 In our artistic endeavors, it's common to encounter moments of doubt, fear, and even identity crises. These moments can be particularly challenging for artists who are Christians, as we strive to align our creative expression with our spiritual walk. I've heard many stories from artists over the years, where the opportunity to pursue one's dreams suddenly becomes a battleground of fear and self-doubt. Can you relate? I know I sure can.
The Fear of Starting and the Challenge of Identity This experience is far from unique. Many of us have stood at the precipice of opportunity, hearts racing with the dual beats of excitement and fear. The fear of failure, the daunting prospect of taking imperfect action, and the nagging voice of impostor syndrome are familiar foes to many artists. These challenges are not just about making art; they're deeply intertwined with our identity – who we were, who we are, and who God says we are. The Truth About Fear and Failure It's important to recognize that fear and failure are not indicators of our worth or capability. They are, instead, part of the human experience, especially poignant in the creative process. The fear of making a mistake or not living up to expectations can be paralyzing. Yet, it's in these moments of vulnerability that our faith is both tested and strengthened. Embracing Your God-Given Identity Our identity in Christ is foundational to overcoming these fears. You are not defined by your successes or failures but by who you are in God. He has created you with a purpose, imbued you with creativity, and called you to share your unique voice through your art. This truth is your anchor, especially when navigating the stormy waters of doubt and fear. The Role of Community and Faith In times of struggle, the importance of community cannot be overstated. Surround yourself with fellow believers and artists who can speak truth into your life, remind you of your identity in Christ, and encourage you to persevere. Additionally, immersing yourself in God's presence through prayer, worship, and meditation on His Word can provide clarity, peace, and direction. Renewing Your Mind: A Daily Practice Renewing your mind is crucial in this journey. This isn't a one-time event but a daily practice of aligning your thoughts with God's truth. It involves actively choosing to reject negative self-talk and replace it with the promises and affirmations found in Scripture. Over time, this practice reshapes your thought patterns, leading to transformation in how you view yourself and your art. Giving Yourself Grace Transformation is a process, and it's vital to give yourself grace along the way. There will be days when you don't feel like you're making progress, when the weight of past disappointments looms heavy. In these moments, remember that God's grace is sufficient. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. The Journey Ahead As you continue on your creative path, remember that you're not alone. Every artist, every Christian, walks through seasons of doubt and renewal. The key is to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. He has begun a good work in you and will carry it to completion. An Invitation to Growth For those seeking further guidance and community, I invite you to explore the Created to Thrive Artist Mentorship Program. This program is designed to support artists like you in integrating your faith with your art, providing practical tools, spiritual encouragement, and a community of like-minded individuals. Visit http://www.matttommeymentoring.com/artmentor to learn more. Your creative journey is a reflection of your walk with God – filled with highs and lows, moments of clarity, and periods of confusion. Yet, through it all, God remains faithful. Lean into Him, into the community He provides, and into the identity He has given you. Your art is not just a reflection of who you are but a testament to the One who created you.
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 As an artist and mentor, I've walked the path many of you are on now. I understand the deep emotional, spiritual, and financial struggles that can cloud the journey of a Christian artist. My own story, steeped in moments of despair and triumph, has taught me invaluable lessons about what it truly means to thrive as an artist in God's kingdom. The Emotional Rollercoaster Art, by its very nature, is an emotional endeavor. As artists, we pour our hearts into our work, often making ourselves vulnerable in the process. When our art fails to connect with an audience or, worse still, goes unnoticed, it can lead to a profound sense of rejection and self-doubt. I've been there, feeling as though I was shouting into the void, my voice lost amidst a sea of indifference. This emotional turmoil can be crippling, dampening the very creative spark that drives us. The Spiritual Quest Our spiritual journey as Christian artists adds another layer to this complex tapestry. We seek not just to create but to glorify God through our creativity. When faced with challenges, it's easy to question our calling. Are we truly walking the path God intended for us? This spiritual struggle can be as daunting as any emotional or financial challenge. It can lead to a feeling of disconnection from our divine source of inspiration, casting a shadow over our creative pursuits. Financial Realities Let's talk finances, a topic often shrouded in taboo within artistic circles. The struggle for financial stability is real and pressing. We live in a world that frequently undervalues art, making it challenging to earn a living from our passion. This financial strain isn’t just about paying bills; it can seep into our creative process, stifling our freedom and forcing us into a survival mindset that is anathema to true creativity. Impact on Creativity and Purpose These emotional, spiritual, and financial struggles can converge into a perfect storm, threatening to extinguish the creative flame within us. We might find ourselves questioning our worth, our talent, and our purpose. I've seen too many talented artists walk away, convinced that their dreams are unattainable. It's a heartbreaking sight, and one that speaks of lost potential, not just for the individual artist but for the world that misses out on their unique, God-given expression. A Beacon of Hope: The Created to Thrive Artist Mentorship Program But in the midst of these struggles, I want to offer you a message of hope. Through my own journey, I've discovered that creative fulfillment, artistic success, glorifying God, making a lasting impact, and achieving financial freedom are not just possible, they are absolutely within reach for every artist. The key lies in understanding the right pathway to follow. This is where Created to Thrive steps in.
The Created to Thrive Artist Mentorship Program is more than just a course or a community; it's a lifeline. It's a space where artists come to find direction, support, and actionable strategies to overcome the hurdles they face. Through this program, I've had the privilege of guiding countless artists towards a place of flourishing, both in their art and in their spiritual walk. The Right Pathway for Artists who Love Jesus The journey with Created to Thrive is a transformative one. We delve deep into the practicalities of building a successful art career, from marketing strategies to pricing your work. But it's more than just business savvy; it's about aligning your artistic practice with your spiritual purpose. We explore ways to tap into your God-given creativity, ensuring that your art not only resonates with your audience but also glorifies God. Testimonies of Transformation The stories of transformation within our community are a testament to what is possible. Artists who once felt lost and undervalued have found their voice, their audience, and their purpose. They're making a living from their art, yes, but more importantly, they're making an impact. They're touching lives, inspiring others, and shining their light in the world. ➡️ Watch Artist Transformation Stories Here ⬅️ A Personal Invitation So, to my fellow artists struggling to find their way, I extend a personal invitation. Join me in the Created to Thrive Artist Mentorship Program. Let's embark on this journey together, a journey towards a life where your creativity knows no bounds, where your art finds its audience, and where your financial worries are replaced by stability and growth. In Created to Thrive, you'll find more than just guidance; you'll find a family of like-minded artists, all walking the same path, supporting each other, and growing together. It's a place where your struggles are understood, your dreams are shared, and your victories are celebrated. Remember, creative fulfillment, artistic success, glorifying God, and financial freedom are not mutually exclusive nor are they just distant dreams. They are achievable realities in the Kingdom of God. You were created to thrive, not just to survive. Your art has the power to move mountains, to touch hearts, and to reflect the beauty of God’s creation. Don't let your light dim. Join us at Created to Thrive and step into the fullness of what you were created for as an artist. Discover more about the Created to Thrive Artist Mentorship Program  I love this question, mainly because I think a lot of artists who are Christians have struggled with it over the years, I know I did. Now if this is you, the first thing I want you to know is that I think you’re on the right path because God loves the fact that you are even asking these deep questions in the first place! He wants you to get this more than you do. His word tells us in Proverbs 25:2 that “it’s the glory of God to conceal a matter, it's the glory of kings to search it out”. In other words, as we're on this journey of exploring life with the Lord, as we lean into this adventure with Him, He progressively reveals His plans for our life. Is God an Artist? The first way God revealed Himself to humanity in the Bible was as an artist, the Creator of the Universe. He's not only an artist, He is the originator of all beauty and creativity. If we consider the universe as God’s canvas, then undoubtedly, God is the greatest artist. The creativity inherent in the world around us is a testament to this. Every sunset painted across the sky, every unique snowflake, every human face – they all reflect God’s artistic nature. As artists, recognizing God as the ultimate artist can be a source of inspiration and a reminder of the limitless creativity that we can tap into. Your gift of creativity and artistic talent is unique part of God's creativity, manifested through your life. Your art is an echo of His voice resonating in your heart. He not only loves creating, He loves creating with you through the power of the Holy Spirit. Remember, creating is God's idea and when you do, you connect with His heart as an artist. What an opportunity! Your Uniqueness as a Christian Artist You have to realize that God created you uniquely to release and reveal His light, His glory, and His love through the use and expression of the gifts, talents, and desires He placed within you. God, the Creator of the Universe, put an investment of Himself in you even before you were born. How exciting! Into your life, God sowed His passions, His love, and His desires in just the right measure to make the best use of the skills, talents, and abilities He blessed you with. Now somewhere along the way, your experimentations and experiences began to trigger a passion and a proclivity for creating. It was in those early moments of expressing your latent talents that God began to direct the steps of your journey, leaving you clues along the way conveniently disguised as passions, desires, and yearnings to create. Your Journey of Exploration Take a look at your journey up to this point especially concerning the exploration and use of your creative talents. Have you had those times where you stood back and looked at a piece you’ve just created and the thought, “Hey, I really love this,” or “Wow, I really made this” went through your mind? Has creating art ever left you feeling really connected, not only just to God, but to something much bigger than yourself? Has the lack of expressing your creativity ever left you feeling empty, like something big was missing from your life? If you can relate to any of this, then that’s a pretty good indicator that God just might want you to be an artist. You see, God has been giving you the opportunity and the authority to explore and move in a direction over the course of your whole life. And as you’ve been faithful to take those first few steps artistically, He confirmed His direction and plan for your life with favor, with opportunity, with blessing, and with provision. Look back at your artistic journey and think about those chance encounters, those divine appointments, in your life that opened your eyes to the possibility and viability of being an artist. Again, as you’ve followed God’s “breadcrumbs” - those directional clues along your path - God has been using the “chance encounters”, those encouraging words, bursts of passion and artistic clarity to confirm the plans He has had for you all along. God is for you as a Christian Artist! God wants you to step into your design more than even you want to! This is not some kind of struggle where God's trying to hide His plans from you and you're just stuck and alone trying to make something happen. Rather this journey called life is about aligning yourself with who God has made you to be. And as you do that, He opens the doors of His presence and fulfilment in your life so that you can really be the person that God created you to be. Embrace the adventure of this journey with all the passion you can muster. Start walking down that road, looking for those design clues along the way. Start looking for that feeling of peace and fulfillment that comes as you express your creativity. Listen out for those comments from others that say, "Wow, you are really talented at this," or, "Wow, God's really using that in this area." As you do this, God will begin to bring confirmation and confidence to know for sure that yes, God really does want you to be an artist. How to Know What God Wants Me to Do... Discerning God's will through hearing His voice is central to our faith journey as artists and as believers. This process involves a combination of scriptural grounding, prayerful listening, and openness to the Holy Spirit's guidance.
