37:22); and, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). So, I repent of wanting to “behold” my human beauty for the reassurance and courage I need.

…I repent of being sad about the unimpressiveness of my humanity. I am turning my heart to depend on God as my God by loving and enjoying His grace that draws near without holding back. Heart, God’s glory is far greater than mine and I am turning to depend on His impressiveness instead of mine! By joyous declarations of repentance and faith, I am turning my heart away from fear and toward enjoying the fact that I can open up with faith to the radiance around God, and by this, walk in the Light (1 John 1:5, 7). Heart, by trusting the grace of God and His desire to be God to me instead of my having to depend on myself, it is right for me to trust that God’s perfection and beauty are coming to rest on me here. By this, I can treasure His glory, instead of any glory my humanity might have.

…Heart, “…the Lord God is a sun and shield; / The Lord gives grace and glory…” (Ps. 84:11); and because “…we…receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Gal 3:14), I MUST trust that He is becoming a “sun and shield” to me, by my bold faith that He is giving His “grace and glory” upon and around me here. By faith that receives His presence in an ongoing way, I can abide in Him, and the nearness of God helps me to live “uprightly” (Ps. 84:11) and keeps me from “stumbling” (John 14, 15, and 16:1); “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32); and, “Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shone forth” (Ps. 50:2). Thank You, God, that when I delight myself into faith about Your grace to draw near, You draw near to me here (James 4:8). You wash my humanity clean by touching my skin, and the nearness of Your perfection become a far greater thrill to me than any perfection I could ever find from my humanity. 

…Heart, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). And, hear it again that because “…we…receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Gal 3:14), I must give myself permission to believe God is giving His kingdom to me freely. I must let myself receive the kingdom with the freedom of a child because by this I cooperate with how God does His will on earth as it is in Heaven  (Matt. 6:10, 33). Heart, so it is right for me to feel reassured by boldly joyous faith in the nearness of God and His great kingdom coming down upon and staying around me here. The more I love the nearness of His kingdom, the easier it gets for me to keep receiving so I can abide.

…I grab my soul and I turn it away from having to feed on myself or other people. I can and will feed on God. Lord, I love that I don’t have to be afraid to draw near to You because You are loving and You take pleasure in Your people: Heart, “…love is from God…” (1 John 4:7); “…the Lord loves His people…” (2 Chron. 2:11); “…the Lord takes pleasure in His people…” (Ps. 149:4); and “…great is your love toward me…” (Ps. 86:13 NIV). More and more, I am setting my heart to look at God while trusting His love is being poured out upon and around me here. Heart, believe, treasure, and enjoy the closeness of God’s power, goodness, and love all around and touching me here. Anything else I could depend on is idolatry and far less than the best of what I can depend on. Thank You, God! Being able to enjoy by faith the nearness of Your love lavished upon me protects me and gives me freedom to turn away from having to depend on what I get from sin or from the world. 

… Jesus said to “…abide in My love” (John 15:9), so I thank You God that You aren’t holding back Your love from me; I can abide in God’s love by faith that His love is being poured out onto me here. To turn away from self-protection, I present my fear and disbelief before God so that when I trust He is coming to me, His love can burn away my desires about holding back. Heart, I am turning my heart to find the reassurance and confidence I need by treasuring the nearness of God’s love, instead of the twisted and sinful love that comes from the world or hurtful people. Heart, “…God is love, and the one who abides in love, abides in God and God abides in him.” (1 John 4:16); and, “…the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us…” (Rom. 5:5). So, it is right and safe to trust that I can wrap myself in God’s love and abide in Him by faith that the radiance of God is coming to me here. Heart, God wants me to depend on His love rather than what I get from the world, so it is by bold and childlike faith that I can abide in God’s love by receiving His love upon and around me here.

…Heart, the Holy Spirit comes onto us for salvation by what is “poured out upon us” through the radiance around Jesus (Titus 3:5, 6); the love of God comes to us in the same way. Because Jesus said to “…abide in My love” (John 15:9), and since “…we…receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Gal 3:14), it is right to trust that I can abide in His love by trusting that the love of God is coming onto me by the radiance around Jesus. Heart, “…it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all…” (Rom. 4:16). So it is by faith that God is pouring out His love upon me that I can “keep yourselves in the love of God…” (Jude 1:21). Thank You God that because Your love shines from You, I can walk by faith that Your love is upon and around me, just like I can “walk in the Light” (1 John 1:5,7). So, “May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.” (Ps. 33:22 NIV).

…Heart, with great joy, I am repenting of finding security and protection apart from receiving the presence of God and His kingdom upon and around me here. Rather than holding back from receiving God’s presence and kingdom around me for protection, I am humbling myself from pride about being able to protect myself. I am turning to God so I can boldly take refuge in Him by receiving His presence and kingdom around me here. I am directing my heart to take refuge in the Lord by drinking from the radiance of Heaven around me (Ps. 37:7-9). When by faith I take refuge in God, it is right for me to confidently trust that the kingdom of Heaven is coming to me, here. Heart, it says, “he who takes refuge in Me…will possess My holy mountain” (Isa. 57:13); and, “…Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude…” (Heb. 12: 28).

…Heart, God says, “…Where are their gods, the rock in which they sought refuge…Let them rise up and help you, let them be your hiding place! See now that I, I am He, and there is no god besides Me’” (Deut. 32:37-39); so, “I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!” (Ps. 91:2). Heart, I am determined to apply the truth of God’s Word to me, by making God’s presence my refuge rather than what I receive from the world. I am turning away from idols that make me feel secure so I can depend on God as my strong refuge. To help with that, Jesus said, “How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?” (John 5:44). So, rather than settling for the twisted glory of idolatry and sin, I am cutting off and joyfully turning away from what I “receive” from those things because by that, I can more easily have faith for receiving God’s glorious presence and His kingdom upon and around me here (John 5:44).

Page 3: Works to Grace for Women

(Your name) , listen to what you are saying. Let yourself believe, love, and be thankful for the truth!

