How many of us could say that 2009 was a challenging year? Well, I have good news for you! It was all with purpose. Every tear, broken and barren place, every struggle, every bit of confusion with the craziness it brought has not been for nothing!
You see, there has been a shift in the body of Christ. The word “shift” means “ to exchange for or replace by another”, “ to change the place, position, or direction 2009 has indeed been a year of shifting, we have seen it in the natural, we have seen it in the spiritual. Spiritual shifts when orchestrated by the Lord are great but will stretch us! Shifting in the natural whether it be for our good or bad, is difficult!
Some natural "shifts" we may have endured could have been a move, illness, death, birth, job change or loss, relationship challenge, depression, etc. Regardless of the shift, a challenge generally accompanies it!
When a shift happens in the natural, it is uncomfortable, it makes us uneasy, reluctant. When a shift occurs in the Spirit realm, there may seem to be confusion and craziness going on. It is easy to get knocked off track because we focus on the confusion and the uneasiness instead of His voice.
Concentrate on His Voice
I was listening to Beni Johnson share about transition once when she shared an experience that will put this into perspective. Her daughter, Leah was giving birth to her second child. Beni was her birthing coach. Beni and Leah had developed an awesome rhythm that was working beautifully. Leah was giving birth naturally with no epidural, no meds. (Wow!) As Leah was in the middle of the shift that the "transition phase" brings, someone bounded into the room and was speaking loudly. Beni quickly silenced them. Soon after Leah delivered her baby. Beni asked Leah if the person who had bounded into the room had bothered her or caused her to lose focus. Leah responded, "No Mom. I was so focused on YOUR voice and YOUR eyes that nothing could have interrupted what we were concentrating on."
I found that experience to be so revelation-al. Choosing NOT to respond to distractions generally will not prolong our arrival to our destination. Our response to the challenges, to the shift will usually indicate how long we may be floundering.
We have to be grounded, founded, stabilized in Him meaning our spirit man must learn to rely on His voice… He will guide us, He won’t lead us wrong.Times of shifting force us to find out some things about ourselves.
How strong is our spiritual core? How well do we know what God’s Word says about us? Are we able to deflect the words of the enemy during shifting when they’re spoken?
We need to know what God says—down deep. “We’re never going to be effective in the Kingdom, if our hearts are callused and clogged with confusion, unforgiveness, shame, anger and fear ."
In other words, if our hearts are going to beat for what God’s heart beats for, we need to be stabilized in Him, awakened with a passion that stirs our heart’s desire. Our heart is where our passion is. And when we’re healed and God’s in us, His love will flow out of us. No one has to make you do what you’re passionate about. You’ll just be passionate about loving people, because that’s what God’s about.
"Daddy God Never Changes!"
I heard Christine Caine share how her daughter was approached by a bully who had no idea who he was dealing with. He came up to her and said, ‘Suzy, you’re dumb and ugly.’ Well, she looked him straight in the eye and said, ‘That’s not true. My daddy says I’m intelligent and beautiful.’ She was able to fight back because she knew what her daddy told her.
How well do w kenow what God says about us?” When life is crazy, when we are full of doubt, when we are unwavering, when we are clueless… HIS THOUGHTS, HIS WORDS REMAIN!!!
Don’t listen to the world's “facts” of your life or your ministry! The report of the Lord is clear when it tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 that He knows the plans He has for us, plans for GOOD and NOT EVIL… plans to give a HOPE and a FUTURE! You’re shift is taking you into a new beginning. You’re going out of 2009 with liberty, faith, hope and trusting in God’s Word.”
Stabilize!
People lose hope because they lack stability in their faith. What do we do in 2010 to make all of my shifting and suffering and pain in 2009 count for something? The Lord spoke a clear word to me: “STABILIZE. Stabilize in 2010. Set your heart to trust God in everything, at all times.”
To “set” our faith means to “stabilize, make unshakable, set down roots, put pillars underneath, lay a foundation.” Scripture says it is within our power to do this. James writes,
“He that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord” (James 1:6-7). MESSAGE
In this passage, the Lord lays the whole responsibility on the believer. God is telling us, in essence, “When the world looks at my people in these days of trembling and anxiety, these days of SHIFTING, they have to be able to see faith. While everything is shaking, faith is what must remain solid, stable, and unshakable. So, you, believer, anchor your faith. You. Take a fixed position. And never give up that position.” Stabilize!
According to Websters to make “stable” means to be “marked by the ability to withstand stress without structural damage or distortion.” To stabilize… to make stable, steadfast, or firm…
The world doesn’t need more sermons on “holding on.” They need to see the life of a man and/or a woman who’s living out their faith before the world. They need to see servants of God go through the same calamities they’re facing and not be shaken by them.
SO, we need to STABILIZE… how do we begin? How do we identify what we shifted through in 2009 without getting stuck there and get on target to stabilize in 2010?
Arise in the midst of your circumstances - and that will release the hand of God.
He is awakening a passion in those who are willing to allow His stabilizing presence be the foundation in 2010. As we leave behind the instability of 2009, our prayer for the Lord to awaken His passion in us, leaving sin, shame, confusion, frogs, whatever is hindering Him from being the stabilizer in us behind.
We will end this year by thanking Him for what He did in us and by getting rid of the baggage looking forward to stability in HIM in 2010! He never left us in 2009, He remained the same.
Awaken the passion inside us Lord, awaken our hearts’ desire to find our stability in You, for our hearts to beat for what Your heart beats for, for our hearts to break for what breaks yours so we can be profitable for the Kingdom!
I encourage you to seek and find stability in Him in 2010. Identify areas in your life lacking order or fruit, those are the areas that need His stabilizing grace and power. As women in ministry, wives, mothers... we affect the atmosphere in our homes and churches... in 2010, may we affect the atmosphere by choosing how to respond to potential distractions and refusing to take our eyes and ears off the Father. Those things alone will bring stability to everything we touch!
Happy New Year!
Blessings!
2 comments:
AWESOME WORD!!! Exactly what I needed to hear this bright morning! Love ya girl!
You have absolutely no idea how much I needed to hear that at this very moment. It is so timely, it's amazing. You are right on target as usual, my friend.
On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand! We are stabilized because of what He did and what He says. My eyes are fixed on HIM. Thanks for reminding me. All that matters is what HE says.
I love you!
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