Hearing God's voice and knowing His will is a multifaceted process that involves scriptural guidance, prayerful listening, reliance on the Holy Spirit, community support, obedience, discernment, and trust in God's timing. How to Know What Career God Wants for You For artists seeking to discern whether they are called by God to pursue a career as a vocational artist, several steps and considerations can be helpful:
"I Want to Be an Artist" If you find yourself saying, “I want to be an artist,” know that this desire is a reflection of the Creator within you. It's a calling to participate in the act of creating beauty and meaning in the world. However, like any calling, it comes with its challenges and learning curves. This is where the Created to Thrive Artist Mentoring Program comes into play. Imagine a community where your artistic passion is nurtured, where you can grow both in your craft and in your spiritual journey. This program is not just about developing skills; it's about understanding how your art intersects with your faith. In this mentorship, you'll find guidance, support, and wisdom to navigate the art world while staying true to your spiritual values. You'll learn how to market your art, connect with buyers, and most importantly, how to weave your faith into your artistic narrative. Join the Journey I encourage you to explore the Created to Thrive Artist Mentoring Program. Visit http://www.matttommeymentoring.com/artmentor to learn more about how this program can support and elevate your artistic calling. Here, you’re not just learning to become an artist; you’re stepping into a journey of becoming who God created you to be – a creator, a visionary, a reflection of His creative spirit. Fear of failure is a crippling reality for many individuals. This profound fear often roots itself in our identities, causing us to deviate from the path that God has intended for us. But fortunately, there is a way out. In the latest episode of our podcast, we explore the journey of overcoming the fear of failure through faith and reliance on God's promises.
The episode begins with an in-depth discussion about the fear of failure and its manifestations, such as perfectionism, procrastination, and paralysis. These manifestations often act as deterrents from God's plans for us, preventing us from achieving our true potential. However, the reminder from Timothy 1:7 that God has given us power, love, and a sound mind serves as a powerful antidote to these fears. The episode further delves into the damaging effects of fear on our lives. Fear breeds confusion and instability, steering us away from the stability and certainty offered by faith in God. By firmly placing our identities in the Lord, we build a solid foundation that aids in breaking free from the cycle of anxiety and fear. A key part of the episode is the unveiling of a potent strategy to combat the fear of failure – the five Rs: recognize, repent, replace, reinforce, and rejoice. By implementing this strategy, we can challenge the lies that fuel our fears and co-labor with the Holy Spirit to overcome them. This strategy is rooted in faith and trust in God's promises and helps us in questioning the lies we've been told and embracing the truths that the Lord reveals to us. Through personal experiences and practical strategies, the episode presents a faith-based approach to overcoming fear. It underscores the importance of nurturing our minds, adhering to faith, and anchoring our existence in God's promises to steer us towards liberation from fear. One of the crucial messages in the episode is that fear is not a permanent state. It can be dismantled and conquered with the right mindset, faith, and trust in God. The journey from fear to liberation is not a straightforward path, but with God's guidance, it is certainly achievable. The episode concludes with a prayer for breakthrough and an encouragement for everyone to challenge their fears and stride confidently towards the path God has laid for them. This powerful episode is a testament to the fact that with faith and trust in God, we can conquer our fears and live a fulfilling life aligned with God's plan. Life is a journey, filled with twists, turns, highs, lows, and everything in-between. If you've found yourself trudging along a tough road lately, you're in good company. And in this article I'm going to show you why perseverance and spiritual grit - when combined with a healthy identity in Christ - are powerful strategies God gives us to experience life abundant in the Kingdom of God.
As I've often said, "When the road of life is tough, don’t let the devil derail you from the destination God designed for you." It's a profound truth that the Children of Israel can attest to as they embarked on their incredible journey to the Promised Land. Drawing parallels with their story, our journey towards a life abundant, with the kingdom of God within us, can feel plagued by giants of doubt, fear, and challenges. Yet, there’s a key weapon we often overlook: our identity in Christ. As we delve deep into this, we're reminded that our spiritual grit, tenacity, and perseverance are honed not by our own strength, but by the power of God within us. Identity in Christ: The Cornerstone Have you ever paused to consider your identity? I don't mean the labels society puts on us, but rather, your identity in Christ. Galatians 2:20 NKJV says, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Our identity is not in our past mistakes, our job titles, or even our familial roles, but in the living God who calls us His own. When the Israelites faced the giants in the Promised Land, it wasn’t their physical might that defeated these colossal adversaries. It was their identity as God's chosen people, an identity that was firmly rooted in the promises of God. Similarly, our giants – be they doubt, financial strain, health issues, or relationship challenges – can be defeated when we remember who we are in Christ. Be Transformed by Renewing Your Mind Romans 12:2 NKJV states, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." While the children of Israel had to conquer physical territory, we're called to conquer the territory of our minds. It’s easy to forget our identity in Christ when we're bombarded with worldly perspectives. But by being transformed by the renewing of our minds, we can begin to see our challenges not as setbacks but as setups for God’s glory. You Are God’s Poema Ephesians 2:10 NKJV declares, "For we are His workmanship [poema], created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." The word 'poema' paints a vivid picture. It means a work of art, a masterpiece. You and I? We’re God’s masterpiece. He designed us with purpose, intricacy, and love. Our lives are not random sequences of events, but rather, a divine poem written by the hands of our Creator. The children of Israel had a divine destination designed by God – a land flowing with milk and honey. And while they faced hurdles along the way, they were destined to inherit this blessing. Similarly, our life abundant is not just a poetic idea; it’s a reality God wants us to step into. Seek First the Kingdom How do we do this? Matthew 6:33 NKJV gives us a clue: "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Prioritizing the kingdom of God over our own desires or the world's demands is paramount. When we realign our focus with who we are in Christ and the truth of God's Word, our tough roads become more navigable, and our destination clearer. Unyielding Tenacity & Perseverance But it won’t always be a walk in the park. The journey demands spiritual grit. Think about the Children of Israel; they wandered for 40 years before reaching the Promised Land. Yet, their story isn't one of mere survival, but of tenacity, perseverance, and ultimate triumph with God's guidance. They discovered the fact that these are powerful strategies they could cultivate in their own life to experience the life God promised them. Your journey, likewise, will demand tenacity. Challenges will come. Giants will rise. But remember my words from the beginning of this article. Don't let anything - especially the devil and his deceptive devices - derail you from the destination God has designed and destined for you. With God on your side, every giant will fall, and every promise He's made will come to pass in your life! Press on, dear traveler. Your Promised Land awaits! For more resources about living in the Kingdom of God, visit http://www.godsplanforliving.com Every person is called by God and entrusted with a part of His nature as an image bearer: one who reveals and reflects God to the world. Such a high calling, yet one we easily forget because of the mundane pressures of life. Our fleshly reactions often replace purposeful Spirit-led actions.
