Five quick tips to get prepared for your "suddenly"

Reading Time 5 mins 30 secs –

What can you expect in 2021?

Buckle your seatbelt friend!

You may have heard me talk about how God gave me several dreams concerning the direction of our country over the last year. The first one was on New Year’s Eve 2019 and was a prophetic glimpse of what would spiritually occur in 2020.

In the dream, I was in a major city that was empty of people. From building to building hung spider webs. And on one skyscraper sat a huge spider. The city was vacant of people except for one young guy who was headed directly toward the spider’s web. In the dream, God said, He doesn’t understand the danger of this deception. You need to tell him.

I never expected to see anything like that happen—cities vacated and Satan bringing such deception.

The dream didn’t end there. I heard the words Rosh Hashanah bellow, and the power of God knocked me down.

What does Rosh Hashanah mean? Rosh Hashanah is a time for reflection, prayer, and repentance. Rosh Hashanah was symbolic of repentance and the power of God coming into the situation.

The other two dreams I had in 2020 were warnings for America that I felt I needed to share publicly.

The second dream was of socialism coming into our nation, and God instructed me to tell people the danger of this agenda. Drenda and I took that very seriously and launched out together on television and in daily updates to warn and instruct people about what was happening.

It’s critically important that the Body of Christ understands the dangers of what we’re hearing and seeing in our culture.

In the third dream, I saw our United States Constitution under attack and our guns being taken away. Russia and China were somehow involved.

Since then, God has spoken to me TWICE more concerning the future and about 2021.

Before I share what He showed me, I want to remind you that God’s Word does not change no matter what is changing in the world. God does not lie, and He cannot fail.

We don’t need to look for a prophetic word to help us know our future. His precious promises already tell us our future. Many times, though, God sends a prophetic word to encourage us amid our battles. He gave me an encouraging word for you for 2021 on September 4, 2020.

We celebrated Faith Life Church’s 25th anniversary that night with a banquet with some of our church leaders. During the evening, several people gave Drenda and me cards and gifts and thanked us for the impact Faith Life Church has had on their lives.

One family walked up and handed me a container that held 25 one-ounce silver coins. The minute I laid my hands on the container, the Spirit of God spoke to me. I knew there was more to the gift. I opened the container and was surprised to see that the front of each coin had an image of a prospector mining, or panning for gold, on them.

Instantly, I remembered a dream that I had many years ago when we were building The Now Center, money was very tight, and I was under a lot of pressure.

In the dream, I saw two mining carts that were each completely overflowing with silver coins. At the time of the dream, I was confused as to why the carts were full of silver coins instead of gold coins.

After a bit of research, I understood.

Silver is used as currency in everyday life. Gold is used primarily as a way to hold wealth. I understood then that those two carts full of silver coins meant that money— provision —was going to come in and take care of our needs. And the second cart represented God’s promise of double portion, overflowing provision, more than enough.

As I held those 25 silver coins in my hands that night and reflected on that dream from years ago, the Lord spoke to me:

In this season, I am going to bring great prosperity to my people, to the ones who know My Voice and follow My Spirit. They will be as the ones who came out of Egypt.

He brought out Israel, laden with silver and gold and from among their tribes no one faltered. - Psalm 105:37 (NIV)

To be “laden” means to be heavily loaded or weighed down. Think of the Hebrew slaves coming out of Egypt—they were weighed down with gold and silver. They had one chance to carry the wealth of Egypt with them. They were loaded up with prosperity!

Think of the boats in Luke 5, when Peter, James, and John caught so many fish that their nets almost broke and their two boats began to sink from the weight. Those nets were laden with prosperity.

Of course, overflowing prosperity is already a promise for every child of God, but God wants to use this as a sign:

God is going to bless His people in this season.

There will be a distinct difference in how God’s people—YOU—live in 2021.

Just before Christmas, I had another dream concerning 2021. It was a simple one. I just heard the word “contend” and saw a picture of the communion table with the bread and wine and heard the word “covenant.”

Of course, a covenant is a legally binding agreement. But what does contend mean? It means to struggle or strive to overcome a problem or difficulty.

I know that definition sounds negative, but God didn’t mean it that way.

He said:
You contend and I will show up.

You step into the chaos, to where I lead you, and I will meet you there. I will back you up.

You have an enemy that wants to stop you. Spirits and demonic forces are real, and satan wants to distract you, deceive you, and discourage you.

The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:8 that the enemy prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Do not fear. You have a covenant with the Lord Almighty. You can resist the devil and his lies.

The culture keeps telling us to back down and back off, but that is NOT what God is telling His people to do.

This is the time to go forward and CONTEND.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Friend, no matter what you faced in 2020, God STILL has a great plan for your life.

He wants you to live a full, supernatural life in 2021, and to leave room for the SUDDENLY!

