Author: Anneta Pinto-Young

I am a trained Social Worker who currently provides professional leadership on a programme to support Social Work students and Newly Qualified Social Workers entering the Social Work Profession. Born and raised in Jamaica in a Christian family where my father is an ordained Pastor and Deacon who has served for over 50 years in the ministry. My father is also a trained musician and our family can be described as a musical family. I grew up in a small farming community in St. Peter’s, St. Andrew and my parents also have a small farm. I credit my gift of writing to my father who I watched and listened to over the years as he wrote sermons, poems and other recitals in his capacity in ministry. English has always been an easy subject for me and over the years I have developed an increased interest in writing. I am a Trainer, I sing and have a passion for worship, the spoken word and the free flow of the prophetic anointing. I am married to my best friend Andrew Christopher Young who is an advanced Musician and whose music you can find on YouTube and Facebook. I am a trained Coach and Mentor and I love experimenting with food so I love cooking. I enjoy trying cultural dishes from across the world and I view food as an entry into cultures and languages.

Silence Your Fears

“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

The bible is full of scriptures that speak about fear and the need to have courage. In many instances, when an angel appeared to saints, the first instruction would be, ‘fear not.’ The Jews are recorded as being quite fearful of God and ran away when he spoke to them out of the mountain. “and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die”” (Exodus 20:19). Moses also told them not to fear and said that God had come to test them, so that they would fear him. The type of fear which Moses spoke of was not the unpleasant emotion associated with being in danger. He spoke of reverential awe, respect and submission. This is one of the only times when we are told to have any type of fear and this is reserved for God.

Another time when the Jews were afraid, was when they were between Pharaoh and the Red Sea. This event would produce fear in almost anyone, as the situation seemed like certain death. I believe that God allowed these events to teach his people about faith and trust in him. God opened the sea to let the people go through and then closed the sea when Pharaoh and his army pursued (Exodus 14: 19-31). The outcome should also have produced in the people, a deep sense of trust and the fear of God. We are not sure how much the many signs and wonders done by God, helped to increase faith in the Jews. They cried and complained at the first sign of every major trial and they failed the final test of entering the promised land. After spying out the land, the ten spies spoke out their fears in the hearing of the people.

What the spies spoke invoked an extreme sense of fear in the people and caused them to rebel. Caleb and Joshua spoke faith and hope, but their voices were drowned out by the voices of fear. Isreal failed their assignment and an entire generation died in the wilderness, because of fear. Caleb and Joshua were the only ones to survive, because they had courage (Numbers 13). Fear originates from the devil as God did not give us the spirit of fear, but he gave us power, love and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). Whenever we have a negative thought, which creates an unpleasant emotion within us, we know that it is from the devil. It is one thing to feel fear, the mistake is to give it a voice. It is possible that Caleb and Joshua felt that same reservations that the other ten spies felt. The difference is that they did not give a voice to it.

When you feel fear, know that the devil is near and his agents are speaking. Instead of repeating the lies that they are whispering, bind the spirit of fear, resist the devil and he will run (James 4:7). We cannot stop the devil from projecting doubts and fears towards us, but we can use the shield of faith to block him. We can also rebuke him and speak a word of faith which contradicts his lies. The one thing that we should not do, is to repeat the lies. The devil is after our words and he whispers lies, in the hope that we will repeat them. He understands spiritual laws and since the bible says that whatever we decree will be established, that also includes lies associated with fear. All the devil needs is for us to speak from a place of fear, but let us guard our mouths and keep a watch over our words. Speak the word of God when you feel afraid and don’t succumb to the enemy.

“being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete” (2 Corinthians 10:6).

A.P.-Y.

Planting the Heavens

“And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people” (Isaiah 51:16).

In Isaiah 51, Isaiah spoke concerning the Lord’s comfort to Zion. He spoke to the people of God who sought after righteousness, who were the seed of Abraham. “For the Lord comforts Zion; he comforts all her waste places and makes her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of song” (Isaiah 51:3). God was calling for the attention of his people, as he was sending out his words for justice and light. He was ready to render judgement and justice for his people. God’s comfort to his people was that the earth would be destroyed and the wicked would be eaten up. The righteous however, would reign forever with God.