…I cut off and turn away from bondage to faith in what I deserve as my basis for receiving the presence and kingdom of God with me here! Heart, God wants to be God to me and doesn’t want me to have to depend on other things! Because God wants His kingdom to come so His will can be done on earth (Matt. 6:33; 6:10), I can be boldly childlike in trusting God to draw near as my reasons for confidence, worth, and identity. Heart, even when I don’t understand it with my mind, it is right for my heart to believe I “enter” the heavenly sanctuary of God by faith that I am receiving His kingdom here because, “…whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all” (Mark 10:15). So, with playful joy, I am directing my heart away from trusting myself and the world for the sense of well-being I need. I am directing my heart toward increased faith that playfully enjoys the presence of God coming to me because “…the Lord God is a sun and shield; / The Lord gives grace and glory…” (Ps. 84:11).

…Heart, hear it again that “Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shone forth” (Ps. 50:2). So, I set my heart to trust that by the glorious radiance around God, He is shining the presence of His Spirit onto and around me here; and, I CAN depend on feeling good about myself because God’s kingdom comes to me freely, and NOT because I have earned or deserve it. Heart, hear it again that God’s will is able to be done on earth as it is in Heaven, when I receive His heavenly kingdom here with the faith of a child who takes refuge in Him (Ps. 36:7-9). Heart, I am turning away from having to abide in the pride I feel because of what I receive from idolatry. The better I turn from idolatry in my heart, the easier it is for me to trust and enjoy God’s presence coming to me with His beauty, perfection, and holiness washing over me here.

…Thank You, God, that YOU are God, not me. Thank You, God, that You come to me freely when I turn my heart away from having to depend on what I earn or deserve and toward loving that You want to come to me so YOU can be God to me instead of other things. Heart, by these declarations, I am tuning to trust God to draw near to me by His grace so that more and more, the nearness of God’s great beauty, perfection, and strength, I am making God my God, and His presence with me is becoming what makes me confident, reassured, and worthy.

…Heart, rejoice in the truth that I don’t have to feed on my human perfection and beauty. I turn from wanting my own beauty to be what feeds me. I am setting my heart to trust You as my God, not myself. So, I set my heart to take refuge inside the power, beauty, and perfection of the kingdom of God right up close to me, touching me all around. By faith, I am trusting that my eyes are looking at You, Lord.

…Heart, rejoice that I don’t have to feed myself with how well I have earned and deserve worship and praise from other people. I don’t even have to want that because pride keeps me depending on myself and the world, and “…we…receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Gal 3:14). So, I turn my heart away from fear and away from having to feel pride about putting faith in myself. I turn my heart toward faith in God that His presence is coming to me by the radiance that shines from Him. My well-being is from You, God, and I will boast in You, Lord! Heart, God tells me to “…walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light…” (1 John 1:7). So, I set my heart to worship and praise the nearness of God’s “Spirit of glory” (1 Peter 4:14), coming onto me from the radiance around God and resting on me.

…Thank You, God! Rather than staying in bondage to the reassurance I need, coming from the praise I get from people, I am turning my heart to be the praise of God’s glory (Eph. 1:12). I repent of living for the prize of finding reasons to praise myself! I am telling my heart to joyfully trust with childlike faith where it says, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32); and because the presence of “…God is Light…” (1 John 1:5), I can receive the radiance from around God upon me here. I CAN walk in the Light and when I trust His radiance is upon me here the presence of God washes me clean (1 John 1:5, 7).

…Heart, I repent of the faith I put in my human ability to be the God that I need because only the nearness of God and the kingdom of Heaven around me can do that! I embrace that God will not give away to anyone the glory that comes to Him through our praise (Isa. 42:8). But, I also embrace that “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; / The Lord gives grace and glory…” (Ps. 84:11). I embrace that because He wants to be God to me here, God wants to give the radiance of His glory upon and around me here. Thank You, God, that I don’t have to be God to myself because I can receive Your presence and kingdom around me here!

…Heart, God wants to be God to me here, and I embrace that it is only the glory and power of God and His sanctuary around and near me that can satisfy my soul (Ps. 63:1-2, 5). So, heart, I am telling myself to believe with openness that I can receive God’s presence and walk IN Him, just like I received the Spirit of God into me for salvation. God says that just “…as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him” (Col. 2:6). So, I repent of wanting to receive from the worship and praise I get from other people so I can abide in that.

…I repent and turn away from depending on the glory I receive from people as support for my pride (John 5:44)! I turn away from that so I can be more childlike in my ability to freely receive from the radiance around God. Thank You, God, that when I depend on You as my God, I will find the reassurance, courage, and well-being I need by praising the impressiveness of Your nearness to me here! Heart, be joyful in worship toward God and enjoy by faith the nearness of HIS beauty because “They raise their voices, they shout for joy; They cry out from the west concerning the majesty of the Lord” (Isa. 24:14).

…Heart, with boldness, I am intentionally being thankful that God draws near with His beauty and majesty so that I can enjoy His being my God rather than needing to depend on myself for the beauty I need! As for me, “My soul will make its boast in the Lord; The humble will hear it and rejoice” (Psa. 34:2). So, I praise You, God; I praise the majesty and beauty of Your presence drawing near to me and coming around me here, God! “I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!’” (Ps. 91:2); “You are my hiding place…” (Psa. 32:7); “You are my hiding place and my shield…” (Psa. 119:114). My heart will hear this and enjoy believing it because that is what opens me up like a child to God’s presence! “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield and…my stronghold.” (Psa. 18:2). By hearing with joy my declarations of bold and childlike faith “…I have made the Lord God my refuge…” (Psa. 73:28).

Page 4: Works to Grace for Women

(Your name) , listen to what you are saying. Let yourself believe, love, and be thankful for the truth!

…I turn away from wanting to drink from the power and glory I feel from the world or other people. Jesus wants me to drink from the radiance that shines from Him because of His glorification: “…come to Me and drink…But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified” (John 7:37-39). So, I thank You, Father, that Jesus is “…the radiance of [the Father’s] glory…” (Heb. 1:2,3.); “…the fountain of living water…” (Jer. 17:13); “…He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of [the Father’s] nature …” (Heb. 1:3).