He wants to defend His people and show Himself strong just like He has time and time again—when the walls of Jericho fell; when Goliath fell dead from a stone—when situations looked impossible, then… SUDDENLY!

How can you CONTEND in 2021?

How can you posture yourself for the SUDDENLY God wants to bring you in 2021?

Here are five quick tips:

1. Make sure you have a faith picture. Know in your heart what the Word of God says about you and your situation.

2. Spend time in His Word and hear His voice. He has instructions and encouragement to give you.

3. Reject anything that doesn’t line up with what God says. Keep the Word in your heart and take every thought captive. Cast down negative, toxic, fearful, and lying thoughts. Stay in agreement with what heaven says about you and your situation.

4. Exercise your spiritual authority. CONTEND! Stand boldly on the promise that God is for you and no one and nothing can stand against you. Stay the course. Don’t let discouragement set in. Persevere with the Word!

5. ALWAYS be in agreement with your spouse. Never, ever march out into battle without being in total agreement and faith with your spouse.

Agreement with your spouse is required in order for you to see Heaven move in the earth realm. We can’t stress enough how important it is that you and your spouse are in agreement and that your family is on the same page spiritually.

Friend, our nation is at a crossroads. The world is growing darker. You are called to be a light in the darkness. You are called for such a time as this.

Contend, and release the Kingdom of God into the earth in 2021!

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When Your Faith Feels Weak

By Gary Keesee • May 18, 2026

Reading Time 5 mins 08 secs – Faith does not usually disappear all at once. It happens slowly. A little distraction here. A little neglect there. A few days without feeding on the Word of God. A few moments of fear left unchecked. Before long, you may still remember what faith felt like, but you are no longer living from that place. That is what spiritual atrophy looks like. In the natural, muscles weaken when they are not used. You may remember being strong. You may remember what you used to carry or accomplish. But when the moment comes to use that strength again, you realize something has changed. The same thing can happen spiritually. You can remember the Scriptures. You can remember past victories. You can know the right things to say. But faith is more than repeating words. Faith is agreement with heaven. More Than Saying the Right Words Jesus said in Mark 11:23 that whoever speaks to the mountain and does not doubt in his heart will have what he says. The issue is not only what comes out of your mouth. The issue is also what your heart truly believes. Many people say, “My faith is weak.” But often, the real issue is unbelief. Jesus said faith as small as a mustard seed can move a mountain (Matthew 17:20). That means the problem is not the size of your faith. If faith is present, heaven has jurisdiction. Faith is not pretending everything is fine while fear still dominates your thinking. True faith is becoming so persuaded by God’s Word that His truth feels more real than the circumstance standing in front of you. The question is this: Are you in agreement with God’s Word? Or has fear, disappointment, or a past failure painted a different picture inside of you? The Enemy Works Through Pictures Fear always tries to create an image. A bad report. A painful memory. A failed attempt. A worst-case scenario. The enemy wants you to meditate on what could go wrong until fear feels more real than God’s promise. But every promise from God carries a picture too. Healing carries a picture. Provision carries a picture. Peace carries a picture. Victory carries a picture. If the picture inside you does not match what heaven says, your thinking has to be renewed. That only happens through the Word of God. Build Your Foundation Before the Storm Jesus said the wise man built his house on the rock. When the storm came, the house stood firm because it had a foundation. The storm is not the time to begin building. Do not wait until sickness comes to search for healing Scriptures. Do not wait until pressure hits your finances to learn how God’s Kingdom works. Build now. Meditate on the Word now. Mark 4 teaches us that the Word is seed. When it is planted in your heart, it grows over time. First the stalk, then the head, then the full grain. Faith grows the same way. As you continue feeding on truth, what God says becomes more real than what circumstances say. What Comes Out First Reveals Your Foundation When pressure suddenly hits, the first words out of your mouth often reveal what you truly believe. Fear speaks quickly. But faith speaks with authority. If fear has been leading your thoughts lately, do not live condemned. Recognize where you are and go back to the Word. Strengthen what has grown weak. Let truth become alive inside you again. Because when you are fully persuaded, you stop wrestling with whether God will do what He promised. You simply stand. You Can Start Fresh Today God’s mercies are new every morning. That means yesterday does not have the final word over your life. You are not trapped by past failures, past disappointments, or seasons where you felt spiritually dry. God is not asking you to live off old victories or old encounters with Him. He invites you to walk with Him daily, to be renewed daily, and to grow stronger daily. You are not stuck in spiritual weakness. Faith can be rebuilt. Strength can return. Your confidence in God can grow again. The same way muscles strengthen through consistent exercise and nourishment, your spirit becomes strong when it is continually fed with truth. Every moment spent in God’s Word is building something inside of you. Even when you cannot immediately see it, the seed is growing. You can renew your mind. You can rebuild your foundation. You can feed your spirit until faith rises again and God’s promises become more real to you than fear, pressure, or uncertainty. The enemy may look for an opportune time, but you do not have to live vulnerable or unprepared. When your life is built on the Word, you are not easily shaken by bad reports, changing circumstances, or unexpected pressure. You know where your confidence comes from. Build your life on truth. Stay spiritually nourished. Guard what you allow into your heart and mind. Listen to the Holy Spirit, and follow His direction day by day. And when pressure comes, you will not collapse under it. You will stand firm, anchored in the promises of God and confident that He is faithful to finish what He started in you. A Simple Prayer Father, Thank You for Your Word and for teaching me how Your Kingdom operates. Show me where fear, unbelief, or wrong thinking has taken root in my heart. Help me renew my mind and become fully persuaded of Your promises. Strengthen my faith, guide me by Your Spirit, and teach me to stand firmly on Your truth. In Jesus’s name, I pray. Amen.

