Wow, ever since I planned to write a blog on living the Word, there has been major adversity. Everything that could go wrong did and I was at a place of stretching and bending.
In my short life, I have observed many things called "God" that turned out not to be Him. I have been able to grow and recognize who God is and what His characteristics are, and in doing so I knocked out many ideologies and was able to easily discern what is flesh versus spiritual thinking. The last three days I have had the opportunity to apply the Word of God that I had been reading, meditating on, and researching. Now this is not a surprise but I realized that looking past circumstance is not an easy task in the storm. Even in the eye of a storm, you are preparing for the next wave of chaos before the calm. In the three days, I was able to see that I learned and immense about myself, and the fighter that I am in the spirit. For it is in the times when you need God most that you see where your faith lies and how you react exposes where you stand.
Well just to give everyone an idea of the last three days- it has been challenge after challenge. I had to face my yesterdays as well the things I struggle with today. I was attacked with terrible headaches and sickness, even loosing my hearing one day. All I could think in the chaos was "this is ridiculous". I remembered the blog that I had set up to write and did not find it ironic that all this adversity had come. I knew exactly what it was-"put your money where you mouth is time"-meaning-seeing the proof that was in my pudding when it comes to my faith in God and how I respond to the threats of the enemy.
During the three day war, I fought in prayer more than anything else and I could see God in every situation. When I began to loose strength and my heart grew dull, God would send a reminder via friend, sermon, or Word. I was held in those moments, however I longed to hear from Him. Psalm 84 is a beautiful word describing the longing for God- to be in the courts of the Lord. The desire to be where He is, in my rough spot this Word blessed me greatly, this word illustrated what my heart was feeling. (go check it out)
However I began to get overwhelmed and panic, becoming stressed and then my mental state would have an effect on my physical state. Now before when I was battling with sickness but my mind of on the things of God, I was not in a place of despair and lull. I could see and even though I was annoyed with the sudden illness, I was still in a great place of peace and contentment. Although there was a shift as I lost my ground in Christ, I stopped fighting the memories of misfortune and began to indulge in the concept of failure, past mistakes, and permanent damage. Thoughts began to race through my mind of the past and even mistakes I have made recently-How I feel the need to always explain myself, the need for understanding, and acceptance. I have to fight hard when I make mistakes because I do want to be pleasing to the Lord and when I fall I battle feeling hopeless and incapable of living out His promises; Satan is such a liar and his method is intimidation through lies to get you to the point of defeat. The devil wants you to feed your fear, doubt and unbelief. He really has no power, we give it to him by feeding the negativity he created. This is where casting down every vain imagination that holds itself higher than the God that created us comes in. In order to plan with purpose we have to first KNOW THE TRUTH. Put every word given to you alongside the Word of God, if it is not parallel then throw it out!
PLANNING WITH PURPOSE:
During my bout with my thoughts I was in Romans 4- a great Word describing the promise that God gave Abraham-that he would be the father of many nations. He was to have a child, now Abraham was like a hundred years old. This has to be exactly what the Word calls faith-According to the bible, faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen. Now to believe that he had the ability to reproduce was a challenge in itself but he was not pairing up with a young sprightly woman but, his equally as old wife, Sarah. Abraham is a great example of planning with purpose. He was mentally stable in this area and we can see this by evidence within the word of God. This is something that must be read and internalized, Abraham did not consider his wife's womb or his age when God gave him the promise. The Word said that he did not stagger in faith but was strong-strong in the unbelievable for the eyes, but the more than believable with God.
This is where planning begins, with faith. Faith in the things you think are possible and those things that God promised that seem impossible. The plan starts with faith, for if you truly have faith in something your acts prove what you believe. For example: If God said I am getting a house guest, I would first clean my house and prepare for the guest by preparing a place for them. Same concept with His promises if He said I am getting married I clean my spiritual house, educate myself on what the bible says about me, ensure I am whole first to ensure a healthy marriage, educate myself on what the bible says about my role as a wife and my responsibilities, do I line up? I should be preparing myself for my husband in every way including praying for him and about my contribution to our family, etc. Now, if I was not serious about the promise I would be living a lifestyle opposite of what a woman in waiting would live. The planning comes with God and discovering what He says about you through his Word, discovering yourself through the Word and what His personal plans for your life are, then you prepare for those things in the way Christ tells you to, not how you think you should prepare yourself. Time out with God is the best start.
I have a friend who is a great teacher of the Word, it is just who God made Him to be and I benefitted from his illustration of identity and faith through the story of Superman, so I will share. I will call the teacher, Mr. Strength, well Strength told me that in my moment of weakness (in his attempt to encourage me) that I was Superwoman operating as Clark Kent. Now apparently Clark Kent and Superman are the same but Clark Kent is the normal version of the superhero who everyone accepts however, he has the same power when he is in his tights. He was explaining that Clark Kent never really got hurt, he just acted like it. Remember, this is Superman folks so I have to put on the right identity forget about Clark Kent and operate in Superman. Good Stuff- Here is the conversation maybe this will say it better......
THE CONVERSATION: SUPERMAN: A JOURNEY OF FAITH AND IDENTITY :)
Strength: people who r afraid to fight get beat up and when they r at their lowest is when the full potential comes out thats how it is in almost every superhero story
me: where is my cape? lol
Strength: u got it, u got it once ur named changed but u need to see it within u, u trying to fight as Clark Kent fight as Super"woman". lol
me: yeah that's good
Strength: and in reality Clark never was hurt, he would act as if he was hurt but he never really was when he put on the proper identity he was invicible
Strength: see, so no need to be Clark...female version
Strength: with the Holy Spirit u are invincible, u need to sit with ur Daddy like Clark did in them crystals where he learned all the secrets to himself and his power in relation to his environment
me: haha this is good, great stuff,
Strength: lol, yea he is tight
me: I am going in the crystals :)
Begin walking toward your plan today, never forget all that He has set in your walkway if you only believe. I thank God for never giving up on me and teaching me throughout the storm- You are truly awesome. Thank you Lord also for putting wonderful people around me to hold my arms up when they are weary and remind me of all that was promised. I love you guys. (Thanks Mr. Strength)
Well, this has been a treat. Be encouraged, trust God and know that He will do everything He says He will do and have peace in that fact.
Love you,
Libby*