…Heart, when my declarations break down my pride enough for my faith to increase about entering before the Lord, that is where I get to satisfy myself with the nearness of God’s power and glory; I am declaring to my heart about God that, Lord, “…You are my God…My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You…Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory…My soul is satisfied…” (Psa. 63:1,2,5); and, God wants me to trust with bold faith that I am entering the “holy place” where God dwells so I can drink from Him instead of from the world and the darkness in it: “…we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus…draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean and our bodies washed with pure water.” (Heb. 10:19, 22).

…Thank You, God, that by taking refuge in Your presence like a child, I get to drink from You! “How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house; and You give them to drink of the river of Your delights. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light” (Psa. 36:7-9); “…they walk in the light of Your countenance…” (Psa. 89:15-17). So, heart, to help me stay turned away from the world and more fully to God, I am determined to break down my fears, disbelief, and pride in myself so I can boldly give myself permission to believe and treasure the Scriptures about God drawing near to me here. I am turning my heart to love being childlike in my faith, so I can take refuge in the sanctuary of God coming to me here. My soul WILL make its boast in the Lord! I am directing my heart to enjoy opening up with faith so I can drink from the radiance and beauty around God coming onto me here.

…I repent of living with the purpose of finding reasons to praise myself for the human glory I get from earthly things and other people. I am turning away from the glory of the world, and I set my heart to live “to the end that we…would be to the praise of His glory” (Eph. 1:12). Because I know that worship in Heaven will be joyously exuberant, I set my heart on enjoying that I can praise God with worship that is playful and exuberant now in this life, before I die. Heart, I can honor God with worship in this life in ways that are far more significant than what I will be able to do in Heaven after I die. So, I am cutting off and turning away from pride that keeps me from expressing joy and playful childlikeness in my worship toward God. I am telling myself to enjoy believing that I am causing God to feel pleasure by my childlike dependence on Him and my praise toward His nearness for His being God to me here.

… Heart, I repent of disbelief about God wanting to be God to me here. God wants to be my refuge, and it is idolatry to depend on other things (Deut. 32:37-39). So heart, I must humble myself from pride and fear enough to believe God’s presence is coming to me freely because “…we…receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Gal 3:14). I set my heart on becoming childlike enough in my freedom and faith, to find refuge by faith that lets me open up to God and believe I am receiving His presence and the kingdom of Heaven coming to me here. Heart, “…the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house; and You give them to drink of the river of Your delights. For with You is the fountain of life…” (Psa. 36:7-9); and, more and more, I can do this too!

…I repent of wanting to find a safe refuge by walking in the darkness of the world around me. God says to me, “…you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). And, to priests God says, “…do not be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to stand before Him, to minister to Him, and to be His ministers…” (2 Chron. 29:11).

…I turn my heart away from hopelessness about easily being able to receive God’s presence and kingdom. God wants me to abide in Him instead of abiding in the darkness of the world around me. But heart, God doesn’t force Himself on us. So to cooperate with what He desires, I am turning my heart to treasure the coming presence and kingdom of God given to me freely. By this, I give God freedom to do His will on earth more fully. Thank You, God, that by getting my heart to believe I can receive Your kingdom, I can do my part in helping to further the kingdom of Heaven on earth.

…Again, I say to my heart, repent of disbelief and turn to God with joy. Just as I draw near to God by trusting Him to draw near to me here (James 4:8), I “enter” before the Lord and “come” to God by receiving His kingdom here with childlike “gratitude” and praise. God says to me, “he who takes refuge in Me…will possess My holy mountain” (Isa. 57:13); and, when I believe with childlike faith that I am taking refuge in the Lord, it says, “…you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus…Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude…” (Heb. 12:22-24, 28).

…On behalf of myself and those around me, I set my heart to reassure myself with the presence of God’s love being poured out into me and all around me here. The people around me need God’s love just like I do, so I will not hold back from faith about the love of God being poured out upon and around me because by this, “…the Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing for you because the Lord your God loves you.” (Deut. 23:5).

Page 5: Works to Grace for Women

(Your name) , listen to what you are saying. Let yourself believe, love, and be thankful for the truth!

…Heart, rejoice that I don’t have to find the love I need by submitting to evil or pushing myself to align with the sinful standards others set for me. I cut off wanting to abide in pride from sin, which only makes me feel bad afterward. Heart, Jesus tells me to “…abide in My love” (John 15:9) and because “…he who comes to God must believe…that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Heb. 11:6), I am setting my heart to believe I can receive God’s love as a covering banner over and all around me here. Heart, it is right, safe, and good for me to believe and enjoy that “…his banner over me is love” (Song of Sol. 2:4).

…Heart, I am cutting off fear and pride that keep me thinking I should have to deserve God’s presence or earn it. God wants to be God to me by His love being with me, so I don’t have to find it in sinful ways. I just need to get my heart to believe God’s love over me is great enough for my heart to be thrilled by it, instead of the thrill I find from sin! Heart, God wants to draw near so He can help me stay holy. In a context of talking about abiding with God in us and us in Him (John 14, 15), Jesus said He told us about those things in order to keep us from “stumbling” (John 16:1). So, I thank God for the people who love me, but I cut off and turn away from abiding in their love in order for me to be confident, reassured, secure, and feel protected. Heart, only the presence of God and His love around me has substance that lets me abide in ways that keep me from sin. Heart, the love of God coming down upon and around me is so holy and strong that God Himself becomes armor around me here.

…Rather than daydreaming of earthly glories and setting those before me, it is the presence of God with me that reassures me. It is God’s presence and kingdom around me that is my protection: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear…The Lord is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread? Though a host encamp against me, my heart will not fear; though war arise against me…I shall be confident. / One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His temple. For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; in the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock. / And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me, / And I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord. / Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice, And be gracious to me and answer me. When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “Your face, O Lord, I shall seek” (Ps. 27:1 and 3-5).

…Heart, I am turning to embrace and enjoy the nearness of God’s kingdom and presence is my protection and glory! I am turning my heart to believe with joyous faith that it is by faith that I can do what David did when he said, “I have set the Lord continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” (Ps. 16:8); and, I am determined to get my heart to hear the truth and joyfully believe God’s Word, so I can be more childlike in my faith and enjoy God’s presence near me, as my security and what reassures me. Heart, “…none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.” (Ps. 34:22).  

