Whenever we listen to the Holy Spirit, He downloads peace and messages of hope and conviction into our hearts. I recall the year I spent journaling to an audience before Undeniably His was born. The Lord’s wisdom given to me was overflowing and was intended to be shared. Do you find yourself wanting to impact other people for God’s glory? As we grow in Him, He will use us to help others grow.
In this second guest blog post by my friend Jessica, we will learn ways to stay in tune with the Holy Spirit, be encouraged to use our social media platforms for God’s glory, and remember to lead our friends to Jesus through Scripture.
Jessica will remind you through this post that “Social media is not the only way God is using you!” While she intentionally uses her platform for God’s glory, she also nurtures the friendships Jesus has gifted her with as well. Take a few minutes to read the wisdom Jesus wants to share with you through her!
- How do you keep a pure heart that is in tune with the Holy Spirit?
This is my favorite question because this is something that I have been able to protect and nurture ever since I was a little girl! Having a pure heart that is in tune with the Holy Spirit comes from fully knowing AND believing that I am a daughter, a vessel, and a princess warrior for the Kingdom of God! By knowing who I am to God and in God, I am able to stand as tall and as firm as a tree. I am able to be firmly rooted in Scripture, unshaken by the opinions, voices, and distractions of the world!
When we are heavenly minded and constantly pressing into the Lord to define our identity, purpose, value, and worth, our lives will reflect the purest parts of Jesus!
Have you ever read the story about the Potter and the clay? Turn with me to Jeremiah chapter 18. We are going to walk down to the Potter’s house together today. In Jeremiah, the Potter represents God, and the clay represents God’s people. Once Jeremiah arrived at the potter’s house, we see that God began speaking to him.
Jeremiah 18:4 (CSB) states, “But the jar that he was making from the clay became flawed in the potter’s hand, so he made it into another jar, as it seemed right for him to do.”
The potter didn’t look at his clay and say, “You are broken and damaged, so you are no good.” The potter made the clay into another jar! No matter what you have done or been through, God invites you to know Him deeper, to live with a pure heart focused on His abundant blessings, and to be made new in love, image, and truth!
LADIES!
When the world says you are not loveable, GOD says, “YOU are FOREVER loved” (Romans 8:38-39).
When the world says you are scarred, GOD says, “YOU are HEALED” (Isaiah 53:5).
When the world says you are weak, GOD says, “I make you strong” (Psalm 18:32).
When the opinions of others say all you are is a sinner, GOD says, “You are FORGIVEN” (1 John 2:12).
When the world says you are abandoned, GOD says, “I have adopted you” (Ephesians 1:5).
When you feel broken and the lies of the enemy are infiltrating your mind, GOD says “YOU are made WHOLE” (Colossians 2:10).
When the world makes you feel less than and rejected, GOD says, “YOU ARE HIS” (Isaiah 43:1).
When you feel alone, GOD says, “I am ALWAYS with you” (Joshua 1:9).
When the world says you are without purpose, GOD says, “I created you with PURPOSE” (Esther 4:14).
When the world says you are nothing, GOD says, “YOU are FEARFULLY and WONDERFULLY made” (Psalm 139:14).
and Ladies… when the world tries to tell you that you are not worth it.. GOD says, “Jesus died for you BECAUSE you are worth it” (John 3:16).
Keeping a pure heart that is in tune with the Holy Spirit comes from truly knowing who Jesus is! When we know who Jesus is, we will discover all that we are in HIM!
When we know who we are in the Lord, the world’s opinions, distractions, and temptations will be easier to reject. We will walk hand-in-hand with the Lord with pure hearts focused on radiating purity, love, kindness, gentleness, and truth in the ways we speak, dress, act, and live!
2. What encouragement would you give to the girl who is trying to use her social media platform for God’s glory?
YOU … yes YOU UNRIVALED, STUNNING INSIDE AND OUT, RADIANT PRINCESS WARRIOR FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD … I AM SO PROUD OF YOU!!!
How absolutely REFRESHING it is to use both the GENTLE & STRONG voice God gave YOU for HIS glory through your social media platforms! I am literally SO EXCITED to cheer you on as you steward your platform for God’s glory!
Jeremiah 1:9 (CSB) so beautifully states, “Then the Lord reached out his hand, touched my mouth, and told me: I have now filled your mouth with my words.”
As believers and as Biblical women, we are called to use and our steward our influence. We must use our voices to lead others closer to our Father! As you are using your social media for God’s glory, allow every word you speak and post you make to lead others closer to God and to His everlasting love! We are messengers!
We live in a day and time where influence is defined by a blue check, the number of followers someone has, or the opportunities they are given. While all of these are beautiful blessings from God and should be stewarded well, they should not be the main focuses or goals of our ministry!
Social media is just ONE of MANY ways the Lord is using you! If the main thing you are focused on when using your platform for God’s glory are the numbers, the connections, and the immediate following, I would really encourage you to pray that the Lord would reveal the intentions behind your “why.”
I pray that every day as you wake up, you would RISE UP and walk in submission to the Lord, letting Him speak through you and work through the ministry He has for you!
Psalm 139:14 (CSB) says, “I will praise you because I have been remarkably and wondrously made. Your works are wondrous, and I know this very well.”
YOU are UNRIVALED in every way! YOU are FEARFULLY and WONDERFULLY MADE! God gave you the VOICE you have for a purpose. Your voice has the POWER of life and death! He designed YOU to look like YOU because He loves you! The Lord delights in you because He created you! As you are using your social media for God’s glory, DELIGHT in who He created you to be, FORGET the comparison game, and STEWARD the people who are following you!
If everything that God was doing in and through you was only ever meant for one person, would it be worth it?