Paul encourages believers to lead a life worthy of this calling and gives 5 principles for us to pursue: humility, gentleness, patience, unity, and peace.
Choose today to walk worthy of the calling God has set before you. “Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.” - Ephesians 4:1-4 NLT Christians who aren’t experiencing fulfillment and joy in their walk with Jesus often complicate Kingdom living through religious pursuits.
The simplicity that Jesus offers in walking with the Father and responding to the Spirit in alignment with our design and assignment gets replaced with more “spiritual” activities. I’ve met so many believers over the years who are completely focused on things like praying for revival, spiritual warfare and intercession over their region/country, social injustice and political issues of the day, etc, and are completely worn down and worn out. It’s overwhelming. They are often pursuing things out of personal zeal and obligation without the grace needed to do it. When we walk in the fullness of who God actually created us to be, it is spiritual warfare in itself. It causes demons to flee. It causes the powers of darkness to be pushed back. It places Jesus on the throne, and He is glorified in and through us. Don’t hear what I’m not saying… none of those things are inherently wrong or bad. I just think it’s a lot easier for the religious mind to focus on things that “seem spiritual” rather than the simplicity of living in the freedom and power the Kingdom of God offers every believer. It seems if believers would actually start walking in the power they already had, the revival the have been praying for would suddenly appear. As you mature in the Kingdom, you have to pass through a number of moments that are designed by God as “eye of the needle” moments. An invitation to promise and fruitfulness, impact and influence that requires a shedding of the old. A release of what has been for what’s to come. A recognition of and repentance for reliance on things other than His voice.
For Abraham, it was his certainty and security. For Paul, it seemed to be His knowledge, authority, and reputation. For the Rich Young Ruler in Mark 10, it looked like his desire and dependence on his wealth. “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Mark 10:25 NKJV. For the rich young ruler, it wasn’t about the money, per se. It was about his heart. And it is the same for us today. These moments are designed by God as refining moments where we are faced with an opportunity to deeply examine our own hearts and make a decision. Will we choose our desire, comfort, and understanding or trust God in the unknown? Are we willing to voluntarily lay down the things we have drawn strength, identity, and comfort from in exchange for the security of God’s presence and what He has has promised. For every person, these moments are different and divinely crafted. Moments of struggle and contemplation that make us ask the hard questions and look deep into our own motives and framework for living. But in the end, when we choose to lay down the things that so easily entangle us, we are freed to pass through, unencumbered, to the next season. What are you carrying today that needs to be released in order for you to move into the next thing God has for you? I hear people say “I’d love to but don’t have the money “ a lot these days. They blame it on the economy, political, the usual suspects. Normally, it’s in regards to something they desire to pursue regarding their calling in God’s Kingdom. Something like a conference or course, tools or skills, a program or resource they need to progress in their calling. And so there they sit… Stalled. Paralyzed. Shut down. Frustrated. For another year or even decade. in full agreement with their belief that they don’t have enough.
Affordability has nothing to do with whether or not God said to do something. That’s simply a reflection of your natural situation, not God’s supernatural ability. Moments like this have everything with it to do with your willingness to step out in faith toward the vision God has shown you. Believing that where He guides, He always provides. Someone who says they can’t afford $10, $100 or even $1000 to pursue their dream (or the knowledge it takes to mature in the skills they need to operate in it) would “beg, borrow, and steal” to find that same $100 if I told them it would buy them a brand new car. Why? Because they are fully convinced in their heart that the car is worth much more than the $100 they need to exchange to get it. Conversely, you encourage someone to step out in faith and believe God for the provision they need BEFORE they have received it in their hand and they will look at you like you're crazy. Why? Because they are fully convinced that it sounds like a crazy idea. It won’t work out. You and God are not trustworthy. They trust their disappointment in the past more than God’s promise for the future. I know this sounds offensive to some but it’s true. God always calls us to exchange what we have now for the promise of what’s to come. He always requires us to sow before we can reap. And Jesus himself tells us to pray in Mark 11 to pray like we already have the thing we desire, not begging like orphans. That’s how the Kingdom of God is designed. The sooner you get used to coming into agreement with God and stepping out in faith - especially when it doesn’t make sense to your natural mind - the sooner you will see supernatural provision showing up in your life. In John 7:38, Jesus’ promise to every believer is rivers of living water flowing out of your belly. The promise of Holy Spirit power moving in and through your life. What a picture of God’s overwhelming abundance!
And yet, for many, the issues of life have formed a dam over their heart, blocking that flow. Fear and anxiety, worry and distress, wounds from the past and their associated traumatic effects, beliefs, and assumptions that have little to do with God’s best, comparison and inadequacy, lies from the enemy and others. Each moment of pain is like a rock, expertly placed over your heart until the gushing flow of God’s river of abundance is slowed to a trickle or even stopped. Years of trickle or no flow can make you believe that’s normal, but it’s not. Your normal isn’t always Kingdom normal. Thankfully, Jesus has made a way for you to return to abundant life in Him. He is the dam breaker, the wall destroyer, the rock remover. As you invite Him into your situation, ask Him to show you what rocks are blocking the flow of your river. When He shows you, simply offer them to Him and invite Him to remove them from your life once and for all, healing your heart and restoring your flow. There’s freedom IN you… let it out. There’s freedom FOR you as you let it out. There’s freedom for OTHERS as they experience your freedom flow. Have you ever realized most of the things people pray for and/or prophetic words people seek after are often things already promised by God and restored through the finished work of the cross?
We all need prophetic encouragement from others from time to time. That is one of the beautiful benefits and blessings of being God’s child, and a part of the body of Christ. And probably why Paul tells us it’s the gift we should most earnestly desire in order to edify, encourage and comfort one another. But don’t get addicted to seeking the convenience “a word from the Lord” from others when really what you really need to do is learn to walk by faith on the word you already know. Walking by faith requires us to take hold of what God has already declared as true and walking in that reality now, regardless of whether we see the manifestation yet in our life. Prayer, in its best form, is a way for us to commune with God in His presence, hear His voice, allow Him to mold and make us into the image of Christ, and receive by faith those things which He’s already provided for us. No need to beg, plead or get desperate. Simply come and experience the freedom of new life in Christ. Then get up and walk in that new reality. As you do, the reality of the Kingdom you cultivate on the inside will be experienced on the outside. Many people resist the fact that God loves to bless His people with material blessings. Denominational church leaders rail against what they call the “prosperity gospel” while refusing to embrace the truth of God’s word regarding practical provision and finances.
One verse I love is Deuteronomy 8:18, where it says “Remember the LORD your God. He is the one who gives you the power to be successful (create wealth), in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath.” Here, God is saying that His blessing of His people with the ability to be successful (create or get wealth) actually confirms His covenant with His people. In other words, when people see how blessed you are because of me, they will know I am the Lord who keeps my part of the deal. Wow. God’s supernatural provision in your life not only demonstrates His goodness and faithfulness to you, it also becomes a sign and a wonder to others who are still striving in their own strength. “But Matt, if I’m struggling financially, does that mean God doesn’t love me? Or if someone is walking in financial abundance that God loves them more?” No, and no.There are lots of issues at work when people take a hard look at their financial life, like bad choices, mismanagement, fiscal frivolity, greed, or on the other side good stewardship, generosity, and talent. Regardless of where you may need to grow and mature, realize your provision is a promise from the Lord because of your position, not your performance. Choosing to receive that by faith and disconnecting from the life of financial striving is where that begins. No matter where you are on this journey, realize God has already blessed you with everything you need to thrive and flourish in this life because of your position as His child, not your performance as His worker. You only have to receive it by faith. In Matthew 6, when Jesus taught about provision, He revealed a little-known Kingdom principle: you are designed to receive your provision through your design.