…Heart, it says, “He did evil because he did not set his heart to seek the Lord” (2 Chron. 12:14); and, “…we…receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Gal 3:14); and we walk in “newness of life” by the “glory of the Father” (Rom. 6:4). So, I repent of disbelief! I can open up to God and receive the radiance around Him by faith and by faith that enjoys the greatness of God’s presence with delight; the nearness of God’s powerful presence satisfies me more than sin. Heart, God says to me that I should “…put on the armor of light…and make no provision for the flesh…” (Rom. 13:12, 14); and because the armor of light enables me to make no provision for the flesh, I must allow myself to receive the Light of God upon me with faith about the strength of the armor, before I should expect to live a holy life!

…Heart, God says to “…walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light…” (1 John 1:7); and, “…He wraps himself in light as with a garment;” (Psa. 104:1,2 NIV); so, God’s will is to come to me as armor when I submit to that truth and drop my self-protection that keeps me guarded and holding back from Him. Heart, be thankful for the love others have toward me, but the love I need to abide inside is the presence of God and the heart of my good Father God toward me. So, I am transforming my mind (Rom. 12:2) by declarations of joyful repentance and faith about God’s goodness and His desire to be God to me here.

…Heart, I am telling my heart to believe the Scriptures about presenting my body to God (Rom. 12:1). Heart, “…the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge…” (Psa. 73:28); “I said to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord; I have no good besides You” (Psa. 16:2). So, instead of trying hard to be good enough and live a holy life apart from an abundance of God’s presence with me here, I am humbling myself into the place of believing the love of God is continually being poured out and is coming down upon me like a “banner” of armor and strong love over me and around me here.

…Heart, rejoice that I don’t have to reassure myself with pride because of lustful looks from men. I repent of letting myself stay feeling dirty because of their lustful looks! Instead, I turn my heart to believe and enjoy with bold faith that God delights in me because: “The Lord your God is in your midst, / A victorious warrior. / He will exult over you with joy…He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy” (Zeph. 3:17). I am replacing the twisted reassurance and glory I get from the lust of men with the pure and holy embrace of God’s presence drawing near. Thank You, God, that the attention You give me by the radiance around You is safe! The radiance of God burns their lust off of me because “…the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion…by the spirit of judgement and the spirit of burning” (Isa. 4:4).

…Heart, treasure the truth that God is drawing near me as a “victorious warrior;” He is rejoicing over me even now! I am turning to enjoy without holding back that God pays attention to me and as He comes to me His presence is washing my conscience and my body clean (James 4:8): “…have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus…draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience…and our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb. 10:19 and 22).

…Heart, because God wants me to depend on Him instead of other things, His “holy place” comes to me touching me with His pure and holy presence all around me here. By my faith that He is drawing near, my conscience is “sprinkled clean” and my body is “washed” by His presence. So, heart, I can cut off and turn away from needing to satisfy myself by abiding in the twisted glory and power I feel when others cover me with their lust. Instead of that, I declare boldly to my heart that “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped…” (Psa. 28:7). I love You, Lord! Rather than staying away from God when I feel dirty because of their lust, I am turning to love that God’s presence and kingdom are coming down upon and around me and are burning away the lust of men and their demons trying to make me feel unclean.

Page 6:  Works to Grace for Women

(Your name) , listen to what you are saying. Let yourself believe, love, and be thankful for the truth!

…Heart, rejoice that I don’t have to satisfy myself with how well I control and punish others with my mouth. I repent of finding the power and protection I need by punishing people and putting them down. I turn my heart to trust the punishment that Jesus suffered on my behalf and theirs! Heart, the power of God is good and not mean! It is the goodness of God that we all long for. So, heart, hear this and enjoy that God is sovereign, not me. God is building all of us together into a dwelling place for His presence (Eph. 2:21); and because Jesus “…has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father…” (Rev. 1:6), I should “…not be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to stand before Him, to minister to Him, and to be His ministers…” (2 Chron. 29:11).  

…Heart, I am determined to let myself to boldly believe God’s grace about receiving His presence because “…we…receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Gal 3:14). Just as I must believe that I am receiving the presence of God in order to receive, it is also by faith that I enter the holy place (Heb. 10:19-22) to present my BODY cleansed and “acceptable” to God (Rom. 12:1). Heart, I can stand before the Lord as a kingdom priest; “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). I am telling myself to enjoy trusting that I can “present” my body to God (Rom. 12:1). by faith that His kingdom is coming down from above: By faith that Heaven is coming down upon and around me, the presence of God’s Spirit washes me clean. I don’t have to feel shame about my body when I stand before the Lord because His presence is sanctifying my body (Rom. 6:19). 

…Heart, it is right to trust that like a child (Mark 10:15; Heb. 12:22-24, 28), that Heaven is coming to me here; , I am setting my heart to believe that the presence of God is touching my skin because “…the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion…by the spirit of judgement and the spirit of burning” (Isa. 4:4). So, heart, be encouraged that my declarations of repentance and faith help me to turn to God so that He can wash me clean; “…if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work” (2 Tim. 2:21). So, I set my heart to trust by faith the kingdom of Heaven is coming to me here so I can stand clean before the Lord. Heart, God says to me, “…Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool…’” (Isa. 66:1). Thank You, God for cleansing me and for being a strong refuge of holiness around me here! 

…I repent of putting others down in order to build myself up with pride. Feeling good about myself is not dependent on my being above them. I am directing my heart into the place of humility so I can more boldly trust and enjoy depending on the presence of God and His kingdom coming to me freely. Heart, the nearness of God is what makes me ok, not “…the glory of…pride…” (Isa 13:19). I am turning my heart away from idolatry so I can more easily believe God wants to do His will on earth by my receiving His kingdom here. Heart, “…seek first His kingdom and His righteousness…” (Matt. 6:33); so, I say to God, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10). But it doesn’t stop there because, when talking about the heavenly Jerusalem, with angels and where Jesus is, it says, “…since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude…” (Heb. 12:22-24, 28).