YES! YES!
I pray that you would wake up every single day ready to OWN the BLESSED LIFE God has for you, SATURATE your opportunities in prayer, and STEWARD your platform well!
Whether you have one follower or one billion followers, steward that person or the people in a way that is honoring to the Lord. You DO have a platform, and the Lord IS working through you!
I pray that your speech would always be gracious and seasoned with salt so that you may know how to answer each person (Colossians 4:6). I pray that you would allow the Lord to search your heart and know you (Psalm 139:23-24). I pray that you would teach what is good like the Titus 2 mandate declares! I pray that you would have AUTHENCIC JOY by dwelling in the presence of the Lord (1 Chronicles 16:27). I pray that you would walk in the CONFIDENCE of the LORD as a willing vessel for the Kingdom of God!
YOU are CLOTHED with STRENGTH and DIGNITY and can LAUGH WITHOUT FEAR of the FUTURE (Proverbs 31:25).
I am so excited to see how you go out and CHANGE THE WORLD!
3. What are practical things you can do to lead your friends towards Jesus in Scripture?
As I’m writing this, I am sitting on the grassy steps right next to Starbucks and the Vines Center at Liberty University. The sound of the worship collective is filling our campus from our Vines Center. The sun is ever so warm wrapping me like a bow as I’m typing away on my computer. One of my sweet friends is sitting next to me! It is in this very moment I am reminded of the gift and responsibility we are given to steward and nurture the friendships Jesus places in our lives!
Before we talk about the gift of walking in godly, empowering, and encouraging friendships, I want to encourage you to close your eyes for a moment. Imagine that you are having a picnic with Jesus on a glowing, radiant, flowery mountain (kind of like the one from the Sound of Music)! The wind is oh so warm, dancing across the lilies, and the sun is tip toeing from your head to your toes! Imagine that you are sitting next to Jesus, giggling, talking, and just being in His presence! Imagine the way that God would treat you, speak to you, and love you. This is so comforting to think about, right?
God is and will always be the most amazing friend to us! What better way to learn how to be a friend and lead those around us than to look at the Lord Himself as He is our friend and leads us! Don’t just take my word for it! Let’s look at what scripture says about the friend we have in Jesus!
- God is a FRIEND who LISTENS (Psalm 5:3)
- God is a FRIEND who want to REVEAL Himself to YOU (1 Timothy 2:3-4)
- God is a FRIEND who LEADS YOU (Psalm 119:105)
- God is a FRIEND who INTENTIONALLY PURSUES YOU (2 Corinthians 3:17)
- God is a FRIEND who LOVES YOU (Ephesians 3:18-19)
- God is a FRIEND who FIGHTS FOR YOU (Zephaniah 3:17)
- God is a FRIEND who is GRACIOUS (Psalm 86:15)
There is something so special in having godly, kind, humble, servant-hearted friendships that are encouraging, edifying, and centered on pursuing the Lord together!
Think about the 5 closest friends to you … are you leading them closer to Jesus when you do life together? Are they leading you closer to God’s love and truth when you do life together?
I’ve talked with a few people this past week who have told me that they just really want those “social media-Instagram friendships” they see online. Sometimes I think that it can be easy to forget that even those friendships need to be sharpened and held accountable! YES, friendships ARE beautiful, life-giving, pure, joyful, full of laughter and adventures! Yet, godly friendships also hold each other accountable, help each other grow, cry with each other, and lean on each other!
Proverbs 27:17 (CSB) so beautifully states, “Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens another.”
Think about this verse for a moment. “Iron sharpening iron” … this sounds like a hard and painful process, but it is necessary to understand when creating and nurturing the friendships and relationships in our lives!
I like to think of myself and my friends as armor. When I am jolly and all is right in the world, will my friends unite around me to do life with me? (YES!) When I stumble and start falling, will my friends unite around me and lock arms like armor, keeping me grounded in truth? (YES!) What happens if we don’t have friends like armor? Well, if we aren’t careful, we can end up nurturing the wrong kinds of friendships! If you don’t have armor, you have foil. When you stumble and fall, your friends will wrap you up and lead you to worldly things!
How can I lead my friends closer to Jesus in Scripture?
- First and foremost, surrender your friendships in PRAYER!
- Pursue friendships that resemble the truth, joy, and love of CHRIST!
- Pursue friendships that are pure, patient, kind, and heavenly-minded! Be a light to all who encounter your path but pray over and nurture the main friends you do everyday life with!
- Center your conversations on the Word of God!
- Let the Holy Spirit lead through you to those around you!
- Join a youth or college aged ministry at your church!
- Do a Bible study together!
- Love the way Jesus loves you!
- Encourage your friends the way the Lord encourages you
- Lead by example!
Have you ever heard the phrase, “The Gospel moves at the speed of relationships?” YA’LL, this is SO true! The most practical thing you could ever do to lead your friends in the Word and closer to God is to lead by EXAMPLE! Allow the Holy Spirit to use you as a vessel for His Kingdom! Let your words be gentle, uplifting, and kind! Let your actions exude the purity, love, graciousness, kindness, and joy of the Holy Spirit! Most of all, practice what you preach! As you are pursuing the authentic JOY and TRUTH of the Lord in your personal life, you will start to notice a beautiful rhythm in your friendships that do the same thing!
YOU ARE SO LOVED!!! Keep letting the Lord RADIATE IN and THROUGH you!
“Perhaps you have been created for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14).
With MUCH love,
-Jessica-Andrea Brown
Jessica is the founder of a ministry located on Instagram called RISE UP WITH JESSICA! She posts encouraging and challenging videos every Monday! Follow her @riseup_withjessica to experience the joy in Minute Mondays!
Undeniably His 