This may sound very odd to some, but I have come to understand how God speaks to me and why He is stern with me at times. It is because of His amazing love for me.

On the day of the funeral services this past week God began to speak something to me; He said 'don't flinch.' At first I was astounded but I knew it was God and I knew He was saying something to me. It reminded me of a motivation I once wrote; let me share a short part of it with you.

I watched a scene Tuesday night between Breanne and Bryson, mesmerized by what was taking place...when it was over Breanne looked at me and said 'now, that's a motivation!' I had to agree.

As some of you know, Bryson's latest joy is fighting with toy swords. We have many sword fights, and let me tell you, this boy is tough...it's really not safe for a Nana to sword fight with him...I could get hurt.

Tuesday night Bryson came running in the living room with two swords and said 'who wants to battle with me?' I kept quiet and Breanne took a sword. With the sword in her hand, she swooshed it across his little body, close, not touching, but close enough that he could feel the wind off it. He stepped back and flinched. She did it again; again he stepped back and flinched.

She did it again, this time he didn't move, but he still flinched. She did it again...and again...until he no longer moved and didn't even blink an eye. He stood his ground with her as close as she could get to his nose and he did NOT flinch. I watched this little boy as he became braver and braver with each swoosh of the sword until he no longer feared it and no longer flinched at the thought of it hitting him. When fear was totally absent, even from his little eyes, Breanne looked at me and declared 'now, that's a motivation.'

Oh, that we wouldn't flinch at what the enemy throws our way. We may not like God's ways but this is a lot like His ways, at least from my experience. I recall one time when I was going through a particularly difficult season of life, I couldn't understand why God was allowing this...after all, He is God, He could change it at any given moment, yet it continued. I cried out to God in despair and pain and He said 'I will harden you to difficulty.'

I thought 'surely that is the devil, that can't be scriptural.' Then God led me to Isaiah 41:10; Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Sounds like a great scripture doesn't it? Now, let me share it with you out of the Amplified. Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice.

Some of you may recall that only a week before my sister died the Lord gave me a dream. In the dream I was so filled with joy, joy unspeakable. Today, after the week I have had, it seems absolutely impossible to be filled with joy unspeakable any time in the near future. Yet, I know that dream was from God. Therefore God has spoken and He is telling me, do not flinch, regardless of what you see or feel. It is a hard thing but all things are possible with God.

The word flinch means to draw back, to withdraw, to go backwards; therefore God is saying 'Kim, don't draw back from what I have shown you, don't go backwards...keep moving forward.'

Hebrews 10:38 says; Now the just shall live by faith but if anyone draws back my soul has no pleasure in him.

Those, too, are some strong words. But they are God's words. I have been hit with things that have caused me to flinch over the past few years. Today, I refuse to flinch, I refuse to draw back, I refuse to not walk in all God says was mine, including joy unspeakable. I don't know how or when it will come but I know he said it would and therefore I lay hold of it by faith today.

After I spent some time studying this word and these scriptures I received an email with a prophetic word from Chuck Pierce, I want to share it with you. The prophecy was for last week.

The Lord was saying this: "This will be a week where many circumstances will arise. Don't flinch in the midst of the enemy's movement. The enemy is only moving around you because you are moving with Me. Keep your eye on Me, keep your hand outstretched and I will pull you out of the enemy's fire; I will pull you up above his strategies and you will come down and overtake his headship. I have released a new sanctifying fire in the second heaven. You've wanted to and couldn't or you didn't know how to appropriate Me, for a new deliverance. In the weeks ahead, if you will walk with Me day by day and moment by moment, you will access a new sanctifying fire and soon you'll be free in a new way."

Friends, it is time for us to stop flinching at what the enemy throws our way and instead walk by faith...after all, it's what we do...the just walk and live by faith in God alone.

Kim Potter