…By joyous declarations of repentance and faith I am “changing my mind” so that I can repent of making substitutions for God’s presence and heavenly kingdom with me. I repent of finding glory and power from pride so I can be assured about depending on myself as the god I need. And, heart, I repent of seeing myself above others because, God is trying to do the same thing with all of us: “You will bring them and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance, / The place, O Lord, which You have made for Your dwelling, / The sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established” (Exo. 15:17). So, I thank You, God, that You want all of us in the throne room where we can present our bodies before You (Rom. 12:1) as kingdom priests (2 Chron. 29:11).

…Heart, by declarations of repentance and faith I can direct my heart into playfully childlike faith that brings Heaven here. When I make joyous declarations of repentance and faith with other people, we build each other up. And, we are directing our hearts to remove obstacles (Isa. 57:14) and make a highway for God. On my own, or with other people, I can “…Clear the way for the Lord…Make…a highway for our God…Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed…” (Isa. 40:3-5): So, I am determined to keep directing my heart into faith about these things because God says, “…indeed, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord” (Num. 14:21).

…Heart, be thankful to God, that I can be confident about Heaven around me here and that “Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shone forth” (Ps. 50:2). Thank You God that I can identify myself with Your beauty upon and around me! I can open up and drink from the radiance around You (John 7:37-39), and take time to enjoy and think about Your presence with me, as what identifies me. I can receive with the “gratitude” (Heb. 12:22-24, 28) of a child (Mark 10:15), the kingdom of Heaven and the glory You are pouring out from around You (Ps. 84:11)! 

…Heart, repent and turn away from wanting to gaze at the greatness of my human identity and the worldly kingdom I build for myself here. Instead of that, I set my heart on believing with faith and joy that I can turn to God and receive His kingdom here. Heart, be confident about receiving the kingdom of Heaven with “gratitude” because when talking about the “heavenly Jerusalem” with angels all around, it says, “…since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe” (Heb. 12:28). Thank You, God, that as a kingdom priest it is my duty and right to enter the “holy place” by receiving Heaven around me, so I can present my body before Your cleansing radiance (Heb. 10:19-22).

…Heart, “…God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people” (2 Cor 6:16). So, by childlike faith about receiving God’s kingdom around me as my refuge I can stand before the Lord and walk with God, like others in the Bible: “…the Lord said to Moses, ‘…Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb…’” (Exo. 17:5,6); and, “Elijah said, ‘As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand…” (1 Kings 18:15). And “Elisha said, ‘As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look at you nor see you.” (2 Kings 3:14). Thank You, God, that it is so right and good for me to trust You are walking with me, that I can trust my eyes are on You here, with confidence that if I keep looking, I will see You!

…Heart, God wants me to depend on receiving His presence near me instead of what I receive from worldly things, other people, or myself! And, heart, it is right and good for me to depend on God’s presence and kingdom coming down upon me as a strong refuge of protection and strength. Rather than depending on the physical strength of others close to me, I am building my faith and turning my heart to take refuge in the strong and holy presence and kingdom of God coming to me here. Heart, “…the Lord is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” (Psa. 34:8); and, I say to God, while my heart is listening that Lord, “…You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.’” (Psa. 142:5).

…Heart, “The eternal God is a dwelling place…” (Deut. 33:27); “Guard my soul…for I take refuge in You.” (Psa. 25:20). I will not be afraid because when “…My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped…” (Psa. 28:7). I take refuge in the Lord and am delivered by God, by trusting with bold and joyous faith that the Kingdom and presence of God are coming to me and are around me here; “Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies; I take refuge in You” (Psa 143:9). It is right for me to be confident in God because “…The word of the Lord is tested; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.” (2 Sam 22:31); “I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will dwell securely” (Psa. 16:8-9). Thank You, God, that these scriptures are true! 

Page 7: Works to Grace for Women

(Your name) , listen to what you are saying. Let yourself believe, love, and be thankful for the truth!

…Heart, rejoice that I don’t have to satisfy myself with only feeling enough when others approve of me. I repent of receiving their approval or their disapproval as an indicator of my worth. Heart, God is righteousness in me because of salvation; and as for the holiness of my humanity, I trust that “…the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge…” (Psa. 73:28); “I said to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord; I have no good besides You” (Psa. 16:2); and, “…the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness…” (Ps. 11:17) and He loves me because “…the Lord is our righteousness” (Jer. 33:16). Thank You, God, that “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man” (Psa. 118:8). 

…I repent of being fearful because of the weakness of my humanity! It is “…God who girds me with strength…” (Ps. 18:32), and when God girds me, He is all around and even underneath me here. Heart, it is God’s presence and kingdom coming down upon and around me that girds me with strength: “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights…” (James 1:17). So, instead of being fearful or wishing to satisfy myself with myself, I am declaring that “The Lord is my strength…and I will praise Him…” (Exo. 15:2); “I love You, O Lord, my strength” (Psa. 18:1); and, “O God, You are awesome from Your sanctuary. The God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to the people. Blessed be God!” (Psa. 68:35). So, I turn my soul away from the strength I feel from how well I exalt myself over others. Heart, believe, and enjoy that “On God my salvation and my glory rest; the rock of my strength, my refuge is in God” (Psa. 62:7). I am cutting off and turning away from everything else so I can depend on God and His presence drawing near to me more fully.  

…I repent of receiving condemnation from others. I repent of wearing their condemnation as what identifies me! My adequacy is from God: “…Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God (2 Cor. 3:4-5). So, I am turning away from depending on the opinions of others by joyfully telling my heart to be thankful that I don’t have to be what they want. The nearness of God is what identifies me, and God is perfect, holy, and fully adequate. The holiness of God near me is what I love, and I present myself AND their condemnation before God for cleansing. Heart, the presence of God is armor around me that gives me worth and protects me from being labeled by their condemnation. The presence of God around me is holiness that burns away the filth of their condemnation and keeps it from landing on me. 

…I cut off depending on other people as a replacement for God’s presence because only the nearness of God’s holy power and glory can satisfy me. I declare it out loud so my heart can embrace that Lord, “…You are my God…My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You…Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory…My soul is satisfied…” (Ps. 63:1-2, 5). So I thank You, God, that I too can satisfy myself by faith in the significance of Your power and glory, drawing near and being all around me here. By playfully childlike faith, I open myself to the radiance of God’s power and glory coming onto me from the radiance around Him.

