Kris Vallotton • September 26, 2017

Prophetic Word for a New Season: Leaving Pain Behind

When I was at the Heaven Come Conference in LA this past weekend I felt like God spoke to me about some very specific things, including the subject of pain. There’s something profoundly available in this season for people to walk out of pain and I believe there’s an anointing available to change your season. Even though I’ve taught on pain before (whether that be depression, anxiety, physical sickness, heartache etc.), I actually feel like this is more than a teaching today—it’s a prophetic declaration. We’re in the 500th year of the reformation when the protestant movement was birthed. I felt like God said that we are entering Reformation 2.0 and that He’s going to do some crazy things in this season. So, all that to say, get your hopes up!



LEAVING YOUR PAIN BEHIND




I want us to take a look at a story in Scripture that’s a beautiful representation of what it’s like to step away from pain. John 5:2-8 (emphasis added):



“Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porticoes. In these lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, and withered, waiting for the moving of the waters; for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted. A man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, He said to him, “Do you wish to get well?” The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.”



Think about it. This man was at the healing pool for 38 years. He had watched others get healed while he was still waiting on his miracle for 38 years! Can you imagine the discouragement he was living in? I’m surprised he hadn’t given up yet! Then Jesus asked him a question. I think this is a question we all need to ask ourselves—do we want to get well? Some people go to the doctor or the healing rooms and never get well because they come with hopelessness and the expectation that they will leave that place sick. This is because they’ve learned how to live and cope with the pain. Many people come to the of pool promise but hopelessness reduces them to the pallet of pain. However, Jesus wants to take your pallet of pain and transform it into pulpit of purpose! Today is the day your pain is supposed to go, and I want to encourage you to pick up your pallet and walk!



HEALING IS BETTER THAN NUMBNESS



Many people reduce their life to accommodate their pain instead of deal with it. The truth is that we’ve all experienced pain in life. An adage I live by is that you can’t always help what happens to you but you can always help what happens in you. I’ve been with people who are in tremendous pain and don’t feel the emotion of it anymore because they’ve reduced their life to accommodate it. They’ve numbed themselves. When we numb the pain we can’t figure out the source, so we try to fix the symptoms but our lives just get worse and worse. I encourage you to step into the pain because God wants to heal you, not numb you.



4 things you should know about pain:



1. Pain is rarely the problem; it is almost always the symptom. Give yourself permission to dig deep and find the root of what’s going on.


2. Pain will lead you to the source of your problem. It’s actually a gift and a lead to follow.


3. The level of your pain does not always determine the depth of your problem. For example, a sliver in your finger can feel like you need to chop off your hand because the pain is so bad!


4.Ignoring pain or being afraid of pain often leads to bigger problems.



A CULTURE OF WHOLENESS



When you’re walking out of pain it’s important to create a culture of wholeness around you. Don’t listen to sad music or watch sad movies when you are processing through your pain. Don’t sing songs to your pain, but rather sing songs to your victory! Don’t minister to your pain or make it comfortable! Don’t try to live with it, rather make sure you’re working through it and getting it out. The Bible says we WALK through the valley, so don’t stop and camp out there. So how do you do this?


Recently I asked pastor Bill how his weekend was and he told me he had a great weekend and spent a day listening and watching to the prophecies that were given to him and Beni over the years. I was like, “Uh… I dug a ditch this weekend!” Haha. I just want to say that Bill has developed a culture of testimony and prophecy around himself, so that his weakness became his strength. He has fed his soul and spirit with God’s truth, with testimonies of what God has done in his life and in other people’s lives, and the prophecies that fill him with the hope of what’s to come. He has truly strengthened himself in the Lord. Over the years he refused to be a depressed man and rather created a culture of prophecy and testimony around him. We, myself and I’m sure many of you, now get to feed off of that. What I want to propose to you today is that you can do the same thing! You can feed off of the testimonies of breakthrough you’ve heard and the prophecies spoken over you! You can create a culture that others get to feed off of. But you have to leave pain so that you can get up and walk in breakthrough.




DO IT AGAIN




I feel that we are in a kairos moment for stepping out of pain, which reminds me of a passage in John 21. When Jesus rose from the dead he went to find the disciples in a boat. They had been fishing all night and Jesus yelled out to them from the shore to ask if they’d caught anything. They replied to say no, and that they’d been fishing all night. Jesus told them to cast their nets on the other side of the boat. Now let’s just think for a second. You’d think that if they were fishing all night that they’d tried their net on both sides of the boat! But Jesus asked them to do it one more time. My point is that sometimes it doesn’t take a new action, but rather a renewed action to see breakthrough. Sometimes Jesus asks you to do the thing you’ve been doing just one more time. I feel like this is a “try it again” day—whether that means going to the doctor one more time, going to the healing rooms one more time, calling your son or daughter that you haven’t heard from in years one more time…Today is the day that you can walk out of pain. The Lord is saying “take up the pallet of promise and move on.”