You Were Created to Live Free From Fear

By Gary Keesee • April 8, 2026

Reading Time 4 mins 25 secs – Fear feels real. It talks loudly. It paints pictures. It rehearses worst-case scenarios. And if you do not know how to stop it, it will try to script your future before you ever get there. But fear is not truth. Fear is not fact. And through God’s Word, you can live free from it. Scripture says plainly, “ Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me” (Psalm 23:4a, NIV). Notice that carefully. It does not say fear is unavoidable. It does not say anxiety is your permanent condition. It does not say torment is part of your identity. It says, I will fear no evil. That means freedom from fear is possible. Fear Works Through Images Fear often begins with a thought, but it does not stop there. It immediately tries to form a picture. The doctor says something concerning, and fear paints the ending. The bank account drops, and fear paints the ending. A symptom shows up, and fear paints the ending. A problem hits your family, and fear paints the ending. That is how the enemy works. He presents an image and tries to convince you it is reality. But just because something enters your mind does not mean it is true. Fear is an imagination. It is an illusion. It may feel convincing, but that does not make it a fact. The enemy wants you to meditate on what could go wrong. God calls you to stand on what He said. The Real Battle Is at the Root Fear is often treated like the main problem. But fear is really a symptom. Like a fever in the body, it points to something deeper that needs attention. The deeper issue is what you believe. If fear keeps dominating your thoughts, then somewhere a lie has been accepted as truth. That is why the answer is not just trying harder to calm down. The answer is renewing your mind. You must identify the lie. Then you must replace it with truth. Second Corinthians 10:5 reminds us that we are to cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. That means you do not let fearful thoughts sit in your mind and build a home there. You reject them. You replace them. You do not fight fear by admiring it, analyzing it, or entertaining it. You fight fear by confronting it with truth. What You Are Anchored to Matters Life will always present moments that seem dangerous, uncertain, or impossible. The question is not whether you will face pressure. The question is what you are anchored to when pressure comes. If your confidence is anchored to circumstances, you will always feel unstable. Circumstances change. Reports change. Emotions change. But God’s Word does not change. Truth can hold you. Just as a climber trusts the anchor that keeps him from falling, you must learn to trust the promises of God more than the pictures fear is trying to show you. When your life is anchored to truth, fear loses its power to dominate your thinking. Renewing Your Mind Changes What Feels Possible There was a time when many things people now accept with confidence would have seemed impossible. Flight looked impossible. Certain athletic feats looked impossible. What changed? Knowledge. Training. Repetition. Confidence in a higher law. In the same way, many believers still live under the assumption that fear is normal, fear is wise, fear is protective, or fear is just part of life. But God’s Kingdom operates differently. In Romans 12:2a (NIV), it says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Transformation does not happen by accident. It happens when you retrain your thinking with truth. The world trains people to expect loss, danger, failure, sickness, and defeat. God trains His people to expect His faithfulness, His promises, His strength, and His victory. If you keep feeding on fear, fear will feel natural. If you feed on truth, freedom will become normal. You Must Replace the Picture You cannot simply tell yourself not to think about something. You must replace the wrong picture with the right one. If fear says, “This will destroy you,” answer with what God says. If fear says, “You are going under,” answer with what God says. If fear says, “You will never recover,” answer with what God says. Truth is the antidote. When God promises healing, provision, peace, protection, and victory, those promises carry pictures. They are meant to shape your imagination. Too many people meditate on everything that can go wrong. But faith grows when you meditate on what God has already said in His Word. The enemy wants your imagination captured by fear. God wants your imagination renewed by truth. Your Future Does Not Belong to Fear Many people have lived so long under fear that they assume it will always define them. It will not. You can be free. Your life does not have to be governed by fear of sickness. Fear of failure. Fear of rejection. Fear of lack. Fear of loss. Fear of the future. God did not create you to live tormented. He created you to live in His Kingdom, under His rule, with His peace, and in the confidence of His promises. The future belongs to those who believe what God says more than what fear suggests. So, start again. Open your Bible. Find out who you really are. Train your mind in truth. Reject the lie. Hold onto His promises. And refuse to let fear write a story God never wrote for you. A Simple Prayer Father, Thank You for not giving me a spirit of fear. Thank You for giving me power, love, and a sound mind. Help me recognize every lie the enemy tries to plant in my thoughts. Teach me to renew my mind with Your Word and to reject every imagination that rises against the truth of who You are and who I am in Christ. Strengthen me to stand on Your promises, speak with authority, and live in the freedom You have given me. In Jesus’s name, I pray. Amen.