And why would he use the examples of birds and flowers? Because they have completely different ways of receiving from the Father in line with their design, yet both are abundantly provided for each day. They were made to exist and thrive in a different realm. Consider the “birds of the air”. They are constantly moving around as they fly. They have unique vision to see opportunities for food and shelter. They peck the ground, eating bugs and earthworms. They have the ability to build their nests, lay eggs, and multiply. None of this stresses them out because it’s how they were designed by God. They were made to move and exist in the realm of the air. And consider “lilies of the field” - simple flowers. They sprout, bloom and wilt all in one place. They grow deep roots which enable them to receive nutrients from the soil. They grow foliage that reaches toward the sun to receive light and life through the magical process of photosynthesis. They were made to bloom and flourish in the realm of the ground according to the seasons. What about the branches in Jesus’ parable in John 15. They receive everything they need through their connection to the main vine. They were made to grow and thrive in the realm of the vineyard. Birds can’t grow roots and aren’t designed to receive provision by photosynthesis. Flowers can’t eat earthworms. It’s simply not their design. It’s impossible. But when each receive God’s abundant provision through their unique design - in the realm they were designed for - they thrive while in a place of rest. It’s second nature to them. There’s a flow and a rhythm to life unique to them. They don’t have to work for it, only cooperate with what God has already provided for them. And so, Jesus finishes the story by reminding us that if the Father provides for the birds and flowers like this, how much more will He do it for us, His children, “of you of little faith.” In other words, you’re going to have to choose to walk this way by faith if you want to experience these results. When you pursue provision outside your unique, God-given design and the realm God designed you for, it’s like a lily trying to eat an earthworm. It only leads to frustration. What brings exhilaration to one will bring frustration to another. What brings life to one will bring death to another. The quicker you embrace this principle in your life and your uniqueness in the Kingdom, the quicker you will start to experience the abundant flow of Heaven’s supernatural provision in your life. That’s God’s plan for living. When your identity is established in Christ, your unique design is uncovered, and your kingdom assignment is revealed. But when your identity is rooted and grounded in brokenness from the past, your unique design remains covered and your kingdom assignment is hidden.
Many well-meaning Christians live their whole life in this place. Saved, and on their way to heaven, but still defined by who they used to be before they became a new creation in Christ. They spend their whole Christian life trying to do things for God, be a good Christian and ultimately pay him back for the free gift of grace. He is so generously given.  Not realizing the whole time that they have been restored as sons in the Kingdom of their Father.  But seeking an assignment - along with the resources, ideas and opportunities - to do something for God never produces lasting fruit. it produces striving Christians trying to realize spirit birth results through their own works.  The model of living that enables you to have lasting impact in the kingdom is to allow your assignment to flow out of your unique design, as you are rooted and grounded in the love of God as his child.  No accomplishment for God, however earnest in your intent, will ever satisfy the longing for his presence only found in knowing your identity in Christ.  No amount of expertise will ever replace the favor of God and his grace operating in your life to open doors and connect you through divine appointments in a supernatural way. He is the well of life, which is now living in us through the power of the Holy Spirit. He desires to flow freely through us in the unique way he has designed us for the unique things He is created us to do withHim in His Kingdom. The frustration many Christians experience in not being able to walk in the abundant life, is not due to God withholding, blessings, or favor from them, but in their misunderstanding of how the Kingdom of God is designed to work in the life of the believer. The Kingdom is always on, always working, always available and always abundant for everything at all times. Alignment begins with establishing your identity in Christ, so that you can see the world, God, and yourself the way He does. His perspective for His assignment in your life. Mental flip-flopping creates spiritual instability. Thoughts and feelings come and go like the changing of the weather. However, if you allow yourself to be tossed - to and fro - by these, it creates an atmosphere of double-mindedness, which leads to instability.
As a gardener, I am reminded of how true this is. Once you plant something in a good place, you must leave it where it is. You have to water, fertilize and cultivate an atmosphere around it that is conducive to growth. If you keep digging the plant up and moving it to different locations based on the outward circumstances of the weather, it may hang on for a little bit, but eventually, it will die. Why? No roots are going to be established. Renewing your mind is the same way. You have to decide what you believe about who God says you are, what you can do, and all he has for you in the kingdom. Once you do, you have to stay planted in that reality. This is not something God does to you but something God does with you. Over time, your roots will grow, and you will become established in the Lord. If you choose not to and allow yourself to be dug up every time the wind blows, no matter how much you love Jesus, it’s impossible for you to experience growth.  Stay planted, my friend. Ever felt something so strongly that you felt like it had to be true? But when you checked it out against God’s Word, you realized that - although you felt it deeply - it just wasn’t God’s best for your life?
It can be confusing, and frustrating and even cause us to feel anxious anger and a desire to rebel as we pursue our own path, our own “truth”. If we’re honest, I think every believer has experienced this moment of decision in various situations. Some seemingly insignificant and sometimes in times that seem to define us as people. Regardless of how these moments feel, know the enemy's strategy is always to get you to 1) doubt God, 2) minimize His Word, 3) rationalize based on popular worldview, and 4) trust your feelings and experiences more than anything else. It’s the original bait: choose the tree of good and evil over the tree of life, your way, not God’s way, figuring out life for yourself vs. receiving life by faith from the Father. But the challenge (and invitation) for every believer in Jesus is to choose to deny themselves, trust God, and align themselves with His Word versus what they feel, think, or believe. Our thoughts, feelings, and opinions will always lead us to self-serving options, but the Holy Spirit draws us to the Father and enlivens God’s Word so we can be transformed in His presence. It emboldens us to shed the old identity of our sinful nature and put on Christ. Our identity is not based on what we feel but on who God says we are. Anything else is unstable shifting sand. When you choose to intentionally align, God’s grace is released to transform you from the inside out. You are enabled to choose life when the world says choose comfort, feelings and preferences. You will be conformed to the image of Christ and walk as the new creation He has already made you to be. Jesus did not come to condemn the world because of sin nor ignore it in the name of relationship or what the world sees as acceptance, tolerance or love. He did not come as a good (or even great) man in history with a model for living that we should try to aspire to in our lives in the name of social justice. He is not one among many good people with messages of love, acceptance, and tolerance, but first among all, primary and singular. He stands apart. He did not come to make us feel better about who we think we are or endorse our ideas about what identity, life, and love should look like, no matter how deeply we feel them or how radically the world celebrates them. He is God, who came to earth as a man to walk among us, empathize with us, and love us. Save us from sin and restore us to life in Him.
Jesus came with the gift of salvation for all who would receive it: redemption, reconciliation, and restoration. That gift gives us freedom from death, hell, sin, and its separating power from God and each other. It brings us back to long walks in the cool of the day with our Father. It allows us to enjoy the blessings, benefits, and responsibilities of walking as sons and ambassadors in the Kingdom. Receiving the gift of salvation requires a choice: to lay down your old way of thinking, living and loving, and putting on Christ. Jesus’ invitation to all is to leave the patterns of this world and be restored to true love that can only be found in Him. A love that cleanses, purifies and restores. A love, like the eye of a needle, which requires we leave all our baggage behind and choose too follow Him. As the old hymn says, “I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back, no turning back. Though none go with me still I will follow. No turning back, no turning back.” Don’t confuse Jesus’ unconditional acceptance of you with permission to live the way you want to in the name of what the world calls love. That way of thinking is a golden road of deception designed to keep you from all God has for you, not welcome you into it. If the Jesus you are following doesn't require you to leave anything behind - especially things you've become really familiar with, comfortable, or reliant on - then that's not the real Jesus.
