Last year, we declared 2018 to be a year of activation. Though we had some challenging times and difficulties as a local family of believers, if we look back on the things that the church has been empowered to do and the revelations or remembrances of God’s promises, we can see just how much God has been faithful to us as a body of Christ.

Opposition always precedes breakthroughs. This means that in our attempt for breakthrough, in our attempt to step into the next glory that God is calling us into, we can expect to be met by a barrier of fierce opposition from the enemy. Ever since creation, Satan had made it his mission to thwart the good plans of God for us by keeping us from our true identity in Him—a royal children of the Kingdom of God.

But God, who is all knowing—God, whose thoughts and ways are higher than ours—looked through eternity and knew that His character as a loving Father and our identity as His royal sons and daughters would be revealed through Jesus Christ, His Beloved Son.

In this year of acceleration, we should anticipate and prepare our hearts to receive more abundance from Abba, our loving and heavenly Father. But with abundance, there will also be persecution and opposition, so we, as a church, should stand in unity against the enemy who desires to steal, kill, and destroy.

Paul wrote his letter to the Ephesian church, “Your hand-to-hand combat is not with human beings, but with the highest principalities and authorities operating in rebellion under the heavenly realms. For they are powerful class of demon-gods and evil spirits that hold this dark world in bondage. Because of this, you must wear all the armor that God provides so you’re protected as you confront the slanderer for you are destined for all things and will rise victorious.” (Ephesians 6:12-13 TPT)

We may be hard pressed on every side but we are not crushed…perplexed but not in despair…persecuted but not abandoned nor forsaken. God who has been so faithful to us in the past is the same today and forever! And we, in our new selves, now have our identity in Christ.

So, (Ephesians 6:14-18 TPT) “put on truth as a belt to strengthen you to stand in triumph. Put on holiness as the protective armor that covers your heart. Stand on your feet alert, then you’ll always be ready to share the blessings of peace.

“In every battle, take faith as your wrap-around shield, for it is able to extinguish the blazing arrows coming at you from the Evil One! Embrace the power of salvation’s full deliverance, like a helmet to protect your thoughts from lies. And take the mighty razor-sharp Spirit-sword of the spoken Word of God.

“Pray passionately in the Spirit, as you constantly intercede with every form of prayer at all times. Pray the blessings of God upon all his believers.”