Joy & Celebration
to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
Isaiah 61:3
Over the past few years, July has been a very difficult month for me. It’s been strange, but July has marked the end of some giant events in my life and I’ve found myself battling intense discouragement in July for a few years in a row.
As we prayed about July, I heard the phrase, “Joy in July.” And I realized I was dreading the month of July because of past seasons. However, God is doing a new thing and He is specifically releasing joy as a key to breakthrough. Specifically, when we’re battling discouragement, fear, or are coming up against the same giant over and over again, it’s time to pull out the laughter and celebration.
Does that seem counterintuitive? Well, it is! By aligning ourselves with JOY and celebration even before we see our breakthrough, we’re aligning ourselves with what Heaven says about our circumstances, not what we see in the natural or feel about it. It’s time to step into a divine exchange. And bring God your grief, your heaviness, your disappointment, and your lack. Pick up JOY.
Praise Before Your Breakthrough
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, everyone's bonds were unfastened.
Acts 16:25-26
Praise isn’t passive or insignificant. Rather, praise is a powerful key to breakthrough. Praise requires us to take our eyes off of our circumstances and to put them back on Jesus. When we praise, we’re declaring, “God is good in all things.” And He can bring goodness out of any situation.
If you’re feeling stuck, trapped in lack, or caught in a negative circumstance, then it’s time to praise. As you praise God, He will show up. And while I can’t promise that your problem will magically get fixed, I can promise that God will meet you where you’re at. And He can turn your situation to good. Bill Johnson has often said that we can only give God a sacrifice of praise on this side of heaven, because in heaven it will no longer be a sacrifice. So praise Him before the breakthrough shows up.
Praise can actually open the door to breakthrough in your own life. But more importantly, it opens you up to connection with the Holy Spirit and brings you back to a right way of thinking and connecting to God. If you want more inspiration in this area, listen to the song “Praise Before Your Breakthrough” by Brian and Katie Torwalt.
Flourishing Amidst Opposition
The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy, but I came to give life and life abundant.
John 10.10
God has given you the power and authority to flourish in every season. Psalm 1 says the righteous are like a “tree planted by streams of water, which yield its fruit in season.” Because you are righteous through the blood of Jesus, this verse applies to you. The accuser attempts to belittle and discredit you. The enemy will bring up every mistake, every failure, every area of struggle and accuse you. However, these accusations no longer have any weight because you are covered by the blood of Jesus and when the Father looks at you, He sees the perfection of Jesus.
What do you do when accusations come? Picture yourself going to the courts of heaven and standing before the Perfect Judge. When the enemy accuses you, he has proof. And often, the proof…well, it’s pretty accurate. Take these accusations before God and allow the Lord to see you. Often, when the accusations come, we feel like we have to hide from God. Instead, go before Him and let Him see everything the enemy is accusing you of. Then, acknowledge any area you have stepped out of alignment with Him or sinned and repent. Finally, ask for Jesus, your Advocate, to come and stand in the gap for you. The good news–Jesus is ALREADY standing in the gap for you. He has already paid the price for you to live pure, holy, and free from all accusations. However, this process opens your eyes to see and remember! From this place, boldly ask the Lord for what you need. As you boldly ask the Lord, you are turning the enemy’s plans on his head. Now, stand in confidence and declare God’s purposes over your life.
Preparation Seasons
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
Matthew 6:26
Whether you turn to the right or the left, you will hear a voice behind you saying this is the way, walk in it.
Isaiah 30:21
God is setting up His people to walk in their divine destinies and assignments. For many people, this means He is preparing people to step into something new. God prepared Joseph when He was in Potiphar’s house and when he was in prison. Even though it looked like he went from bad to worse, God was teaching Joseph how to steward excellence. God prepared David when he was playing music for King Saul and teaching David the ways of the palace, which he would later inherit. In the same way, God is preparing you.
In preparation seasons, it can feel like you’re not moving forward into what’s coming or like you’re treading water. But God is strategically preparing you. It’s important to stay in connection with the Lord, even if what you’re experiencing doesn’t look like what God promised.
You may sense a change is coming, but you’re unsure what’s next. Stay in intimacy with Jesus and ask the Lord what He wants to develop in you right now. Perhaps, it’s faithfulness or consistency. He may bring a certain skill to mind and ask you to develop it. Enjoy His Presence even if you don’t fully understand what to do right now and be faithful to do whatever He shows you. He is intentional with the way He’s leading you.
At The Crowning Jewels, it's our desire and our mission to bring encouragement, to build others up, and to bring comfort to people’s lives (1 Corinthians 14.3). Each month, our founder, Anne Jackson, and our main writer, Katelyn Alexander ask the Lord what He’s doing in the coming month and for any words of encouragement He might have for His people. We believe that prophetic words need to be encouraging and edifying. Moreover, with a corporate prophetic word, not all words are applicable to all people. If our words bless you, please take hold of them and apply them in your own life. If it’s not specific to you, please pass it on to someone else who might be blessed.
As always, the prophetic is a free gift from heaven and will always be something we freely share. As a prophetic business, it’s our mission to bring encouragement and edification to people through the free gift of prophecy, with our product being jewelry.
We at The Crowning Jewels believe in the absolute, transformational power of declarations. We know that truth comes by hearing (Romans 10.17), and speaking truth is an active way for us to renew our minds (Romans 12.2). We invite you to partner with what God is doing and say these declarations for the remainder of the month. We would love to hear what God does! Please email us your testimony at hello@thecrowningjewels.com.
Declarations:
- I am choosing to live in joy no matter what circumstances I face!
- I am praising God even before I experience my breakthrough!
- I can flourish in all seasons
- The Lord is preparing me for good works
- I am righteous because I am covered by the blood of Jesus
Each month we design limited edition pieces of jewelry, only available for that month, handmade with words and charms that reflect this prophetic word. If this word resonates with you and you'd like to wear a reminder of its truths, click the pieces below to shop!
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Blog written by Anne E. Jackson and Katelyn Alexander