…Heart, instead of trusting what I earn or deserve, it is by joyful faith that I can trust I am receiving the greatness of God’s nearness onto and around me here. Heart, God’s Word says, “…repent and return…in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19). So, by joyous repentance that changes my thinking and builds faith, I set my heart to trust in the greatness of God’s power and glory drawing near me here. By bold and childlike faith, I set my heart to enjoy that I am now being refreshed by God’s presence coming down upon and all around me here. Heart, the more determined I am to enjoy God being God to me instead of relying on other things, the less I will want to turn away from God or return to receiving from people or earthly things.

… I repent of shame about my body because as I present myself with my shame before the Lord, by faith that I am before Him, the presence of God drawing near to me here, is perfect, and God is washing my body by touching me physically with His perfection and holy presence. So, I will not live in disbelief about the acceptance of God for eternity because of salvation (Rom. 15:16). The presence of God’s Spirit touching me inside is the righteousness I need for spending eternity in heaven with God. Talking of after salvation, it says, “…present your members… resulting in sanctification” (Rom. 6:19) and, “…the body is…for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body” (1 Cor. 6:13). So, I embrace where it says “…to present your bodies… acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship” (Rom 12:1). To apply these Scriptures, I set my heart to enjoy with playfully childlike delight that God is drawing near and washing my physical body clean by touching me here (James 4:8).

…I humble myself and rejoice into enjoying the God’s presence because when the holiness of God touches something, it too becomes holy (Exo. 29:37). So, heart, the moment I find faith that confidently believes God’s holy presence is touching me physically and that He is washing me strongly enough to impart His holiness to my humanity, that is the moment I can trust I am near to Him and God is before me here: “…Now that you have consecrated yourselves to the Lord, come near…” (2 Ch 29:31); “Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude…” (Heb. 12: 28). Thank You, God, that I can fight shame by presenting all of it before You so that You can wash and burn it off of me! Heart, thank God with delight for the power of His holiness to burn away the filth of the demonic in the air around me here. 

…Heart, by joyful declarations of repentance and faith I am turning away from self-protection. I am embracing that no amount of holding back and trying harder will protect me. I am turning my heart to love taking refuge in the nearness of God and His kingdom coming to me by faith. Heart, “The eternal God is a dwelling place…” (Deut. 33:27); and when by faith I trust He wants to be God to me by His presence with me being my protection, “You will not be afraid of the terror by night, or of the arrow that flies by day; of the pestilence…or of the destruction…it shall not approach you…For you have made the Lord…even the Most High, your dwelling place” (Psa. 91:5-9); and by my openness to receiving His kingdom around me so I can abide in Him, I can say boldly that “…You, O Lord, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head.” (Psa. 3:3). When I take refuge in the Lord by trusting He is drawing near and bringing Heaven with Him, it is right for me to trust that He will protect me (Ps. 91); and, “But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one” (2 Thes. 3:3).

Page 8: Works to Grace for Women

(Your name) , listen to what you are saying. Let yourself believe, love, and be thankful for the truth!

…I repent of believing the lie that I have to depend on something about myself for the perfection and righteousness required for standing with my humanity before the Lord. Heart, God “…has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father…” (Rev. 1:6); “…a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth” (Rev. 5:10). So, heart, believe it with joy that I am a kingdom priest who is commanded, “…do not be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to stand before Him, to minister to Him, and to be His ministers…” (2 Chron. 29:11). So, thank You, God, that I can draw near to You by trusting You to draw near to me by Your presence coming to me here.

…Heart, God says, “By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy” (Lev 10:3); and, “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart…” (Ps. 24:3-4). But it also says, “…Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down)” (Rom. 10:6). So, by faith I come to God, by trusting that He is coming near to me here freely, and that He is washing my humanity in ways that prepare me for His presence so I can stand before Him without fear: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts…” (James 4:8).

…Thank You, God, that one reason I can trust You to come freely is because of the work you want to do in my world by my turning my heart to receive Your presence and kingdom here. Another reason God comes to me freely is because I am turning my heart to take refuge in God’s presence and His heavenly kingdom rather than finding security and protection by trusting myself, other people, or the things of this world. Heart, “…the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house; and You give them to drink of the river of Your delights. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light” (Psa. 36:7-9).

…Heart, hear this and enjoy that more and more I am turning my heart toward childlike faith that believes God’s presence is coming to me here because when He comes, the Spirit of God cleanses my heart and washes my body with His holiness (James 4:8)! Thank You, God, that I can submit into receiving the touch of Your cleansing presence even now. Heart, it is right and good for me to trust I can “…draw near…in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean…and our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb. 10:22). God says to me, “…I am the Lord who sanctifies you” (Lev. 20:8); so, I will not be afraid to draw near to God by trusting Him to draw near so He can wash me clean (James 4:8).

…Heart, God has made me righteous on the inside by salvation (2 Cor. 5:21). And, I thank You God, that by His cleansing upon me, on the outside, You make my humanity holy also because, “in full assurance of faith” we are having our hearts sprinkled clean…and our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb. 10:22). So heart, God makes me holy inside and outside “…by the sanctifying work of the Spirit… sprinkled with His blood…” (1 Peter 1:2). Rather than let myself stay feeling dirty spiritually, I turn my heart to enjoy the simplicity of being “…washed…in the Spirit of our God.” (1 Cor. 6:11).

…Heart, rather than settling for feeling spiritually dirty, I will trust that God wants me holy and only His nearness can do that for me! So I rejoice that by faith that God is washing my body holy, even now. By bold and childlike faith, I can welcome the kingdom of Heaven with “gratitude” (Heb. 12:22-24, 28). Thank You, God, that “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow” (James 1:17); and, by this I can present my body to God (Rom. 12:1) and stand before Him here without shame. So, I set my heart to show gratitude about Heaven coming down upon me because when Heaven comes down upon and around me here, “…the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion…by the spirit of judgement and the spirit of burning” (Isa. 4:4).

…Heart, my praise is toward the closeness of God, NOT toward anything about me. Thank You, Lord, that I can live for the end purpose of praising Your glory instead of my own human glory; I can live “to the end that we…would be to the praise of His glory” (Eph. 1:12). Where I praise myself, I present my pride before the Lord so He can burn it off of me. Thank You, God, that “…You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You” (Ps. 86:5).

