Damascus Road Ministries - The People's Ministry

09/04/2026

Are you on the right path, doing your best, serving God, being there for others but on occasion something from the past creeps up?

So what is the difference between living in the past and understanding the past?

The Bible says:
“By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established.” — Proverbs 24:3

Understanding matters.

I recently spoke with a young adult who said, “I have forgiven everyone. I have even been through counseling. I don’t understand why sometimes I still get depressed.” And I realized something, sometimes we are not going backward, sometimes we are grieving.

He had forgiven, but he had never fully grieved the loss of certain relationships, the childhood he did not get to have, and what should have been.

Grief is not only for funerals for the physical dead but grief can be for lost relationships or lost dreams, and opportunities!

Samuel mourned Saul while Saul was still alive. — 1 Samuel 15:35
Sometimes we grieve a relationship, a childhood, a dream, a family connection, or simply what could have been.
Forgiveness and grief are not the same thing.

You can forgive someone and still grieve what was lost. Being saved does not mean denying what happened. If you are driving down the right road and hit a bump, 'the memory' it is okay to stop, get out, and check the car. You are not turning around. You are making sure everything is okay so you can keep going.

Sometimes we need to do the same spiritually and emotionally, especially when a thought or memory creeps in.

You Ask, What happened? Why does this still affect me? Is there something I never understood or properly grieved? Is there a missing piece to my story?

Look at Moses.
Moses was raised in Pharaoh’s house, but when he grew older, Scripture says “he went out unto his brethren.” — Exodus 2:11
Hebrews tells us that when Moses came of age, he refused to be identified only as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter and chose to identify with the people of God. — Hebrews 11:24–25

Moses had to know who he was, what happened and where he came from because it was connected to where God was sending him! Because understanding his story was part of God preparing him for his purpose.

Sometimes we too need understanding for the same reason.

Not because we want to return to the past, but because there may be pieces of our story that help us understand ourselves, to become fully free, and better to accomplish the work God.

Paul said he was forgetting what was behind and reaching forward, but Paul never denied who Saul had been. He did not return to Saul, but he understood Saul and then continued his mission for Jesus.

So Father, today we pray:
Teach us to understand the past without becoming imprisoned by it. Your Word says, “By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established.” — Proverbs 24:3

So establish us through understanding. Help us grieve what needs to be grieved and release what needs to be released.

Like Moses, help us understand where we came from so we can better understand where You are sending us.

If there is something about our story we need to understand in order to finish the work you called us to do, like Moses bring it into the light.

Father, Your Word says the Spirit of Truth will guide us into all truth , John 16:13 and “you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32
So lead us by Your Spirit of Truth.

Help us properly grieve what was lost like Samuel grieved the lost of his relationship with King Saul and let truth bring freedom.

We are not looking back to live there. We are looking back to understand to get our posture to continue forward in freedom, purpose, and the work You have called us to finish.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Copyright © 2026 by J.A.M.
All rights reserved.

09/01/2026

A September Declaration🙏🏽

Do you find yourself living from past trauma and painful memories? This declaration is for you....

I declare everything that was put on me that did not come from God, must come off of me now.

Anything in me that was formed by trauma, spoken over me, placed upon me, or forced upon me , even as a child things I should have never experienced will no longer define me, control me, or dictate how I live.

Anything that developed in me, bad character traits or personality traits because of what I experienced or what I had to survive, and never part of who God created me to be, is no longer who I am.

I am operating in the power and the fruits of the Holy Spirit and walking in spiritual maturity and spiritual development.

The memories, trauma, and pain will no longer control the operating system of my life.

I declare that God has erased the pain, fear, anxiety, depression, sadness, grief, rejection, anger, disappointment, and hurt attached to the memory.

And even if it seems that I have more bad memories than good memories, I declare that God will emphasize the good.

I declare that God has erased and rebooted my mind, renewed me, and created in me a right mind and a right spirit.
“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”
Psalm 51:10, Romans 12:2

I declare that I will no longer operate from a place of trauma and bad memories.

I will no longer make decisions from what happened to me.
I will live from a place of praise, thanking God for my deliverance.

Anything placed in me through rejection, abandonment, fear, disappointment, abuse, neglect, loss, grief, instability, harsh words, broken relationships, or painful childhood experiences — I will no longer receive as part of my identity.

I will not call trauma, fear, anxiety, anger, insecurity, people-pleasing, 'just who I am' because I am not what happened to me.

I am not the product of my trauma.

And today I declare that God has removed everything that was never supposed to become part of me and is restoring me to the person He intended me to be from the beginning.

I will not give yesterday’s hurt authority over my life.

I declare that the enemy will not use memories, people as portals on this earth, things, or substances to continually reopen wounds, keep me bound to my past, or pull me back into a place from which God has already delivered me from!

I am free.
“And if the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
— John 8:36

I declare that I am walking with a cheerful heart. What happened to me will not continue to crush or break my spirit.

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.”
— Proverbs 17:22

I declare I will not allow one bad chapter to become the entire book of my life.

I will not allow trauma to determine my personality, relationships, decisions, future, or destiny.

As I begin a new month, I declare I will live from the place God always intended for me!

I am no longer living from bad history, painful memories, trauma, or fear.

Today, I DECLARE IT In Jesus’ name - I am walking in peace, joy, victory, favor and much success!

If you receive it say, Amen!

Copyright © 2026 by J.A.M.
All rights reserved.

08/24/2026

How big is your want to and
How bad do you want it?

You will always find people who will try to stop you, distract you, and give you every reason it can’t be done. In fact, you will have people say you don't have the credentials for it! But at the end of the day, how bad do you want it? Your faith has to be as big as your “want to,” because faith without works is dead (James 2:17).

