AKA

We all have a name, and even if you don’t like your birth name you can choose one that you like and own it. I look at the obituary pages every now and then, and at times see a person’s death announcement with two or more ‘also known as’ (AKA) names. I know these additional names have their special meanings to the deceased and their family and/or friends. I have grown to love my first and middle names ever since I have found out their meanings and histories. ‘Li’ are the first two letters of my dad’s name, ‘ta’ are the last two letters of my mother’s name, and ‘Aleese’ is the youthful version (as my mother explained) of my paternal grandmother’s name, Alice, whom I loved. I still have the mat she made for me with her very own hands. What about your name? Do you love your name...or not so much? Do you have another name you are known by? I would love to hear the meanings of your names.

One of God’s names is El Shaddai which means 'God, all sufficient, more than enough'

Another name I have come to love and experience first hand, is one of the names of God, El Shaddai. God introduced Himself to Abraham as God Almighty, El Shaddai. God makes things happen! He is more than enough. Whatever you think of Him now He is much more than your thoughts! To experience God is to know Him! Abraham was given a promised blessing in his impossible situation. As a matter of fact he and his wife had pretty much settled it in their minds that they would be childless, and here comes God saying 'you are going to be a father'. God put a thought of possibility in Abraham’s mind. Not only that, but God knew Abraham needed to know who He was and that He, God, was Abraham’s way maker and miracle worker. Every time Abraham said God’s AKA name, he would be agreeing with God saying who God is to him, what God was doing through him, and that the promise of God was real for him and his wife. His faith in what they hoped for, a child, would happen no matter how impossible it seemed. We don’t like to wait but a big part of believing is waiting. When we move ahead of God we take things out of His hands. We are literally saying to God, 'You are not fixing my situation fast enough for me, so I will help You' or 'you know what God, I’ll just figure it out and do it myself'. Truth be told, I wanted God to fix my impossibility and I stopped trusting Him and took things into my own hands. I literally stopped believing. I regretted doing that but as God did for Abraham and Sarah, He also did for me. God caused all things (the good and the bad) to work together for their good. Sarah, Abraham and my moment of doubt and unbelief and taking things into our own hands taught us a valuable lesson. It does not produce the promised miracle any faster and it creates an unadulterated mess that God has to clean up! God knows our hearts, thank God! He takes us through our journey and doesn’t waste a moment of our lives. If you need a miracle in your life, get to know God Almighty, El Shaddai! I say this prayer for you... Prayer: Father God, El Shaddai, I bless every person reading this prayer. You know the hearts and needs of every reader. I ask you to fill them with a desire to know you more, to know you as El Shaddai, God Almighty, the miracle worker, the God of more than enough; the God who restores, provides and protects. I ask you to open up their eyes and their ears to hear your voice more that they may know you more. Fill them with thoughts of possibilities. Create in them a clean heart to know you better and to believe that you will do what you said you will do. I believe that your goodness, loving kindness and mercies will continually follow them. And as they grow to love you more they will experience more of you, unending...in Jesus name Amen.

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Scripture References: Revelation 3:7-13 | Ephesians 1:3-22 | Matthew 16:19 | Matthew 6:11

Suggested Listening: Goodness Of God (LIVE) - Bethel Music | VICTORY