…When I feel condemned for my sin, whether past or present, I will not hide from God because when by faith I draw near to God, He draws near to me washes me clean: “…draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean…and our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb. 10:22); “…washed…in the Spirit of our God.” (1 Cor. 6:11); “…cleansing their hearts by faith” (Acts 15:9).

…So, heart, when by faith I enter before the Lord, God says to me, “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out” (John 6:37). So, I set my heart to treasure and actively believe “I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will dwell securely” (Psa. 16:8-9). Thank You, God, that “When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. In God, whose word I praise, in God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid. What can mere man do to me?” (Psa. 56:3,4). So, heart, enjoy that “…I have hope in Him.” (Lam. 3:24); “…My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped…” (Psa. 28:7). 

…Heart, when I repent of finding refuge by what I receive from other people and things, my faith grows for taking refuge in the presence of God (John 5:44); and, by opening up to drink from the radiance around God so His presence can come and become a strong refuge around me, God “gives [me] to drink” from the “river of His delights;” and by faith that I am receiving from the fountain of God, the “…Spirit who gives life…” (John 6:63) comes to me because He shines from the glorified Jesus (John 7:37, 39).

…Heart, when I make bold and joyous declarations that direct my heart (1 Sam. 7:3) away from idolatry so I can take refuge in God, He says of me that “he who takes refuge in Me…will possess My holy mountain” (Isa. 57:13). So, when I come to God by trusting Him to come to me and wash me, I enter through the torn veil, God washes my heart and body (Heb. 10:19-22), and God says to me, “…you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels. . . and to God, the Judge of all. . .and to Jesus. . . Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe” (Heb. 12:22-24, 28).

…So, heart, “…with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, [we] are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit” (2Co 3:18). Like the verse says above (Heb. 12:22-24, 28), it with faith and “gratitude” that I open up to God. I trusting with joyful freedom that the torn veil is spreading apart above me, the mountain of God, and Heaven is coming down around me, with angels and the heavenly Jerusalem. Thank You, God that because Heaven has come through the veil and I have “unveiled face” before You, I can trust Heaven and angels around me are so real, that when I keep looking with bold expectation. Heart, rejoice that it says, “…as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, / As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, / So our eyes look to the Lord our God, / Until He is gracious to us” (Ps. 123:2). By my faith applied to looking at the Lord like this, I can expect His presence to come upon and around me; By continuing to look at Him, I will also eventually see Jesus, angels, and the glory of God around me here. 

Page 9: Works to Grace for Women

(Your name) , listen to what you are saying. Let yourself believe, love, and be thankful for the truth!

…Heart, rejoice that I don’t have to hide myself by being smaller and going unnoticed. The Lord is my God. His closeness is my reason for confidence because God has promised, “…I will make My dwelling among you, and My soul will not reject you. I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people” (Lev 26:11,12); “…I will dwell in them and walk among them and I will be their God, and they shall be My people” (2 Cor 6:16); “…Holy is He.” (Ps. 99:3); “You are good and do good…” (Ps. 119:68). For me to stay turned away from depending on idolatry and sin, I set my heart to believe the scriptures about the closeness of God so that His presence can come to me easily.

Heart, I can rightfully set my heart to enjoy putting faith in God’s nearness, as what reassures me and gives me courage. The example God gives us in Scripture shows it is right for me to listen to myself making declarations about God as my protection because “…the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge…” (Ps. 73:28). Related is where it says, “…God is Light…” (1 John 1:5); and, “…if we walk in the Light…the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us…” (1 John 1:7). So, when I am afraid or feel spiritually dirty, I will NOT hold back from God! By bold faith, I will present my fears and my body with its shame before the Lord so His cleansing presence can wash me clean and burn away my filth: “…the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion…by the spirit of judgement and the spirit of burning” (Isa. 4:4); and by the Spirit of burning around me, I turn my heart to trust that the holiness of God is also burning any demons or witchcraft trying to come near me. 

…Heart, my joyous declarations of repentance and faith are helping me turn away from the things of this world and become more childlike in my faith. More and more, my heart will believe the Scriptures, and I will rejoice with faith that I can receive Heaven around me here because “…whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all” (Mark 10:15); and, I will not be afraid because it is by childlike faith that I take refuge in the Lord and by this, His heavenly Kingdom comes to me and I can drink from God (Ps. 36:7-9).

…Heart, when by confident faith I enter before God, I enter with my physical body so that God can wash me clean as He comes to me here: “…we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus…draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean and our bodies washed with pure water.” (Heb. 10:19, 22); “…through Him we…have our access in one Spirit to the Father” (Eph. 2:18); “…we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him” (Eph. 3:12); and, “…since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude…” (Heb. 12:22-24, 28). So, I thank You, God, that by showing gratitude with the faith of a child, my heart will hear and believe the truth more and more. My declarations of repentance and faith are breaking down the hardness of my heart: “Break up your fallow ground, / For it is time to seek the Lord / Until He comes to rain righteousness on you” (Hos. 10:12). I CAN take refuge in the presence and Kingdom of Heaven coming down upon and around me; I CAN find safety and protection in the Lord by receiving the Kingdom of Heaven around me here.

…Thank You, God, that I don’t have to live in despair and hopelessness about receiving the Kingdom of Heaven and the presence of God: “…through [Jesus] we…have our access in one Spirit to the Father” (Eph. 2:18); “…we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him” (Eph. 3:12); and, “…the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out” (John 6:37). So, I repent of fear because when I trust I am coming to God, He comes to me here, and washes my heart and body clean (James 4:8). Heart, “…have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus…through the veil, that is, His flesh…let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb. 10:19-22). So, I thank You, God, that I CAN enter the “holy place,” by faith in the blood of Jesus, through the veil between earth and heaven, and that the veil between us has been torn. Heart, by becoming more playfully childlike in my faith, I CAN enter before God, by receiving the Kingdom of God around me here because “…whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all” (Mark 10:15).