AFFECTED RATHER THAN OFFENDED




Some people may be offended at this blog. It’s not always easy to hear “get up and walk” when we’ve been waiting for our breakthrough. Think about the man at the pool of Bethesda… when Jesus told him to pick up his pallet and walk he could’ve jumped into a myriad of reasons for why he was sick and honestly taken offense. But when God is giving us the command to get up and move on, we have to purpose to not be offended! He’s not saying it with a calloused heart; He’s saying it with profound authority!




There’s something powerful about refusing to get offended when the Lord says to be strong and courageous while you’re looking fear and discouragement in the face. Receive the grace that comes with the word even if it feels harsh, and determine to be affected by His command instead of offended by it.



TODAY WE DECLARE BREAKTHROUGH!



Today, regardless of why you’re in a hard season, I want to encourage you to declare this out loud over yourself. The power of life and death is in the tongue so let’s speak life over ourselves! Ready? Here we go: “I am leaving my pain behind. This is my day of deliverance. This day, the Lord will deliver me from the things that have plagued me and my family for generations. This is the day that the Lord decreed that I would walk out of a place of misery in every area of my life. Today’s breakthrough will affect and infect my children and my grandchildren. We will create a legacy of breakthrough. Hope and peace will be named among the attributes of my family lineage. Our family will create a culture of wholeness. What feeds us and walks us out of pain today will become our strength, and thousands of people will come to our house to get out of pain and find promise!”


Like I said before I’ve taught on walking out of pain a few times and I want to give you my teaching notes today. Simply click here to check them out. They include steps for walking out of pain that I hope will help you! I’d also love to hear from you in the comments! Let me know your thoughts and testimonies below.

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4 Lessons After 50 Years of Marriage

By Kris Vallotton • February 12, 2025
Kathy and I are celebrating our 50th anniversary this year, and we’ve been together for 54. We’ve experienced highs and lows together and built a life I never imagined possible! Over the past 50+ years, we’ve learned a few things that I want to share with you to help your marriage thrive!  Know when to sacrifice pleasure for the pursuit of joy. Kathy and I have learned when to sacrifice pleasure for the pursuit of joy; this is the discipline of laying down your life for another. A practical example of this is when people find out we have horses. They say, “Oh wow, Kris, you have horses!” My response to them goes something like this, “No, I don’t have horses. Kathy has horses. I only pay for the horses.” Their next question for me usually is, “Don’t you like horses?” To which I respond, “No, I don’t like horses, but I like Kathy.” You see, I get a lot of joy out of doing what Kathy wants to do. I am willing to sacrifice my own pleasure to pursue what develops joy in our marriage. It’s not one-sided, Kathy does the same for me. 2. Forgiveness restores the standard. If you’ve been in a relationship for any length of time, then you know the honeymoon phase doesn't last forever. The person that you love and cherish at the deepest level is the same person that will stretch, challenge, and offend you. I learned this lesson years ago when my kids were teenagers. I became angry with Kathy in front of them and treated her disrespectfully. An hour later, I apologized, and she forgave me. Colossians 3:13 tells us that “Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive". The truth is, forgiveness restores the standard of holiness in us and through us. 3. It’s not bad if your spouse thinks differently than you. Men and women think differently, and this is metaphorically demonstrated in the way they were created. Please understand what I am trying to communicate here. I am not at all trying to dishonor either gender. I know that women and men are equally intelligent. When Kathy and I got married, I didn’t understand marriage or women at all. I was so ignorant that it wasn’t even funny. I just had no value for Kathy’s opinion, while we were making decisions, when she refused to produce the facts for her conclusions. She often prefaced her statements with phrases like, “I feel like...,” “It troubles me that...,” “I don’t feel good about that...,” and so on. But what I learned over time, as many of my great decisions began to turn into mistakes, was that her “It feels like” or “This troubles me” were often a lot more accurate than the so-called facts! As the years have rolled on, I have learned to invite the rest of me, and my other half, my wife, into all of my decisions. And she has learned the same thing. We were made to be together. We are one flesh, a mystery that continues to unfold with time. 4. Vision gives pain a purpose. It is my conviction that we are living in a generation perishing for lack of vision. This is evident in many different areas of life, but I also see it in marriages. Having a vision for your marriage will help you persevere through the harder seasons that you’ll face together. Many years ago I had a vision where I was standing next to this elderly gentleman and could see him perfectly, but the man could not see me. The older man was surrounded by children and grandchildren telling stories about the family's history, lineage, and favor with God. In the vision he said, “And all of this began with your great-great-grandmother and great-great-grandfather.” I looked up and above the mantle of the fireplace and there was a huge portrait of Kathy and me! The Lord spoke to me and said: “You are no longer to live for a ministry—you are to live to leave a legacy! Your children’s children’s children are depending on you leaving them a world in revival. From this day forward, you will live for a generation that you will never see. You are to have a one-hundred-year vision so that you can build from the future.” This vision of our future helped us in developing a strategy to apprehend God’s goals for our lives, and it was the fuel that kept us going in the harder seasons. Consequently, from that day on, we began to build from the future, as the Lord had said. Let me be clear: you don't have to have a literal vision like I did, but you should have a vision and a direction for the future! ​​Your marriage isn’t just about you, it’s about the generations that will follow. The truth is, the way you love, lead, and fight for your marriage today is building a legacy for your children and their children. So take time with your spouse, dream with God, and dream with each other. Get a vision for your family’s future! The breakthrough you experience now will impact the generations to come.