Choose Your Circle, Choose Your Future

By Gary Keesee • March 12, 2026

Reading Time 4 mins 40 secs – If you want to see your future, take a look at your friends. Scripture says plainly, “Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33, NIV). That’s not a suggestion. That’s a warning. And the deception is thinking your good character will automatically change the people around you. Sometimes it can. But often, it’s the other way around. Who speaks into your life matters. Who challenges you matters. Who flatters you matters. Who you follow matters. All of it shapes where you end up. The Deception About Influence Many people fall into what’s called false responsibility. They want someone else’s success more than that person wants it for themselves. They believe they can fix, carry, or rescue someone who isn’t willing to change. You must understand something clearly: God sends people, and the enemy sends people. Not every opportunity is from God. Not every relationship is divinely aligned. One of the clearest warning signs is constant flattery. When someone continually builds you up without ever challenging you, pay attention. Flattery often hides motive. That’s why you must judge your friendships carefully. Fear Is Contagious, and So Is Courage Before Israel went into battle, Moses gave a striking instruction: if someone was afraid or faint-hearted, send them home. Why? Because fear spreads. Fear talks. Doubt talks. Unbelief talks. But courage talks too. Faith talks too. Vision talks too. The people around you will either magnify the obstacle or magnify the promise. They will either rehearse what could go wrong or remind you what God said. Choose wisely. Proof That Who You Follow Changes You After David defeated Goliath, King Saul pursued him. David escaped to a cave. Not a palace, not a resort—a cave. And 400 men followed him. The Bible describes them as distressed, in debt, and discontented. That doesn’t sound like leadership material. But something changed. Those same men became David’s mighty men of valor. They performed exploits. They accumulated wealth. They became strong, disciplined warriors. What happened? They followed someone who carried covenant confidence. They followed faith instead of fear. And they were transformed. Who you follow will change you, either for good or for worse. The Cost of the Wrong Circle You don’t have to make the wrong decision yourself to feel the consequences of being in the wrong environment. Association carries weight. When you attach yourself to people who are reckless, careless, or spiritually drifting, their choices begin to affect your direction. Influence is subtle at first. It doesn’t feel dangerous. It feels normal. Comfortable. Accepted. But over time, conversations shape thinking. Thinking shapes decisions. Decisions shape outcomes. That’s why Scripture says not to be deceived. The drift rarely feels dramatic in the beginning. It feels gradual. You may never intend to compromise your standards. You may never plan to move away from your convictions. But proximity has power. What you tolerate eventually influences what you participate in. This is not about isolation. It’s about discernment. You can love everyone. You can minister to anyone. But you must be wise about who has consistent access to your life. Because you don’t have to commit the act to feel the consequence of the association. Choose your circle carefully. Not Everyone Qualifies for Close Access There are people you minister to. There are people you love. There are people you encourage. But not everyone qualifies to be your close companion. Ezra warned Israel not to make treaties of friendship with those whose practices would corrupt them. The principle still applies: don’t make agreements with influences that pull you away from God. There are relationships you need to: Increase Maintain Or discontinue And you must discern which is which. The righteous choose their friends carefully. What Healthy Friendship Looks Like The right people in your life will: Encourage your walk with God Strengthen your faith Uphold your marriage and family Believe in you Challenge you past your comfort zone Correct you when you’re wrong A true friend will tell you the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable. An enemy flatters. A friend sharpens. If no one in your life can correct you, you’re vulnerable. Hold Unswervingly Hebrews instructs us to hold unswervingly to the hope we profess and to encourage one another toward love and good deeds. “Unswervingly” means steady. Unwavering. Not drifting. The right friendships help you stay steady. The wrong ones slowly pull you off course, usually so gradually you don’t notice until you’re far from where you intended to be. Make a decision: as for you and your house, you will serve the Lord. And build your circle around that decision. A Simple Prayer Father, Thank You for guiding my steps and ordering my relationships. Give me wisdom to choose my circle carefully. Help me discern the voices that strengthen my faith and the ones that pull me away. Surround me with people who challenge me, correct me, and encourage me to follow You fully. Give me courage to walk away from anything that hinders my walk with You. In Jesus’s name, I pray. Amen.