If the Jesus you follow never calls you to a deeper relationship with Him based on His Word and the leadership of the Holy Spirit, then that's not the real Jesus. If the Jesus you are following only calls you to accept everyone and everything in the world as ok - regardless of whether or not it affirms God's original design as found in His Word - without rejecting the false narratives and identities of the world, then that's not the real Jesus. If the Jesus you are following fawns over politicians and political ideologies, demanding allegiance to the Kingdoms of this world (parties, political agendas, nations, states, regions, continents) rather than the Kingdom of God, then that's not the real Jesus. If the Jesus you follow tells you to celebrate yourself - your desires, feelings, and preferences - rather than celebrating a new, restored identity in Him, then that's not the real Jesus. If the Jesus you follow encourages you to "live your best life" without inviting Him to fundamentally transform your life from the inside out through the power of the Holy Spirit, then that's not the real Jesus. If the Jesus you follow is more concerned with equity, opportunity, and inclusion rather than transformed hearts living transformed lives, then that's not the real Jesus. The real Jesus invites you into the wide, wonderful, abundant life in the Kingdom through the narrow gate of salvation. You cannot experience the abundance of the Kingdom without the laying down of your life, without exchanging your thoughts for His, your preferences for His, and your desires for His. Fundamental to following Jesus is this radical idea that as I die to myself, I am raised in Him. In other words, as I allow myself to be crucified with Christ, I am made alive in Christ - both through the singular salvation experience and the daily choices I make. There is no life in Christ without daily dying to the flesh, no matter how strongly the flesh may try to convince you otherwise. Christians realize that the only way to be fully fulfilled in this life is to lay down what we thought was life in order to receive the new gift of life offered through Christ. Otherwise, we add Jesus on to our list of preferences and ideologies rather than making a divine exchange. The Trinity Effect™ states that transformation happens best, and is sustained the longest in the place where your identity, design, and assignment converge.
Someone can know who they are in Christ, go to church, and be committed to the Lord, in every way but not embrace their unique design and assignment and live a lifetime of faithful frustration. A person can embrace parts of their unique, God-given design, but outside of a life-giving relationship with Jesus,  knowing who they are in Christ, and having an understanding of how to walk in their Kingdom assignment, will live a lifetime of disappointment. An individual who pursues their God-given kingdom assignment outside of the Grace that comes with identity in Christ and their unique design will live a life of striving motivated by performance rather than their position as God’s child. Personal fulfillment, lasting transformation, and meaningful impact happen easiest when your assignment is pursued in the context of your unique design as your identity is established in Christ, not out of personal zeal for the Lord or a desire for impact alone. Impact, wealth and influence pursued in an effort to do something for God rarely results in lasting fulfillment. Rather, it can just as easily lead you into striving like you did before you knew the Lord, just with a religious motivation. Walk with God. Cultivate a strong identity in Christ. Respond to His leadership in faith. Embrace your unique design as you pursue what He calls you to. This is where the abundant life is found. 💡The Trinity Effect™ was developed my Matt Tommey as a methodology for helping believers experience the abundant life Jesus promised.
Have you ever wondered about the balance between God's design for your life and your responsibility to actually walk that out? Well, I want to share what the Bible says about this balance and reveal the two things every believer must do if they're going to find it.
You know, I love talking about the Kingdom of God. It's so simple. It's so clearly laid out in Scripture. And yet, so many people, me included for many years, have no clue how the Kingdom works. But once you get an understanding of how the Kingdom of God works in your life. Wow, things really begin to change. Ephesians 2:10 is one such scripture. It talks about the balance between the design of God on your life and your responsibility to walk it out. It says this, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." You Are His Workmanship Now the first Kingdom truth I want you to grab onto is this: You Are His Workmanship. The Greek word for "workmanship" is poema, which we get the word poem. With that in mind, I want to paraphrase and expand upon the first part of this verse… "You are a skillfully crafted artistic narrative that expresses the beauty and the heart of God." You are not here by some random chance or happenstance. You are explicitly designed as a work of art by the Lord for His Glory. You Were Created for a Purpose The second Kingdom Truth I want to highlight is this; You Were Created for a Purpose. "Created in Christ Jesus" is how Paul puts it, but what does that mean for us today? That means we are one in Christ Jesus, joint-heirs with Him, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and fully able to receive and walk in the fullness of the Kingdom of God. But for what end? "For good works, which God prepared beforehand." God designed, crafted, and fully equipped you to express His nature and His Heart to humankind in a way that only you can do. You are the perfect person for this mission, should you choose to accept it, which brings me to the next truth. You Just Have To Do It "That we should walk in them," or as another version puts it, "for us to do." Maybe you can relate to this, but for many years, I thought that because God had a plan for my life, that He was just going to make it happen. I believed that my role in fulfilling God's call on my life was to wait on Him to do it. Guess what? That led to a lot of frustration because that's NOT how the Kingdom works. Overt action is implied at the end of Ephesians 2:10. While it's true that God has a divine plan for your life, one that He's had in mind for you for a very long time, His plan was for you to do it with Him. If you don't walk out the thing God created you to do, then you're going to miss the fullness of God's design for your life.
This Might Be Your Roadblock
But Matt, if it's that simple, why is it so hard to simply "do" the thing God has called and created me to do? The biggest roadblock most people face when fulfilling God's call on their life is their mindset. So many good, well-meaning, Jesus-loving people simply don't know who they are in Christ. Despite being fully saved, they allow their old natural way of thinking, their non-renewed mind, to dominate their life. Things like...
All of us have a past; it's just a normal part of the human condition. But have you ever wondered how to let go of the past so that you are free to do all the things God has called you to do in life? I'm going to share a really practical strategy for renewing your mind, right out of God's Word, that will enable you to let go of the past and truly begin to thrive in all God has for you. How God Sees Your Past All of us have done things and have had things done to us in the past that we want to forget. We want to get rid of it, but the enemy loves to continually bring those things up over and over. He uses these images of the past to torment us in order to impede our walk with the Lord. It’s frustrating for many and for some, it can be downright paralyzing. This may be your current reality, but it's not God’s best for you in the Kingdom! I'm so glad that Roman's teaches us that:
And that Paul, in 2nd Corinthians, builds on this verse when he wrote:
But as helpful as these two verses are, I love Scripture that gives us real practical strategy on how to walk out a Biblical principle here in the real world. And Philippians 3:12 – 14 is such a passage. Here, Paul lays out a powerful strategy for walking in freedom from the condemnation of the past:
Forgetting What Is Behind Is A Process That passage is such an excellent strategy for getting rid of, what is commonly referred to as stinkin' thinkin'. I love how this passage starts with, "Not that I have already obtained it or have become perfect, but I press on." Right at the beginning, Paul is letting you know this is a process, that he's still in process himself…
But Paul doesn't camp out there. He continues with, "forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." I love how Paul forgets with intent. As he is laying things down from his past, it's as if Paul is intentionally saying, "You know, these thoughts, fears, and anxieties over my past that keep playing over and over in my mind, I'm choosing to and take those thoughts captive and forget it!" But he doesn't stop there.
Reaching Forward Is Key
What does Paul mention next? He exercises his faith, believing that God has so much more for him, and he leans into the process. Paul purposefully shifts his attention from the mistakes, hurts, junk from the past and begins to focus on:
Many of us have spent years focusing on the things we have done wrong. It's too easy to be wrapped up in all the ways that we missed it and walk in condemnation over the weaknesses and temptations we've given into in the past.
“Your outer life is the fruit of your inner life.” - Matt Tommey
Yet, if you allow those past failings to define you and dominate your thought life, then your life is going to be a mess. Why, you ask? It's because your outer life is the fruit of your inner life. That's why Paul talked so much about this in the New Testament.