4 Spiritual Disciplines to Propel Your Growth in the New Year

By Kris Vallotton • January 1, 2025
As we step into 2025, people are often thinking about engaging in the time-honored yet unspoken custom of setting New Year’s Resolutions. Many people jump on the opportunity to develop new healthier habits and pursue positive change with the start of a brand new year. Most New Year's Resolutions revolve around diet and exercise, finances, relationships, and hobbies or personal interests. New Year's Resolutions help by giving people a vision for when they endure the challenges that come with change. Losing 100 pounds or being more diligent with saving money isn't always easy and vision gives pain a purpose! All of these areas are important to focus on, but oftentimes we neglect spiritual topics when forming our resolutions. As we focus on building our physical lives and pursuing health and wholeness with the New Year, it’s crucial not to overlook our spiritual growth and well-being. I’m going to share four spiritual disciplines you can grow in this New Year, along with practical tips to help you follow through. Some of these may appear simple, but when practiced consistently over a long period of time, they can lead to deep transformation! 1. Bible Reading This should come as no surprise, but it can be very difficult to find time on a busy day to sit down and read the Scriptures. Some people have a hard time sitting and being still to read while others are bombarded by the busyness of their lives. I want to encourage you to prioritize your time in the Word this year - I make sure to read at least one chapter each day. It might mean having to sacrifice something. Perhaps it’s waking up earlier to have an extra 30 minutes in your routine. Try leaving your Bible open on your kitchen counter the night before, so you see it in the morning. Maybe you can bring your Bible during your lunch break and have a meal with Jesus. You can even listen to the Bible on audio for your morning commute! My encouragement is to start small and build the habit. 2. Prayer Personal prayer can look different to everyone. Some people have no problem praying for over an hour a day, other people have a hard time finding a moment in an entire week! The goal here is to make sure that we are staying in communion with God. There may be sometimes where you only have two minutes to pray in-between meetings or running errands. There may be other times where you have to go into your room, lock your door and pray in secret for an extended period of time like the Bible says. Let me be clear: the goal is consistent communion with the Father. Try setting reminders or alarms on your phone to go off at certain parts of the day. It doesn't have to be long. These reminders can be specific like, “Pray for my family member” or “Pray for healing for this coworker.” You can write them down on pieces of paper and stick them to the walls in your house. 3. Community This may not feel like a discipline, but one of the most challenging things that a person's spiritual growth could face is solitude. When God created Adam he said that it was not good for man to be alone. We were created for community and Jesus was often found doing ministry and life around a group of people except for the times where he went alone to pray. Stepping out into community can be challenging. Maybe you struggle with fear of rejection, not fitting in, or you're scared of how people will respond when they really begin to know you. If you find yourself being isolated, reach out to some people. Text a friend that you know and trust and share that you want to spend more time around people. If you're part of a local church see what kind of small groups they have to offer. Community is a key for growth in 2025. Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” 4. Serving When Jesus was on earth he said in Matthew 20:28 that, “Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Serving was at the center of Jesus’ ministry. He met the physical needs of people by providing food miraculously as well as the spiritual needs of people by offering salvation to everyone who would believe. When we serve people we are like Christ. There may be people coming to your mind already who have a need. They could be in your church family, or a friend from school or work. It doesn’t have to be someone you know! Try paying for someone’s coffee in line and leaving them with some encouragement. There are so many ways that we can serve people and make them feel seen and loved. When they feel seen and loved, they are often very receptive to the Gospel. The power in these disciplines isn’t just doing them once, but in repeating them over a long period of time. As Zechariah 4:10 reminds us, we should not despise small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin. My prayer for you is that what would start as spiritual disciplines would grow into spiritual devotion. That you would find joy in these things and that they would draw you closer to the Father!

