MIDWEEK RISE UP Erika Kirk

Hardships do not discriminate and trials come in many different shapes and sizes. When they do hit, remember that you possess the fruits of the Spirit. You have the gift of joy, which is essentially a superpower. You are equipped for the battle. God is for you. He goes before you. He will never forsake you. He will never leave you. His love is unrelenting and immovable. When your joy is challenged, draw near to God. He is the only one who holds all things together. Don’t focus on the storm. Don’t focus on the lack. The chaos. The loss. Instead, focus on the masterpiece that God is accomplishing and working in you and through you. Don’t cling to crisis; cling to Christ.



We hope that you enjoy this episode. 

God bless you and Go Rise Up!

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Growing up I was consistently told that “hope is not a strategy.” This made no sense to me. I thought it was silly to say that it wasn’t because we’re told in 1 Corinthians 13:13 that the three things that will last forever are faith, hope and love. I kept my own “hope strategy” to myself and fought back on the premise I was repeatedly told.

Choosing hope will be more difficult at certain times than others. Sometimes the unexpected hits and it throws us off course and challenges our hope. In these trying times, you must remember that you’re wrapped in the loving arms of our God. He will catch you. He will carry you. He will lead and guide you. Remember that the Lord is our Shepherd who renews and restores our souls with hope.

In life, we will continually experience the unexpected but that’s the beauty of the promise of hope we have in Christ–we will not fail. View unshakeable hope as an adventure with God. Just you and Him in lockstep. Only God can take us into newness of life and opportunity. Only He can guide us into new places, experiences and opportunities beyond our feeble imaginings and wildest dreams. We hope that you enjoy this episode. 

God bless you and Go Rise Up!

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Repentance is more than just sincere regret or remorse. It’s more than just discontinuing a sin. Though we are extended grace continuously, it’s essential that we check our hearts and make sure that we don’t use it as an opportunity to abuse God’s free and merciful gift. Just because you have the Holy Spirit inside you doesn’t give you permission to sin, ask for forgiveness and then keep committing the same sin over and over again. Stay close to God. Keep that path clear. Stay within the jet stream of His will. View repentance as the gift that it is. Even though we don’t deserve it, it’s God’s beautiful way of saying, “Come back to me, child. Here is the path back to me. I love you, you are forgiven, now go and sin no more.”

We hope that you enjoy this episode. 

God bless you and Go Rise Up!

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In case you haven’t realized, we do not live in a world where everyone is wearing rose-colored glasses and basking in pure utopia. We live on a sinful, fallen earth and we know that the devil is the prince of this world. What God created for good, Satan wants to counterfeit and manipulate and use for evil. Don’t blame God for your “Why me?” moments. God may allow a storm to hit your life, just like Job, but He didn’t create it. None of us wants to endure pain and suffering but we are equipped to honor and glorify the Lord in the midst of it. We are enabled to clothe ourselves in the full armor of God. We have His Word, we have His Spirit, we have our salvation, and we have His promise that all that is wrong will one day be made right.



We hope that you enjoy this episode. 

God bless you and Go Rise Up!

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So many of us are afraid to be alone. We equate it with loneliness. We avoid it because silence is where our thoughts can sometimes be the loudest and our minds are where the enemy often tries to battle the hardest.

Throughout scripture, we read of God appearing to people in quiet places of solitude, giving leaders visions, or even speaking audibly.

If you find yourself alone in the quiet, it’s great to shift your mindset from selfish pursuits and to instead see it as a wonderful opportunity to enjoy a free moment alone with the Lord.



Prioritize time with God above all else. Praise Him and thank Him for all He has done. Offer Him the worship He is due. Ask Him to reveal what He is calling you to do in this season of life. Not last season. Not future seasons. But right now. Whether you’re standing on a mountain top or sitting in a valley. Seek Him fully. When you knock, you can be certain He’ll answer. He’s always ready for you to invite Him in.

We hope that you enjoy this episode. 

God bless you and Go Rise Up!

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Every choice a person makes either stirs hell up or brings heaven down. There are people who are burden-lifters and people who are burden-givers. Sometimes, a disagreement may not be over a positive versus negative viewpoint, rather, it might be over hard-headedness or hard-heartedness.

When handling disagreements and conflict, look toward Jesus and follow the example of His life. Don’t fight fire with fire. You should put on the full armor of God and you should fervently seek His wisdom. Allow God to refine you through conflict and to teach you healthier and holier ways of dealing with it. Do your best to handle disagreements like Christ. Your only responsibility is to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord. 



We hope that you enjoy this episode. 

God bless you and Go Rise Up!

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