Lionesses Arising

In these days the Holy Spirit is awakening and arousing each one of us, as followers of Christ, to become fiercely awake to our identity and purpose. I wonder what’s the prowess in our lives that we can uniquely bring to the table? It’s as if we’ve been tranquilised by the absorption of life’s cares or fear instead of people who radiate or release His love. It is time for the lionesses, filled with the spirit of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah to arise and be who we’ve been created to be!

A lioness arising

Do you know lionesses are the heart of a pride – they’re the ‘backbone to survival, cohesion and legacy!’ God needs each one of us!

What inhibits the wellspring of river flowing out of us? What stops us releasing our sound.  It’s as if the lioness, has been unable to operate and roar like we were designed to do. Perhaps it’s fear, trauma, unforgiveness, jealousy of others, busyness (cares of this world) rejection, intimidation, guilt, condemnation etc. The great news is Jesus has dealt with every single one of those on the cross. If only we knew what our inheritance is – what’s been won on the cross, we wouldn’t struggle as much as we do! We wouldn’t remain a victim! Jesus was fully human and understands our every weakness and wants to set us completely free to be all that He has created us to be! God has made each of us uniquely with a plan and purpose which only we can deliver. He longs to see us using our voice and see ourselves, our families, communities, nation set free. This is a new year – 5786 – the year of the VAV – what we speak out has the power to bring breakthrough!

Romans 13:11-14 (The Message). "But make sure that you don’t get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. The night is about over; dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing! God is putting the finishing touches on the salvation work He began when we first believed. We can’t afford to waste a minute, must not squander these precious daylight hours in frivolity and indulgence, in sleeping around and dissipation, in bickering and grabbing everything in sight. Get out of bed and get dressed! Don’t loiter and linger, waiting until the very last minute. Dress yourselves in Christ and be up and about!"

In order to lionesses rising up there’s 2 very important things to know about how they operate:

Lion resting

a)     Lionesses like lions spend most of their day RESTING to conserve energy. Females typically resting 15-18 hours daily and males up to 20 hours. This is not laziness, but they rest in order to hunt between dawn and dusk when the temperatures are cooler and low light vision is advantageous.

We too are born out of REST – the victory has already been won on the cross and we need to learn how to ABIDE, dwell and draw from the vine. To learn how to surrender and allow God to take over and not strive. ‘not by might, not by power but by thy spirit’ To live a life fully surrendered to Him – giving Him space to move in our hearts. To allow Holy spirit to deal with any heart issues which block the river from flowing out of us.  ‘In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.’. a quietening of our souls to hear from Him – undistracted time with just Him. To Behold Him. For what we behold we magnify and what we magnify we become.

b)    Lions and lionesses need to get necessary nutrients, and their digestive process requires significant rest. (especially after a big meal – up to 50kg at one time) A lot of energy is needed in the hunt.

We too need to learn to feed on His word allowing it to be fully absorbed into our very spirit man - for together with the spirit we are empowered for life in this world –‘for it says know the truth and the truth will set you free -  for there’s such power and authority in His word. He spoke and it came into being.

Psalm 119:89 "Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens." 

Joshua 1:8 ^"Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." 

God's word is powerful

Meditation in the bible is to fill your mind – to chew on the word of God and say it so often that it gets into our memory bank, our soul, our heart, into our way of thinking so it takes on its own life in our lifestyle and together with the spirit changes and transforms us.

Proverbs 4:20-22 "My son, pay attention to what I say: turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body. (The word of God will keep us healthy, to keep us victorious in every issue – social, emotional, family) Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips." (There is power of life and death in our tongue) In this new time of shifting let us be people who use our mouths as vavs to pull down heaven to earth – through prayer, praise, declarations, prophesying

Ernest Hemingway said, “Today is only one day in all the days that will ever be. But what will happen in all the other days that ever come can depend on what you do today."  GOD SAYS MAKE THE MOST OF TODAY!!!