The woman with the issue of blood knew she was going to have to push people out the way and ignore the nose bleed critics seating in the cheap seats of life!

So I ask you, How bad do you want it? Sometimes you will have to physically push just like the woman with the issue of blood and when things seem impossible you will have to surrender it to God and continue to push on your knees by praying the promises of God!!
Amen!

Copyright © 2026 by J.A.M.
All rights reserved

08/20/2026

08/17/2026

Let's declare the word of God over our children, grandchildren, and for children in general as they begin a new school season!

Genesis 6:9
Like Noah, my children walk faithfully with God. They remain righteous and strong even when the culture around them goes in another direction.

1 Samuel 2:26
Like Samuel, my children continue to grow in wisdom, maturity, character, and favor with God and with people.

Daniel 1:17
Like Daniel, my children receive knowledge, skill, wisdom, understanding, and excellence from God.

Daniel 6:3
Like Daniel, an excellent spirit is found in my children. They are distinguished by integrity, wisdom, competence, discipline, and character.

Genesis 39:2–3
Like Joseph, the Lord is with my children. They prosper in the places God assigns them, and His favor rests upon the work of their hands.

Esther 2:17
Like Esther, my children walk in grace, favor, courage, wisdom, and godly influence.

Proverbs 14:15
My children are not naïve, gullible, or easily deceived. They do not believe everything they hear. They examine situations carefully and make prudent decisions.

Proverbs 22:3
My children recognize danger and warning signs. They have the wisdom to avoid harmful situations rather than walking blindly into them.

Proverbs 12:26
My children choose their friends carefully. They do not allow unhealthy, wicked, or destructive people to lead them away from wisdom.

Proverbs 13:20
My children surround themselves with wise, mature, responsible people, and their friendships increase their wisdom.

1 Corinthians 15:33
My children are not deceived about the power of influence. They refuse friendships and environments that corrupt their character or weaken their values.

Proverbs 27:17
My children have friendships that sharpen them. Their friends encourage growth, accountability, wisdom, faith, excellence, and maturity.

We pray they know who they are, know whose they are, recognize what is good and what is harmful, choose wisely, walk in excellence, and fulfill every purpose God has ordained for their lives. We pray whatever influences surround them, they will walk in wisdom, discernment, excellence, favor, and most importantly, remain faithful to God.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Copyright © 2026 by J.A.M.
All rights reserved.

08/16/2026

AND GOD SAID…” → “AND IT WAS SO.” Because Words matter!

Did you know God did not create the heavens and the earth with tools, equipment, or materials He had to gather? God spoke from the very beginning of the Bible, we see the authority and power of the spoken Word of God.

God said, "Let there be…” — and there was.

“He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.” — Psalm 33:9

God could have created any way He chose, yet Scripture continually shows us God speaking and creation responding.

So how much more should we understand the importance of the words coming out of our mouths?

The first thing we have to do is stop constantly speaking what we see. Yes, it may be the reality of your situation right now, but stop saying, "It’s always been this way. Nothing is ever going to change. This will never get better.”

Stop giving your situation the final word. Give God’s Word the FINAL word.

Whether it is your family, your children, your health, a relationship, grief, depression, oppression, sadness, past trauma, or something that looks completely impossible, speak life over it.

Maybe everything around you looks completely opposite of what you are praying for.

Start with one .
One promise from God.
One positive word of life.
Speak healing over brokenness.
Speak restoration over your family and for others!

Speak life over what looks dead.
God is the Creator, and His Own Words framed the world. So, we need to frame our world with words of life, hope, healing, restoration, and victory not continually rehearse what we see.

"The worlds were framed by the word of God…” Hebrews 11:3

My prayer today is that the spoken Word of God for victory would be spoken over every situation in your life and then you begin to speak LIFE over it too.

If God chose to speak to create, how much more do we need to watch what we speak?
Amen 🙏🏽

Damascus Road Ministries - The People's Ministry

08/08/2026

The Lord declares, He will be a wall of fire around you (protecting you from enemies) and He will be the glory in your midst! Zechariah 2: 5

08/06/2026

Are you gripped with fear of the unknown to the point that you feel paralyzed at times?

Perhaps you are going through a difficult season in your life involving a relationship, your children, your health, or what tomorrow may bring.

That continuous state of fear, worry, and inner turmoil is not what God desires for you. In fact, fear can lead to a deeper struggle, the desire to regain control.

When we do not know all the details of what is happening, fear can lead to worry. Constant worry can make us feel that we must understand every detail, predict every possibility, and mentally control the outcome before we can have peace.

We begin asking:

“What is going to happen?”
“What if something goes wrong?”
“What am I going to do?”
“How can I fix this?”

Before we realize it, our minds are filled with turmoil because we are trying to carry something that belongs in God’s hands.

Fear tells us that we must know what is happening before we can have peace, which is the enemy putting thoughts in our minds!

However, true peace does not come from knowing every detail. True peace comes from knowing that God knows every detail.

Fear, worry, and control are not from God, but peace is from God and a fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5:22–23

God has also given us a sound mind rather than a spirit of fear.
Second Timothy 1:7

Our responsibility is not to control every situation or determine every outcome. Our responsibility is to trust God, obey His direction, and surrender to Him what we cannot control.

Proverbs 3:5–6:
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

Faith says:

“I may not know what is happening, but God knows.”
“I may not understand every detail, but God sees the entire picture.”
“I may not be able to control tomorrow, but I know the One who already holds tomorrow.”

But prayer breaks the cycle of worry and control.

Philippians 4:6–7:
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer...

Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father, I give You every worry and every concern. You said You perfect those things that concern me. My relationship with You is the most important thing, so I will live and be in perfect peace with You, knowing that You are working out the details behind the scenes. Therefore, I can enjoy my freedom in You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

07/31/2026

Revelation 12:11