3 Ways to Think Differently About Gratitude

By Kris Vallotton • November 27, 2024
During Christmas of 2012 Kathy and I learned a very valuable lesson about gratitude and entitlement… In years past leading up to Christmas we had always gotten a “Christmas want list” from each of our grandkids. Kathy would go through all the lists and pick out only a few items to buy for each of our grandkids. But that year Kathy decided to get them everything on their list! As we bought gifts our Christmas tree soon began to disappear behind a wall of wrapped presents. Christmas morning came and we gathered as a family as I shared the story of baby Jesus. I finished the story of our savior's birth and started handing out the presents. Over the course of 2 hours lights and ornaments began to emerge as our tree slowly became visible again. Suddenly I heard a whimpering cry to my left. I looked over to see my daughter giving a strong correction to one of her children. I went over to investigate and learned that the child was upset because, “Grandma missed one gift.” Kathy has overseen the administration for our businesses for our entire marriage. She’s looked over hundreds of spreadsheets, time cards, and other documents. I had a hard time believing that she would miss a gift on a Christmas list. Kathy went to our office and came back a moment later with a somber look on her face. “I did forget one gift,” she said with compassion. “I’m so sorry,” she explained while choking back tears. Trying to smooth the situation over, she added, “I’ll go tomorrow and buy the gift I missed.” In our quest to bless our family, we had unknowingly sown seeds of entitlement into the soil of their little hearts. Something that was a great sacrifice for us was disregarded in a child's expectation for more. We live in a world where entitlement runs rampant. It doesn’t always look like throwing a temper tantrum over a forgotten gift. Sometimes it can be the anger that comes when your coffee order takes too long, or it can be the person who is driving in front of you who's not driving your preferred speed limit. These small seeds of entitlement can take root in our heart and if we’re not careful they can lead to a life led by pride. Gratitude is what breaks entitlement in your life. I’m going to share 3 ways to think differently about gratitude this season. 1. Gratitude is a discipline. Gratitude is not merely a fleeting emotion but a discipline that aligns our hearts with God’s truth and His will. Gratitude requires intentionality, often going against the grain of our natural tendencies to complain or focus on what we lack. Scripture commands us to "give thanks in all circumstances" (1 Thessalonians 5:18), not because life is always easy, but because gratitude acknowledges God’s sovereignty and goodness regardless of our situation. Cultivating gratitude as a discipline trains our souls to see life through the lens of God’s faithfulness, fostering a spirit of humility and trust. It shifts our focus from temporal struggles to eternal promises, rooting our joy in the unchanging nature of God rather than the shifting sands of circumstance. 2. Gratitude changes your attitude about situations Gratitude has the power to transform our perspective on even the most challenging situations. From a biblical standpoint, it shifts our focus from what we lack to what God has already provided, reminding us of His faithfulness and provision. When we choose gratitude, we realign our hearts to trust in God's sovereignty and His ability to work all things for our good (Romans 8:28). This perspective doesn't necessarily change the situation itself, but it changes us —replacing fear, frustration, or bitterness with peace, hope, and contentment. Gratitude reframes trials as opportunities for growth and deepens our awareness of God's presence, enabling us to face life's difficulties with a renewed attitude of faith and trust. 3. Gratitude Cures Entitlement Gratitude is the antidote to entitlement. It shifts our hearts from demanding what we believe we deserve to recognizing every blessing as an unmerited gift from God. Entitlement breeds discontentment, rooted in the false belief that we are owed something, while gratitude humbles us, reminding us that all we have comes from God's grace. As James 1:17 says, "Every good and perfect gift is from above," and acknowledging this truth uproots the pride that fuels entitlement. Instead of fixating on unmet expectations, gratitude cultivates a spirit of thanksgiving, teaching us to celebrate God’s goodness and approach life with humility and joy. In this posture, we find freedom from the restless pursuit of "more" and learn the richness of contentment in Christ. As we reflect on the story of that Christmas morning and the lessons it taught us, it’s clear that gratitude is more than a seasonal sentiment—it’s a heart posture that can reshape our lives. Entitlement may creep in subtly, disguised as disappointment or frustration, but gratitude stands as its cure, redirecting our hearts toward humility and joy. This season, let’s commit to cultivating gratitude—not just for the blessings we see, but for the ways God works in every circumstance. May we remember that every good gift comes from Him, and may our hearts overflow with thanksgiving, transforming how we live, love, and give. What are you grateful for? Share in the comments below!
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