God is calling his people to arise with strength and remember how he had delivered them before. He speaks of restoring his people with joy and singing. “I, I am he who comforts you; who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass” (Isaiah 51:12). God’s people had often forgotten about his power, when they became afraid of their enemies. He had a plan to restore his people and would rescue them from destruction. God has placed his words in the mouth of his people, so that we can establish the heavens. God is restoring his people and placing the sorrow that they once experienced on their oppressors.

Planting or establishing the heavens relates to God’s kingdom and his will being done on earth, as it is in heaven. As we are seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, our spheres of influence should reflect the culture of heaven. We are Ambassadors who are commissioned on earth with jurisdictional authority, to represent heaven and to advance the kingdom. We use the word of God to command things that be not as though they were (Romans 4:17). We decree a thing and it will be established and the light will shine upon our ways (Job 22:28). Since we are created in the image and likeness of God and he created the earth and humanity from words, our words have creative power. God’s words in our mouth establishes the environment where we live and influences the world.

We are entering a new season of acceleration, where things that can be shaken will be removed, and things that cannot be shaken will remain (Hebrews 12:27). Many man made systems will be destroyed, to give way for the things of God and God will use the church to bring alignment and structure. We have to stay positioned and ready to move at his command, as the church is advancing in this season. The kingdom of God has suffered many trials in the last few years and we have been weary from battle. This new season is full of momentum as a fresh wind is blowing to bring alignment. God’s kingdom, judgement and his government is being established in this season. “Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved” (Matthew 9:17).

A.P.-Y.

Access Granted

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

Paul encouraged us to approach God without fear or apprehension. Many times we approach people in authority to make a request of them. We often don’t know how they may respond to us and consider ourselves at their mercy. Jesus Christ understands what we need and can relate to our struggles. God wants our relationship with him to be one where we know that we have free access to him.

Reference is made of the time following Jesus’s crucifixion and death. After Jesus cried out with a loud voice and said, “it is finished.” “And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split” (Matthew 27:51).

Now the curtains in the temple separated the High Priest, who would enter the Holy of Holies to pray and offer sacrifices for the people. Theologians conclude that the significance of the veil being torn suggests, that all have access to the Holy of Holies. It does not matter who we are, what we have done and whether or not we feel worthy. Jesus died to bridge the gap between us and God so that we can enter into his presence without fear.

“And this is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us” (1 John 5:14).

A.P.-Y.

God Favours You

“And when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she won favor in his sight, and he held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther approached and touched the tip of the sceptre” (Esther‬ ‭5:2).‬

In the book of Esther, Mordecai was a servant at the King’s gate. He was also the Uncle of Esther who raised her as his own daughter, because she didn’t have parents. Esther was chosen among the virgins to become the Queen of the King. When she became queen she never disclosed her Jewish origin, as Mordecai warned her not to (Esther 2:1-18). After she became queen, the King promoted Haman who was an official in his court. Now the servants who served at the gate would bow to pay homage to Haman, at the King’s command. Mordecai did not bow like the other servants, because he honoured God’s word which forbid him to bow to anyone other than God (Esther 3:1-6).

This infuriated Haman who made the decision to not only destroy Mordecai, but all the Jews because of their belief system. Haman built gallows on which to hang Mordecai, but this plot backfired as God caused Mordecai to find favour with the King. The King used Haman to honour Mordecai, when he was reminded of a good deed which Mordecai had done in the past, which saved his life (Esther 6). Esther also found favour with the King and disclosed to the him her Jewish heritage. This was because Haman’s plot would also include her destruction, along with the other Jews. The King’s anger burned against Haman and he commanded that he be hung on the gallows which he built to hang Mordecai (Esther 7).

Following the deliverance of the Jews, Mordecai was promoted to a position which was second in command to the King (Esther 10:1-3). A plot which was meant to bring about Mordecai’s demise, led to his elevation and promotion. Esther also gained great favour and was given the lands which belonged to Haman (Esther 8:1).

The trial that you are currently facing has been devised, to stand in the way of your God given destiny. The good news is that the enemy cannot abort God’s plans for your life, once you stay in his presence and live according to his will. Stay faithful to God and hold unto his promises. Pray, praise, stay in faith and watch God cause the plans of the enemy to backfire and lead to their own demise. No weapons formed against you will prosper and the trap meant for your downfall will bring about elevation and promotion. You are blessed and highly favoured and surely goodness and mercy will follow you all the days of your life.

A.P.-Y.