All that each of you has to do is get up in the morning and set your heart not on what you have to do in the flesh, but set your heart on that crown and nothing else will matter. Nothing will be able to defeat you.

Jesus has a beautiful crown for each of us, and it's not just a crown we decide to take or leave when we're facing our earthly deaths or if we're called to martyrdom. It's a crown we decide we want every single day of our lives. It's a crown we've got to be willing to fight for, even if by faith alone. It's a crown we choose to sacrifice for, because we're convinced in our hearts that it's worth it and we know Jesus is counting on us.
We often picture a crown as being glamorous and golden and beautiful. But in everyday life it translates into hard work, sacrifice, dying daily‚ and taking up our crosses and serving Jesus no matter what. Holding on to our crowns is not a decision we make just once in our lives. Each and every day we've got to say‚ "Yes, I want my crown. I'm not going to deny my faith, but I'm going to give my all, whatever it takes!"—And sometimes it takes a lot; it's not always easy. We've got to decide each and every day to yield, to submit, and to fight for our crown, to keep doing God's will, His highest and best plan for us!
We've all got to fight for our crowns! It's dying daily and the continual choosing to take up our crosses to follow Jesus that translates into "that crown"! We may never see our crowns in a tangible form, so it doesn't just take fight, but faith as well, to hang on and not give up. But it's more than worth it! As Dad said: "There's no crown without a cross, no testimony without a test, no triumph without a trial, no victory without a battle, no rose without a thorn! Praise God, that's what you joined the army for—to fight and to win! It's worth it! It's worth every fight, every battle, every test, every trial! It's worth it all!"

(Jesus: ) If you ask Me to help you, and then fight to change your mindset, your life will not be all sadness or trying to maintain or forget about the sacrifices involved. I will engineer things so that you will be very happy, you will have your needs met, and I will even do extra things for you to reward you. You will forget about the sacrifices, because I will pay you back abundantly. And remember that when I pay you back to the point where you don't feel that you've made a sacrifice, that's where it has only reached one percent of your reward. My promise is to repay one hundredfold, so there's much, much‚ much more yet to come! I love to spoil My brides, those who give Me everything.

You must meet every situation you face with praise and positiveness, realizing the truth of My Word that all things do work together for good to you!* That is the absolute truth. The battle that you must fight is to claim every event as a positive one, and by force of your spiritual attitude, to battle through and not give up or lose ground in spirit until that event actually has a positive result. If not now, in front of your eyes, then eventually, as you and others claim your rights and hang on to the silver lining that is always behind every single thing that happens to you. (*Romans 8:28)

You must stop from time to time and look at what you're doing in relation to Me and in relation to eternity. Think about what you have planned to do today and ask yourself if it's eternally sound, if it's something that you can take with you when you leave Earth, or if it's something that's going to pass away and be lost.
You must live for the second life, the world beyond, rather than living for this current life, this short time‚ this vapor. When you look at the heavenly vision you're reminded and motivated by what's really important and what's actually worth living for and caring about, and you can set aside what is too petty and meaningless to let into your life or hold you back.
Things tend to snap into perspective when weighed against eternity. And, oh, the comfort it can bring to your heart when you can remember that no matter how tough a battle may seem, your life on Earth is just the tip of the iceberg. Whatever was tough on Earth is not going to be tough in Heaven, and you're going to be so happy that you held on and fought bravely.

With the information you have right now, you know that it's important to Me that while you're on Earth you love Me and keep My commandments‚ that you love your neighbor as yourself and learn lessons of love, that you win as many souls and disciples to My Kingdom as you can, and that you give your children positive training that will last for eternity. These things, and the lessons and study that allow you to do these things, or support those who are‚ will last forever. Beyond this, not much matters.

The Lord must be our First Love! It's not always good to go to someone else instead of the Lord during those times when the Lord is allowing us to be lonely, because the reason He's letting us be lonely is so we'll draw closer to Him & it will force us to go to Him & Him alone to really love Him & fellowship with Him & get to know Him better. If sometimes we are lonely, it's something the Lord is putting us through.We should be so thankful that He's brought us to this place of utter dependence on Him & only Him.--That He even trusts us with this suffering or this trial & sacrifice & that He knows we're going to put Him first in spite of it all!

For My Spirit to come down upon you, you must be very, very low. You must have no confidence in yourself. When you walk with this mindset, knowing that you are nothing, then what that means is that you have made room for Me, and at the appointed time I will enter and I will lead.

NOTHING LIKE THE HUMILIATION OF A GOOD JOKE ON YOURSELF TO HELP KEEP US FROM GETTING SO SELF-RIGHTEOUS & so super-sober & severely serious that we can't enjoy a good joke on ourselves & can't see how funny we are.