Forget that junk! Press Into ALL That God Has For You. "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things." Philippians 4:8 So, I want you to get this concept deep into your spirit today as you read this. If you've been having trouble letting go of the past, there is an easy place to start. Take a moment to reflect on one anxiety, fear, or regret from your past. When you have that thing in mind, find a few quiet minutes and take it to the Lord in prayer…
Listen, friend! That's how you let go of the past. You take those old thoughts captive, you throw them out, and you replace them with the truth of God's Word. You make that vision, God's plan and purpose for your life, a reality by leaning into it. As you do, you'll begin to move forward. Have you ever felt like your everyday experiences in life aren't lining up with your hopes, dreams, and the promises of God over your life? Many people feel that way, including myself over the years, until I discovered a key in 3rd John 2 that unlocked a Kingdom perspective on prospering for me. "I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers." 3rd John 2 emphasis added I love how this verse so perfectly defines thriving in the Kingdom. This is the same way that I explain it to my Created to Thrive Mentoring Program members. This verse begins by showing that prosperity in life and walking in divine health are both part of our inheritance in the Lord. They are both meant to be a regular part of every believer's life. Over the years, I've found it's easy to believe that God wants to abundantly bless His people with physical health, healing, and wholeness. But the idea that God wants His people to "prosper in all things," financially, in the marketplace, and in life seems to be harder to accept for many people.  In His sermon on the mount, Jesus said this,
31 "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Matthew 6:31-33 Emphasis Added Thriving in the Kingdom isn't a matter of working, sweating, figuring it all out on your own, and striving harder than everyone else around you. That's the world's way. That's operating out of the mammon system and John knew this when he first penned the letter that would become 3rd John. John learned first-hand what Jesus taught on that mount; that true Kingdom prosperity begins when you:
That's normal in the Kingdom of God. God doesn't have favorites. God doesn't make some people sick and some people healthy. He doesn't prosper some and not prosper others just cause He's playing favorites. Nope, prosperity and health are your birthright; it's normal for every believer. Helping Your Soul to Prosper Have you ever taken a moment to think about what it means for your soul to prosper? And what does thriving internally have to do with prospering externally? Everything that we do in the Kingdom is through faith. Meaning we see it, feel it, and believe it first, internally before we ever see those things manifest in our life, externally. That's just how God has set it up. It’s not something God does to us but rather something He does with us through the leadership of the Holy Spirit. I think that's why Jesus taught us in Mark 11:24, "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them." You see, prospering in your soul starts with renewing your mind and aligning your heart, will, and emotions with the truth of God's Kingdom. So when you pray, you pray like you already have the thing you’re asking for - from a place of gratitude - rather than begging God for what you need. As you intentionally sow these Kingdom principles into your life, your thought life and belief systems begin to change. And over time, the internal prospering begins to manifest externally. Maybe that's why Proverbs 23:7 teaches us that "as a man thinks in his heart, so is he."  People reach out and ask me all the time how to make money as an artist. Yep. Many well-meaning artists have asked this question and most believe that it's a single answer, like there's some shortcut or secret ad you can run to make everyone buy your art and make a million dollars. SPOILER ALERT: There's no silver bullet for learning how to become a successful artist. However, after working as a creative now for over 25 years, speaking to thousands and personally mentoring thousands of artists via my books, podcasts, and online artist mentoring program, I've come to understand some of what it takes to really thrive. I'm going to share some of those insights with you right here. Since I also believe no one person has the corner on success, I reached out to several of my thriving artists friends who are creating beautiful work and selling the heck out of it all while living an incredible life. Based on their input and my experience, here's my top 29 tips for taking your artistic calling to the next level so that you can really start thriving in 2021.
As you probably know by now, information doesn't create change. Real change only happens when valuable information meets action and interaction; action on your part and interaction with others on your journey and an experienced mentor. Why, you ask? Most of the time, there are things in your life you just can't see by yourself. For those who are willing, God uses mastermind and mentoring relationships to bring you to the next level of growth. If you'd like to make this year your breakthrough year and really start thriving as an artist spiritually, artistically and in business, check out my Created to Thrive Artist Mentoring Program and read some of their stories! Thousands of artists just like you have made the decision to be a part and it's changing lives. Thanks again to all my artist friends who contributed to this list. Each one is creating great work, thriving as a professional artist and a joy to call friend!
The essence of prophetic art is listening with the imaginative ears of your spirit to release the Light and Life of God through the work you create.  "Emerging" - a prophetic art by Matt Tommey. Cold Wax and Oil Painting on wood panel. 48"x48". As artists and Kingdom creatives, we hear, see and feel what others tend to miss not because we’ve got the super spiritual mojo, but mostly because we’ve learned to listen with the ears we’ve been given. This is the essence of prophetic art: learning to listen with the ears of your spirit via your imagination in order to release the Light and Life of God through the work you create. The goal of this ability is never to exalt ourselves or our work, but rather to sense what’s going on in the Spirit realm through our natural and spiritual senses and translate that reality – the Kingdom - into the earth realm. That’s essentially what prophetic art is all about – God using an artist to bring transformation into a life or situation here in the earth realm through their art, their art process or the interaction with an artist. Operating Prophetically in Our Art Operating prophetically is at the heart of the creative process – seeing, hearing, feeling and sensing in the Spirit and co-laboring with your unique skillset and design to birth it into tangible form. Luci Shaw, in her incredible book “Breath for the Bones” says of this moving back and forth between Spirit and flesh, heaven and earth: “Sometimes I have seen myself as an amphibian, like a frog, created for two elements. I dive beneath the lakes surface, my earthly home so that my skin doesn’t dry out and wither, but I need oxygen for my lungs and have to emerge from below the surface to breathe. I discover that I am made for both earth and heaven. "Like Enoch, like Moses; unlike Adam, unlike most of us, these extraordinary individuals moved seamlessly from restricted terrestrial living into the presence of freedom and life in its optimum dimension in the presence of God.” She continues “Not only are we responsible as artists somehow to demonstrate that it is possible to bring heaven to earth by living the life of grace in an ungraceful place, by gluing together the seen and unseen, but we are required to be links with the unlinkable, with otherwise disparate entities.” (Luci Shaw, "Breath for the Bones," 2007 Thomas Nelson) Because the nature of the creative process is the prophetic “glueing together the seen and unseen”, we should always be enlarging and sharpening our unique creative language in order to be able to hear and sense what God is saying in order to release Spirit-led Kingdom expression in ways that people can respond. “Artists are the life-givers in culture. We are a pivotal intersection point where the Kingdom of Heaven meets culture. It is there that we have the unique opportunity, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to translate the Kingdom of Heaven into a language that bypasses words and goes directly into the human spirit. When we collaborate with the Holy Spirit in this dance of Kingdom creativity, His power, His Life and His Light merge with our faith, creative thoughts, imaginations, desires and skill into art that carries the literal presence and power of God. It is in this context that our art, no matter the creative medium becomes prophetic.” - Matt Tommey, Creativity According to the Kingdom Prophetic Art Calls Order Out of Chaos Just like God did on the day of creation as recorded in Genesis 1, we are called to come into chaos, bringing order and transformation into them as we release of the creative nature of God. In addition to bringing order and transformation to those things that are in chaos, our role as creative ones is also to be door keepers of the presence of God in the earth. What does that mean? It means we are called to release the presence of God in the earth through our creative expression and facilitate experiences where people can encounter the life and light of God as a part of their everyday existence. This is the nature of the Kingdom! Otherwise, what else are we supposed to be doing? When you reduce the Christian life to going to church and following a bunch of rules that you can never live up too, you embrace a dead form and deny the very power Jesus imparted to us through the cross, by the Spirit. Your creative expression literally carries the life and light of God when you co-labor with the Spirit in your creative release. Prophetic Art is Light in the Darkness Remember in John 1:1 God is light and life and everything that was created was created through the Word, Jesus. Then in Genesis 1 God released his nature – Light - into the chaotic darkness and transformation occurred. Just as sons and daughters of the Creator God are made in his image, so our creative expression carries His transformative nature through our prophetic voice. That process happens like everything in the Kingdom happens, by faith because faith IS the substance or the tangible evidence that the things we’ve seen, felt and heard in the Spirit realm are actually real. Our role is to bring them into the earth realm and allow our creative expression to be a conduit for the mountain moving power of God to be released. Now, the degree to which we get to do this in our life is not a matter of God playing favorites, but it’s based on stewarding well the gifting God has invested in us. The more you enlarge your capacity for his presence by becoming excellent at what you do, the more the father will entrust to you. That’s how you grow in the Kingdom. Prophetic Art is About Stewardship Remember the Parable of the Talents and the guy who didn't do anything with his talents? It wasn't because of his lack of ability, but his lack of belief. He told the master of the field "I knew you to be a hard man..." In other words, I knew i couldn't live up to your standards, so I just didn't even try.