Let’s make a declaration together: This is a new era, and I haven’t been this way before. I am choosing to trust you God for the way ahead.  I am pushing through in prayer and action for my breakthrough. I am paying attention to your word and inclining my ear to it. I will keep your word in my heart and not let them out of my sight. For they are life and health to my whole body. I repent for idle words, negative, critical words that are not edifying. Lord show me every day how I can connect my voice to heaven and release down to earth to see breakthrough. Anoint our mouths afresh to be your vavs.

I have a spirit of power and of love and a sound mind. I will not be afraid for you are with me. We ask you to fill us with supernatural courage and power to overcome, so we can take hold of our destinies, the destinies you have for our loved ones, for our communities and the destiny of our nation!!  Amen

Working together for the sake of the Kingdom

Lionesses are deeply social. They work together as a team to raise up cubs but also when hunting to bring bigger prey (zebras, buffalo, wildebeasts). They know each other’s strengths and weaknesses and work together to ambush and bring about a kill with speed and stealth. In one documentary, at a time of extreme drought lionesses were filmed working together to kill an elephant to provide food for the pride! Wow!

They fiercely defend their young against male intruders (by keeping them hidden, moving them to new locations and forming protective creches with other females) who may try to kill the cubs to bring the mother to the point, sometimes where she is prepared to fight to the death,. The collective effort of the pride along with the mother’s strong individual protection is crucial for the cubs’ survival.

Working together

This is a time for believers to work together to see the enemy destroyed. To use divine strategy in prayer and declarations to see breakthroughs and the Goliaths destroyed.

There is no place for jealousy or envy but a time to relentlessly and persistently pray to see younger Christians, family members know Jesus for them to be guided and instructed in God’s ways. Where the motivation comes from a place of love and a deep desire to advance Gods kingdom. A time for praying in faith and praying in agreement so that mountains fall.

Lionesses are very good at communicating using their body language, vocalisations and scent marking and reinforce their bonds to each other through grooming, nuzzling, head rubbing. They hone their skills in front of each other.  All of this social bonding ensures the group’s unity and survival.   

Likewise, the lionesses (football team) successes have been defined by their skill, and   determination . Never a moment when they were not working and pushing together. They valued every single member of the team and did not have any one or two in the team with big egos. Their strength and reliance comes from working as a collective force, a force that recognizes hunting together wins the biggest prey! Even insisting on all members of staff being in the winning photo at the end of the match is a perfect eg of this. Everyone had played a part.

Similarly, we are created as a body to work together, across denomination, race, society for the sake of the kingdom. Each one of us is valuable and carry different giftings and anointings needed for these days of kingdom advancement. 

There’s no room now for isolation, jealousy, offence it’s time to forgive quickly and repent and move on in love and grace. To have unoffendable hearts.

The enemy has taken too much from us – kill, steal, destroy! It’s time for us as the lionesses filled with the spirit of the Lion of the tribe of Judah to rise up and pray and cry out for our families to be restored. "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" James 5:16.  To pray in agreement.  Matthew 18:19."To seek His face and hear from heaven the divine strategies on how to pray what’s on the Father’s heart."

All of us have different giftings. it’s time to bring the gold out of each other! By sharing and communicating with each other we sharpen each other and see the bigger picture.  "Iron sharpens iron!" Proverbs 27:17.

Everything we do is from a place of love – which comes from a place of intimacy with the Lord– we can’t give out love if we haven’t received it ourselves.  We need people we can be vulnerable with – people who we can trust and feel safe with.  

It’s a time of divine connections – finding people with the same vision to work together, to be undistracted and focussed on the task ahead. To find our tribe – those who understand us and desire to see the Kingdom advance.

So, to finish just as Paul wrote to the Corinthians: this is the cry from our Heavenly Father to His children.  2 Corinthians 6:11-13  ^"Dear, dear Corinthians, I can’t tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life. We didn’t fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren’t small, but you’re living them in a small way. I’m speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!"

Time to make more room for Jesus to dwell. To extend your tent pegs of your tabernacle! The time for greater freedom and spaciousness allowing Holy Spirit to move and have His being in you. For Holy spirit flow out of you to touch those spheres of influence that He has given you.  

Ali Rimmer