(Jesus:) Only those who fight with no fear of loss in their hearts conquer all. They have nothing to lose, therefore they gain all things. They conquer all, for they are not defending personal claims or possessions, but are rather fighting for the honor of the Kingdom. They proudly open their arms to the battle, and they smile into the fray, for they know that it can only serve to better them. They know there is no loss in this battle--only victory.
Therefore give all, without thought of the morrow, that you may gain all. Give without fear of loss, that you may gain the treasure, the spoil of the battle, the reward of the fight--for it is highly esteemed and precious. One soldier who fears no loss is worth more than a host of soldiers who fight with reservations in their hearts. Therefore, strive to have no fear of loss. Place all in My hands. I shall keep it there and then you need not fear loss. You will not lose.
I am the Giver and the Taker. I never cause loss. I give and I take, but this is not loss unto you but gain--if you are able to leave all things in My hands. For I do not take and stop there, but the cycle will continue, just as the sun rises in the morning after darkness has veiled the land; I will give unto you again.
I wish to make you of a special caliber--those upon whom the Enemy can exact no fear or worry. You must trust explicitly and champion the cause of those around you, that you may show others the joy of fighting without reservation and of obtaining the perfect victory. This is the glorious conquest of a fighter. (End of message.)

After a long and heavy battle‚ it's natural to feel so tired and worn and to wonder if you will ever recover. It's natural to think that because you're so spent you'll never be able to go on, or to even fight as well as you did before. But you must have faith, My loves—faith in My word; that I give power to the faint and to them that have no might, I increase strength. I am your strength.

Each time you felt weak, I became your strength; each time you felt hurt or pain or suffered, I became your strength. Your strength is in Me and I will never fail to be strong through you. I will not allow the battles you have fought for Me to harm you in any way, as long as you look to Me for the purifying and healing of your wounds. They will strengthen you, My loves, for that is My spiritual principle and that is My promise.—Out of weakness you are made strong; from your battles you gain spiritual strength.

Having your faith tried in a difficult situation is never easy and never will be, and not something one looks forward to or would wish upon themselves. But it is during those times that you have to remind yourself over and over again that I am in control. I love you. You are My bride, I am your Husband, and I will never abandon you or desert you. I am with you through all things, both the good and the bad, and during those times of trial and tribulation I am right by your side, no matter how much you may think or feel I am not, or whatever lies the Enemy whispers in your ear.
This is when praise becomes your most powerful tool and weapon against the Enemy. Praise will lift you above the clouds and help you to see the situation more from My perspective than your own human earthly one. It sounds like an impossibility, but it is a promise that you can stand on.
I ride upon the wings of your praise. Therefore claiming the keys and praising in any situation, especially a negative situation, brings Me right to the forefront of the battle‚ where I draw out My sword and cut the Enemy to the heart.

So learn to trust Me and to believe that whatever I bring into your life is for your good and will strengthen you. Even if I bring you into a desolate place, a place that you feel has no "potential," or a ministry [or job] that seems simple or unchallenging, know that I have a plan and a purpose, and that as you find out what that plan is, you will in turn find the happiness and fulfillment that you seek.
There is no happier place to be than in the center of My will. There is no greater thrill in life than to know that you are pleasing Me and that I am in first place in your life. All other things will pale by comparison when you find the happiness and contentment that comes from doing My will.
When you can truly let go of all that you hold dear—whatever it is that you're desiring or wanting Me to do for you—and you place it in My hands and give it freely to Me‚ then I in turn will fill you with the true riches and desires that you have only dreamed of!

I know how it feels when people don't think well of you. But I realized that that was one of the prices of giving My all to My Father and of following and obeying His will. I had to decide in My heart that "none of these things move Me" (Acts 20:24). I was willing to pay the price that not all would receive Me or My help, or appreciate what I was doing out of love for them. And that's what I ask of you.
I know it stings and hurts your hearts, but please don't let these things offend you or pull you off the wall. Rather let it soften and break your hearts in a way that will propel you forward spiritually more than ever, by driving you to Me for My perspective, My view, and My comfort and instruction during these times of growing and stretching.
I don't want you to have to suffer from the opinions of men, My darlings, and if you're humble enough, it won't bother you that much. Rather, just be happy and thankful that I'm the One Whose opinion of you really counts—and that you know what I think of you!

I love you and I need you—just you. So cast off the weights that do so easily beset you, and run with patience the race that is set before you, looking unto Me, the Author and Finisher of your faith (Hebrews 12:1-2). I will be right by your side and I will give you the grace‚ the forgiveness, and all that you need so that the healing balm of My Spirit may go to work in your life and make what was once a broken and crushed heart into one that is bigger and more beautiful, for it will be melded together with Mine.

I had a mission to fulfill, just as you do. I was working in a pretty tight timeframe to complete My mission, just as you are as the End draws nearer. And know that the same supernatural strength that was given to Me to put all the hurts‚ the accusations, and the sting of others' words and actions behind Me, is available to you in the hour that you call upon Me‚ so that you can fulfill the calling that I have given you. Don't allow these things to hold you back, for if you do, there will be a loss—not only to you personally but also to the progress of My work overall.

Sweet Jesus, one more thing I'd like to ask of You--please help me to be like Mary. Give me all the qualities in my life that Mary had. I want to love being with You and treasure every moment with You. I want to hear every precious Word You have to say and not miss anything. I don't want to ever refuse to come when You call, to hear Your Words and Your voice. I don't want to disappoint You in this, Jesus. Please help me to change, to always come when You want to speak and You want to tell me Your Words. Make me like Mary, who chose the good part that shall not be taken away from her, in Jesus' name.