Just like the men in the Parable of the Talents, you are I are responsible for the revelation God entrusts to us. It’s literally a Kingdom investment that the Father is putting inside of you, waiting to see what you do with it. That investment has the ability to grow, produce, multiply and expand when mixed with faith or it can just sit dormant. Remember, God’s Word says in Proverbs 25:2 NIV:
What Tools Are in Your Hands Right Now? As you think about your own unique Kingdom design and how the Father has designed you for your Kingdom purpose, ask yourself what is in your hand right now? What is it that the Father has given you? Maybe it's:
Take these things and begin to steward them!  Raw Diamond in a Lump of Coal. The Prophetic "Chipping Away" Ideas that come from God are like diamonds in lumps of coal. There's a lot of potential beauty inside but much has to be chipped away and polished before it can be realized. Make sense? So what needs to be chipped away in your ideas, process and art? What are the next steps you need to take to see that diamond begin to come forth and shine? Don’t minimize this! This is why we need the prophetic in our creative process, so we can sense where to move and what to do next. Again, part of that prophetic “chipping away” is in our life too, because for all artists and Kingdom creatives, we’re on a journey of personal development, not just artistic development. We’re all growing in the gifts and talents that God’s placed within us, as led by His Spirit. The great thing is that we’re not left alone in the process. Remember, it’s called being filled and skilled. It’s about operating at your fullest capacity, being totally filled with the Spirit of God and leveraging all the skill you have to release His Glory through your expression. Building On the Prophetic Art Foundations Ok, so you’ve got the foundation down, right? Hear, see and feel in the Spirit, and develop a picture or impression of what you’re supposed to be doing creatively. Then, as you chip away at the diamond and co-labor with the Father with whatever He’s put in your hand, the life and light of God will be released through your creative expression as a natural outflow of the Kingdom. As I think a little deeper about my own creative process, I recognize 5 signposts that may be helpful for you to look for in your process. They are:
Let's talk about each one of these! (But before we do, let me share some of my favorite prophetic artists with you...)  Some of My Favorite Artists Before we continue, let me take a moment to share some of my favorite artists who are creating incredible work while engaging the Holy Spirit in their creative process. While each may not call themselves a "prophetic artist", God is certainly using their work to release transformation around the world. Click on the image to visit their website and purchase their work. (All copyright retained by the artist.)
“We are called to come into chaos, bringing order & transformation into them through releasing the nature of God.” - Matt Tommey How do you know if you're creating art with the Holy Spirit of if it's just you? If you'd like to dive in a little deeper on creating with the Holy Spirit, this is an episode of 5-Minute Mentoring I did on the subject. 5 Steps in the Prophetic Art Process  "Community" - a prophetic art piece by Matt Tommey. Woven kudzu baskets, encaustic wax, copper, clay, driftwood. 1. REVELATORY CREATIVITY When a creative idea begins to percolate, it will usually come as some sort of inspiration. Maybe you see, know, hear, smell or sense something that catches your attention and you become inspired. It may be a place, a person, a song or a natural setting that you see every day or something that you’ve encountered for the first time. Regardless of how it happens, at that moment you have an encounter. The Spirit speaks and you have an “Ah-ha” moment – a light bulb experience where you know you need to pay attention. Your willingness to sense and respond to that impulse is foundational in your ability to move prophetically in the creative process. The Art of Imagination Defined by Google Dictionary, imagination is “the faculty or action of forming new ideas, or images or concepts of external objects not present to the senses.” Your imagination is a God-designed engine inside of you that receives impulses, desires and information from yourself, others and the world around you and then formulates images based on the beliefs in your heart. The root word for imagination in Latin is imaginari which actually means “picture to oneself”. It’s literally a picture engine inside of you.
Your imagination is a part of you that interacts with the movement of God within you. It is a gift to every person ever created and gives you the ability to dream, to see and know before you actually create. Just like every gift given by the Father to humanity, it has to be submitted to the Lordship of Jesus and set apart for His Glory. Imagination is the First Step Imagining is the first step in the creative process and is centered in the human spirit. For the believer, imagination interacts with the Holy Spirit in our human spirit and is then processed through our soul and body. It creates an inner picture inside of us by which we create from. This ability to see that which is not as though it already is, is the nature of God manifested through us; that is to imagine and see what is the highest, best expression of his Glory through our lives and creativity.
 Imagining the Beauty of God and Flowing with the Holy Spirit as you create Prophetic Art. The Pictures Inside You At the end of the day, it’s all about the pictures that live inside of you. Paul talked about this two times in particular as he encouraged early believers to mature in their relationship with the Father. First, in Romans 12:2 where he said “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.” In other words, don’t think like the world thinks, don’t have their picture of reality and possibility in your mind and heart, but rather renew your mind with the God’s truth, which brings Kingdom transformation. Secondly, in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 KJV he exhorts the church, saying
Again, Paul knew that imagining or seeing an internal picture of that which is of no use or has nothing to do with the knowledge or God, the Kingdom or Christ has no place within the mind of the believer. Not only does it not have any place, but if left to germinate, it will eventually bear fruit. Prophetic Imagination & the Kingdom Within Us You see, it’s in our human spirit, through the process of imagining that we connect to the divine consciousness or the Kingdom within us. Instead of connecting to our rule and reign or, as Paul says “the pattern of this world”, we connect to the rule and reign of the divine Kingdom that lives inside of us through the cross of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. That’s how we prophetically bring heavens reality and nature to the earth. This process of imagining is not only crucial to your creative process but to your whole life because creativity and living a life of passion and abundance are directly connected. God’s purposes are always followed by His promises and His promises are always followed by His pictures. When His promises and pictures are mixed with faith, they transform our identity into what God has already declared is true – an identity that can fulfill His purposes and release the fullness of the Kingdom here in the earth. It’s a beautiful circle: purpose, promises, pictures, identity. Consider for a moment, Abraham in Genesis chapters 12-17. God wanted to establish covenant with humanity and had to do it through a man. The purpose? Relationship.
Do you see? The picture took root in his heart. Then what happened? Changing a Name, Establishing a Promise God changes his name from Abram to Abraham in Chapter 17 and with it comes a physical demonstration of the promise – circumcision – that showed the reality of the new identity which was rooted in the promise portrayed in the picture that was established by the purpose. Just to give you another beautiful example of how this works think about when the angel Gabriel came to Mary in Luke, chapter 1:
Basically Mary freaks out, gets scared and the angel has to reassure her of God’s purposes again for her life and reassure of her of her identity in Him. Then, once that’s done, the angel gives Mary a picture – an expected end – that she can mix with faith in order to see God’s plan established in the earth. What happens then? She runs down the hill to her sister Elizabeth’s house in order to tell her the purposes of God over her life, stand in her new identity and give testimony to the promise and pictures the angel deposited in her heart. So what’s the bottom line here?  Dreaming with God inside your imagination is like an open door in the spirit realm. Imagination is a Vital Part the Kingdom Your ability to imagine – that is, see with God – is vital in your ability to creatively demonstrate the Kingdom and it’s tied to your acceptance of God’s purpose for your life, the identity He’s established in you through Christ and the promises He’s given you and a son and daughter in the Kingdom. Sometimes God will give the picture as with Abraham and Mary, and sometimes the promises and purpose produce the pictures like with David. Think about it, David was a lover of God and a worshipper. Firm in that identity, I’m sure God began to give him dreams, visions and promises that began to take root in His heart. How do I know that? Because I know God and that’s what He does for anyone who asks. As He mixed his faith with the promises and pictures began to form in His heart of what could be - worship, everyday, for years, with unlimited access to the Father – and sure enough the purposes of God were established in His generation. Doors began to open, people began to respond and affirm His purpose and eventually he fulfilled that purpose as King and the establishment of the Tabernacle. Why, just because God wanted it that way? No, it was because God found a man who would dream with Him to release His nature into the earth realm through imagination and see transformation happen. Strengthen Your Imagination There are practical ways to begin strengthening your imagination. Pray in tongues, ask God for pictures, meditate on His word and specifically His promises regarding your identity and your purpose. As you do, pictures will begin to form. Mix your faith with the picture and the promises and watch God begin to bring it forth.