…I am turning my heart to trust and enjoy the nearness of God and His Kingdom are my greatest treasure, so when by faith I trust the veil between me and heaven has been torn, I can open up to God and receive His heavenly Kingdom, just like when I open up to the glory I receive through someone’s smile. So, with playfully childlike freedom, I open up to Heaven above me. To align my thinking with the Scriptures, I am trusting with faith that each side of the curtain above me is spreading out to let the king of glory come into the earth realm (Ps. 24:7-10). Thank You, Jesus, that because YOU are the curtain that opens above me, I CAN live in an open Heaven above and around me here. Instead of despair about living inside the darkness of the world around me, I set my heart to playfully treasure the greatness of God’s heavenly Kingdom coming down upon and all around me here.

…Heart, rejoice in the truth that I don’t have to feel shunned by God when others turn away and reject me: “…God is the one who justifies” (Rom. 8:33), NOT them! I repent of letting their disapproval toward me become an idol that keeps me away from God! I repent of receiving their disapproval and putting that on and wearing it as my identity. When people shun me and turn away, I will forgive them and present myself before the Lord, along with their disapproval, so that God can burn away the spiritual filth of it. Heart, God says to me that “…I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.” (Eze. 36:25).

…I will not hold back in fear. I will trust God to draw near and wash me with His Spirit, because it says to “…draw near…in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean…and our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb. 10:22). Heart, when I draw near to God by faith that He is drawing near to me He washes me with His presence; “…washed…in the Spirit of our God.” (1 Cor. 6:11); “…by the sanctifying work of the Spirit… sprinkled with His blood…” (1 Peter 1:2). “…God is Light…” (1 John 1:5) And, “…if we walk in the Light…the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us…” (1 John 1:7). So, by faith that God is washing my humanity of its shame I can rejoice that “…the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion…by the spirit of judgement and the spirit of burning” (Isa. 4:4).

Page 10: Works to Grace for Women

(Your name) , listen to what you are saying. Let yourself believe, love, and be thankful for the truth!

…Heart, rejoice in the truth that I don’t have to achieve a harsh place of refuge by being critical of myself or others; and, I repent of trying to hide myself in a cave of condemnation or depression when others are critical of me. When I feel the pain of rejection, I will run to You, Lord. I turn my heart to trust God’s grace to draw near so I can love, taking refuge inside the strength, holiness, and love of God around me here. Heart, Jesus says to me, “…abide in My love” (John 15:9); and, “…Christ also died for sins…so that He might bring us to God…” (1 Peter 3:18). So, when I feel too dirty to come to God, I will not hold back! It also says, “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart…” (Ps. 24:3-4). So, I thank You, God, that I can present my heart and hands before You and that You wash me clean!

…When others are critical of me, or even when I have done something wrong, or made a common human mistake, I will turn my heart to believe by faith that I am entering before the Lord so that He can come to me and wash the rejection and shame off of me. I am turning my heart with boldness and joy to “…have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus…draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean and our bodies washed with pure water.” (Heb. 10:19, 22); “…through Him we…have our access in one Spirit to the Father” (Eph. 2:18); “…we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him” (Eph. 3:12); and, Jesus says to me that “…the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out” (John 6:37). So, thank You God, for touching me with Your presence; thank You that I am “…washed…in the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:11).

…Heart, rejoice that I don’t have to improve myself by being more critical of myself. I repent of trying to motivate improvement by fear of self-contempt and self-directed punishment. My energy for motivation comes from faith that brings a holy thrill from believing I am exalting God in a significant way. Heart, love the truth that single-hearted childlike dependence on God to quench my thirst strongly exalts and honors Him as God, even when nobody here sees. Thank You, God, that I can depend like a child on You to draw near and be my refuge, strength, and glory! Heart, motivation for me comes when I believe I am living “to the end that we…would be to the praise of His glory” (Eph. 1:12); and, “to the praise of his glorious grace…” (Eph. 1:6). So, I will praise and thank God that He is coming to me freely because of His grace.

…Heart, God loves me, but it is NOT because of me that God does what He does! He says, “…I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake…” (Isa. 43:25). So, heart, believe that all I must do to receive the presence of God and His Kingdom is to believe He is coming to me by His grace and NOT because I deserve it somehow: “…we…receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” (Gal. 3:14); and, “…he who comes to God must believe…that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” (Heb. 11:6). So, hear it and rejoice that God wants to do His will on earth as it is in Heaven and He chooses to do that when by faith in His grace we trust that His holy presence comes to us with His Kingdom here: “…seek first His kingdom and His righteousness…” (Matt. 6:33); “Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10).

…Heart, in order to stay turned toward God and away from the world, I am setting my heart to love, finding refuge inside the power and the extreme beauty of the Kingdom of God, that I boldly trust is drawing near and surrounding me here. I am telling myself to believe the Scriptures with joy so I can rest into faith about the significance and ease of receiving the Kingdom of Heaven around me with “gratitude” (Mark 10:15; Heb. 12:28). By faith in the greatness of God’s power and glory near me, I can satisfy my thirst for God (Ps. 63:1-2, 5); “…Around God is awesome majesty” (Job 37:22); “Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shone forth” (Ps. 50:2). So, by faith, Lord, I trust that my eyes are looking at the radiance around God and that His beauty all around me here: “Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, / As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, / So our eyes look to the Lord our God, / Until He is gracious to us” (Ps. 123:2); Thank You God that I can enjoy with praise that YOUR closeness to me is the beauty that thrills me. My praise is toward YOU, God, NOT myself.

…Heart, I repent of hopelessness about being able to freely receive God’s presence and Kingdom. I rejoice in the truth that I don’t have to feed on glory from being critical and punishing myself because of fear about not being enough for God. I repent and cut off that kind of pride! Instead of holding back because of fear, I turn my heart to enjoy like a child that the presence of God is near and protecting me here. I set my heart to “Glory in His holy name; let the heart of those who seek the Lord be glad” (1 Chron. 16:10). I am declaring to my heart about God that “…You, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head.” (Ps 3:3); my glory is the nearness of God around me as my shield. So, I humble myself from pride about wanting to achieve human perfection in order to earn and deserve God’s presence. I declare with courage and boldness that “My soul will make its boast in the Lord; The humble will hear it and rejoice” (Psa. 34:2); so, I am turning my heart to have childlike and playful freedom so I can “…worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh” (Phil. 3:3).

Coming soon

Coming soon