from bossing.. to the Boss

In these last few years my prayers have changed from basically giving God a plan of action(!) to now submitting all of my trust to Him- however He chooses to respond. This is not inactive and passive. I am still clamouring and beating and pounding my hearts cry to Him. I am still taking authority and declaring His Truth and standing in position of warfare. It’s just that now my bossing of Him and thinking how things will work out has been changed(!). I still don’t know how things will work out, but my trust is growing so that my bossing Him is being turned down(!).

I would never have thought to pray for the sea to be parted if I was Moses. I would never have expected water from a rock to quench thirst. I wouldn’t have thought that I shouldn’t kill before being killed, like David and Saul. But He who promised is faithful. If He said to David that he would be king then He is the One to ensure David’s safety and being aliveness! If He said He would deliver His people, then He will provide a way to walk and be sustained for the journey.

Whatever He tells you to do, do it.

This is the most vital advice we could ever have, give, and take heed of.

It’s that our authority is in and through Him, not over Him!

delicate but with strong roots

Hosea 14.5

Let us be like a lily- delicate and unafraid to be beautiful.

And let us also have roots like that of a cedar of Lebanon- with deep and strong roots that are resilient and enduring.

One of the many paradoxes of the Christian Life.

do we have our weapon…?

As a christian, I have armour to wear in Christ for living the Christian lifestyle. I also have one weapon. This weapon is a sword. And the Sword is the Word of God. Ephesians 6.10-20.

If we don’t know the Word of God, we go into battles totally vulnerable, and all we can do is defend ourselves from attack. But God has not called us to only defend, He is calling us to advance and take back ground that the enemy has stolen and robbed. God has given us authority to engage in spiritual warfare. To use the Word of God to speak to the unseen realm and circumstances the Truth of what God is saying and to declare who He is, over and above what is seen and presented as ‘truth’.

God is Truth. When we know Truth, we are set free. When we declare Truth, we declare war and advance into territories that are for our taking hold of.

Our fighting is not against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual powers that wage war against us. That wages war against our families, our destinies, our communities, our nation, our economy, our health..

God is The Word. And we need to know The Word so that we can march to the beat of His heart. So that we can be fully trained into hearing His voice and His instruction. So that we can know when to fight and when to rest. So that we can know what to declare over our lives, situations, nation, circumstance.

We need to know our God so that we can know how to use our weapon. So that we can do mighty exploits. Our weapon is mighty to bring down strongholds. We MUST become so at one with our weapon that our hand and the Sword become fused together.

Become free. Get to know Truth. And then declare war..

the rebel believer

Over ten years ago I went on a Christian mission trip to Mexico- a country that had been on my heart list for the ten years before then. I was so excited about going! It was for five months and the first three months would be spent on base to be taught and learn more about faith in God and how to share this with others. During the teaching time there was some teaching that I’d never heard before which caused me to ask questions. (I don’t believe we should eat teaching without first making sure it is safe. We are all given a filter which is good to make sure we use.) However, because of my questions, I was then deemed as rebellious which resulted in me being asked to leave the programme! It was pretty surprising as I am someone who asks questions to try and understand. With understanding, I may still not agree, but I am not rebellious.. And so, with no contacts in Mexico, I left the base with two months to go- at the total mercy of God- who of course, is the greatest refuge. It was during this time I lived purely by faith as I had no other security. Totally dependant on God like never before, or even since.

Fast track to the last few months and I find myself in exactly the same position! Working in a Christian organisation where asking questions is deemed as trouble causing and undermining management. This again leads me to being asked to leave.

I have to exercise such a renewal of mind by the power of the Holy Spirit to make sure I don’t take on this label of rebel and unsubmitting trouble-causer. It is a really difficult when family (through Christ) are the ones to throw darts and arrows, and am so grateful for those ‘treasure friends’ who become Rock representatives to keep me held securely in faith and myself.

To those who have been thrown to the dogs and under the bus, I encourage you to exhale and keep standing. Don’t conform to the pattern of this world, or tradition, or man, but be transformed more and more into the likeness of Christ. His example doesn’t give us hope in being able to please others, but to love, challenge, and live truthfully.

He is our rebel King and His example if somewhat different to what is expected.

the green light

Sometimes when we need to cross roads, the green man is so helpful and without the green light to show us it’s safe, we would be waiting ages and/or in danger of crossing on our own. However, sometimes we can see that the road is clear and we don’t need to rely on the green man. This is like living the Christian life. Sometimes, we need to wait for “confirmation” and other times we need to step out and get going as the road is clear.

Let us be wise to read the ‘road’ and know when to step out or wait a little longer…