How to Practically Partner with God If you've been wondering how to partner with God in your life and creative process, this 5-Minute Mentoring episode will be an encouragement to you! 2. SKILLFUL CREATIVITY The next step in the process of prophetic creativity is not just imagining what could be, but then stepping out and responding. You have to see and agree. If you only see, then you’ll just be frustrated because hope (a picture of an expected end) deferred makes the heart sick. On the other hand, you can go through a bunch of wrote motions but unless there’s a picture of your expected end mixed with faith, you’re going nowhere fast. This whole process of seeing and agreeing is explored in detail within my book “Creativity According to the Kingdom.” Suffice it to say, within your life there has to be a constant infilling of the Holy Spirit through an intimate relationship with Jesus. That produces desires, dreams, passion and pictures. It affirms your identity and causes you to triumph. Response is Required At the same time “faith without works is dead.” There must always be a response and that response is based in your skill set. As you grow in being filled, you must also grow in being skilled. Giving attention to both simultaneously, as led by the Spirit of God produces maturity and brings you into a place of increase. Proverbs 18:16 NKJV says “A mans gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.” If you want influence in the world system, if you want to be a conduit of Kingdom transformation then you must pursue skill. “  "Nested in Arms of Grace" - a prophetic sculpture by Matt Tommey. 3. INCARNATIONAL CREATIVITY If imagination is source and skillful, Spirit-led execution is the process then surely art is the product. Your art, or whatever your creative expression happens to be brings into reality that which up until this point has only been a hope. The act of creating is by it’s very nature incarnational because it’s bringing the purpose and promise of God into the earth in tangible form. No longer is this thing we’ve dreamed of just an idea, but now it has become an evidential reality. This incarnational process is a core part of God’s divine nature. When we participate in His divine nature - through His precious promises - we then become participants in the incarnation, bringing the divine into the earth realm for all to see, interact with and be transformed by. God led the way and gave us the pattern. God wanted to redeem the world (purpose) and so began to let the word out through his prophets (promise) that there was a Messiah coming. Through the prophets of old, God began to give a picture of what this Messiah would look like, how He would act and what He would do when He came (picture). The Word (Jesus) became flesh and dwelt among us (skillful execution on the part of God co-laboring with Mary resulting in the Incarnation.) Now through the Holy Spirit and our ability to co-labor with him in our creativity, our artwork becomes incarnational (because we are joint heirs with Jesus in the new covenant), revealing the Nature of God in the earth. This is not a one-time event but our new, everyday reality as sons and daughters of the King. The Kingdom is Established through Sons & Daughters For me, this is where the rubber meets the road. The Kingdom of God is established in the earth as sons and daughters release demonstrations of the reality of that Kingdom into the culture, regardless of their unique gifting or calling. Jesus promised that we would do greater works than He did, that signs and wonders would follow those who believe in Him. My friend, your creative expression was destined from the very foundation of the earth to be the incarnated demonstration of God’s Kingdom in the earth.  Prophetic art is like a table set before the viewer where God is waiting to release His presence. 4. TRANSFORMATIONAL CREATIVITY When your creation does come from that place of Spirit-birthed, skillfully produced incarnation, it literally becomes a conduit for transformation. Why? Not because of us, in and of our talent but because it’s carrying the very Light and Life – the very nature – of God. Just like the sacrament of communion, your art, like the simple bread and wine, becomes a means of grace whereby God can commune with his people. Since Spirit-born creative expression is both prophetic and incarnational in nature our art has the capacity to speak and continue speaking to everyone who encounters it over time. It’s a lot like the stone cairns that you see throughout the Celtic landscape of Scotland that were created and placed there to show the way over time. These stacked stone monuments act as reminders that in the middle of what seems like nowhere, there is a trail. Our artwork and creative expression can be a cairn of sorts in the Spirit, declaring that there is a path that leads to life through the person of Jesus. Instead of just having a one-time encounters, we literally have the opportunity to set up these places of intersection in the Spirit for generations to come. Songs that would be sung for generations, buildings to be built that would declare the Glory of the Lord, even tangible objects used in daily life all acting as intersection points where God shows up and connects with His children. Art is a Table Our artwork literally becomes, as in Psalm 23 a table prepared to nourish those who come and sit before the King in the presence of everything that seeks to kill, suppress and confuse them. Oh to think of it! That the overflow of your life! The very expression of your heart and hands would be used as a demonstration of the transforming love of God. You see my friend, art and beauty are not ornamental, as some out suppose. They are essential for all life because it is through them that we touch the very nature of the creator God. "God cares much more that you create than what you create. Having you fulfill your divine design is the desire of the Father." - Matt Tommey  "Flow" - a prophetic art basket by Matt Tommey. Bark, vine, copper and encaustic wax. 5. ABUNDANT CREATIVITY The result of Kingdom transformation is always life, especially when it comes through the creative expression of sons and daughters. Life abundant. Life everlasting. Life rooted and grounded in love and the abundance of the Father of all Life. God’s abundance overflows when it transforms the hearts of man and through His grace He activates the dormant places in the heart causing vision, purpose and desire to spring forth. Man fully alive, fully satisfied in God, fully loved by God and fully able to stand in His Kingdom purpose. Cooperation, Not Performance A life of abundance and creativity always manifests in our life when we come into alignment with the intention or design of God for our life, whether as co-creators or ones interacting with the Spirit-birthed creation. This doesn’t mean we’ll never have another problem in our life or that grace is some ticket to easy street. It does mean, however that worry is no longer an option because at the end of the day, you know you are secure, provided for and in the Beloved of Almighty God. Otherwise, we stay frustrated in the ego portion of our being - our soul, mind will, emotions - wresting with feelings of inadequacy, powerlessness and frustration. This understanding of how prophetic creative expression is birthed and transformation is released should encourage you because it takes the pressure off of you to perform. Rather, you just simply cooperate with the design of God in and through your life. You don’t have to be this or that, just stand as a son or daughter, receiving and stewarding that which God has entrusted to you. Abundance is basically coming into harmony with the frequency of God in the earth and in our being. Otherwise we create dissonance by playing notes that don’t work together and tension, stress and anxiety are the result. I don’t know about you, but I want to be in harmony with all that God is doing! PLEASE COMMENT BELOW AND LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT CREATING PROPHETIC ART! :) - Matt This blog is an excerpt from “Creativity According to the Kingdom: Connecting with Heaven to Create with God and Release Transformation”. To order your copy in print or on Kindle, visit Amazon.com today. CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT EVEN MORE ABOUT PROPHETIC ART! 
Healthy relationships are vital to thriving in life. We were created to form life-giving, meaningful, and deep connections with other people. It's just how we are wired as human beings, and we all need these bonds to be our best. God said it best, "It is not good for man to be alone."
One of the things that the Lord showed me years ago was that the principle of sowing and reaping is not just a financial principle, it's a Kingdom principle. It's a universal law, just like gravity, and it works with every area of life, including relationships. If you're not actively sowing into relationships in your life, then I guarantee you're not reaping those healthy relationships and healthy interactions you need to thrive in life. We've got to intentionally cultivate the relationships we want in our life. And so, I want to give you a few tips that I've learned over the years that have helped me grow in my relationship with God, with others, and in my life as a kingdom person. #1 – Speak to Their Design God has a design and a purpose for every person on the planet, whether they're a believer yet or not, and whether they believe and embrace their divine design or not. God loves to speak to His people's purpose, even when they aren't living up to their full potential.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)
Let's face it; we tend to react to others based on what we see happening in their lives, what they are demonstrating. Brokenness, bad-habits, and unhealthy choices are easy to see and even easier to point out in others. But that's not the way of the Kingdom. We have to look at others through the eyes of the Spirit to see past their current situation and speak into destiny.
In the verse above, God sent Jeremiah to speak life, destiny, and purpose to a group of isolated Israelites who were exiled because of a lifetime (actually several lifetimes) of brokenness. God's desired connection with His people, and in this example, He modeled one way to sow into relationships. Here's What I Said On My Podcast About This:
#2 - Pull the Gold Out of Others
As we learn to see others from God's point of view, we begin to recognize their purpose and are in a position to bless their design. Think about where Gideon was when the Lord called him a "Mighty Warrior." Gideon couldn't see it at the time, but God acknowledged and blessed Gideon's divine design and purpose in that declaration. Approaching relationships with the goal of seeing the best, or “the gold”, in others is a great place to start. But turning your attention towards and sowing into the best in others is vital to cultivate those healthy, authentic connections you're seeking. #3 Don't Wait, Initiate It's frustrating to be the one that always has to ask their friends out. Face it, we all love it when we get invited out to lunch after church or get asked to come over and hang out. It's an unspoken message that says, "Hey, you are someone I want to spend time with." But what do you do when those invites aren't happening on a regular basis? Take a step. Ask the Holy Spirit:
Here's the thing: If you always wait on others to sow into you, a lot of times you'll be waiting a long time. And the enemy will spin that into offense, isolation, and the lie that something is wrong with you. As you step out of your shell and begin to initiate instead of wait, bless others according to their design, and actively pull the gold out of their lives, you'll start to see incredible fruit coming forth in your relationships. By sowing into others, you'll become the person people want to be around. By speaking into the divine design of others, looking for the best in them and initiating relationships you become a beautiful conduit through which God will release His Kingdom, not only in the lives of others but in your life, too. Remember, Proverbs 11:25 says”
“A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”
Thanks for reading! Comment below to let me know how you’re cultivating intimacy with others. Together, we can be used by God to change the culture around us for His Glory.
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AuthorMatt Tommey is an artist, author and mentor who is passionate about empowering artists to thrive spiritually, artistically and in business. |
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