Letting God Have the Reins

Today's God Calling message speaks of opening eyes, ears, senses to His Word and will and obeying His guiding-letting Him lead. It also speaks of the strength in "Where two are gathered in my Name" that Jesus spoke of in the Bible. Lastly, it speaks of God's will being revealed, not always beforehand.

Sometimes, we don't clearly see His will until we're in the middle of what we perceive as punishment, and it's actually preparation. Again, the 40 years that the Israelites spent in the wilderness in preparation comes to mind. There were 32-33 years during which Jesus prepared for his ministry and crucifixion; if you think about it. At the age of 12 he asked his parents if they didn't know they'd find him in his father's house (the temple). He knew that he was on his way to somewhere-his purpose, his destiny; but there were 20 more years that he would spend preparing.

The temptation in the wilderness must have seemed like punishment. It was preparation on God's part. It was temptation on Satan's part. He had to get Jesus to give it up, to quit. The same thing happens to us. What's actually a time of preparation is used by Satan to tempt us, to deceive us, and to rob us of our, "It is finsihed"- our destiny. He tries to get us to quit before we even get started. We have to remember:

1. It can't possibly be punishment for sin because A) Jesus paid the price for our sins on Calvary, and B) he's faithful and just to forgive us when we confess our sins. "There is now no condemnation in Christ"-so, we have consequences because we reap what we sow, for every action there is a reaction, for every deed there is a consequence.

2. Satan is a liar and a thief and he'll use any means to A) distort your view so he can distort your perception-make it look like something it isn't. B) Use God's Word against you-or try to. Remember he asked Eve, "Did God really say?" He kept saying to Jesus, "If you really are the Son of God"...He'll try to get you to doubt, not only God's Word, but His will for you. He told Eve, "God knows when you eat of the tree, you'll be like Him." But God says, "I know the thoughts I have toward you, thoughts of good not of evil."

In the Kingdom, there are standards by which we are expected to live-really summed up in one: "Love one another like I've loved you." Jesus said. There are also practices which are implemented in certain given situations-like the Israelites have their regulations for worship, practices during harvest, etc. Basically, some of ours are:

Seek first the Kingdom, guard your heart with all diligence, whatsoever you would have men do unto you, so do unto them; and the sowing and reaping principle pretty much applies to everything. So, if you're trying to overcome something, you're going to seek God's Word and educate yourself about the thing you're dealing with (Seeking first the Kingdom and sowing into your heart and mind). You'll guard what you've learned, stick to it, don't let anyone steal your truth and replace it with lies. You'll be careful where you hang out and whom with; you'll check your attitudes, etc. (guard your heart with all diligence). Finally, you'll obey what you've learned by applying it to your life, your situation. As a result, you'll reap the victory over it. You'll overcome.

The only way we can "miss it" is by not applying it; by letting someone talk us out of the truth-exchanging the truth for lies, and by not applying that truth. Eve exchanged the truth for a lie and we lost the Garden of Eden, life as we knew it, our relationship with God. Jesus said to Satan, "IT IS WRITTEN." In effect, He was saying, "Look here, Satan, I know whom I know, and I know what I know." He knew the Father, His will for Him and us, and He knew the Father's Word.

Jesus said that to whomever has, more will be given and to him/her who has not, even what little they have will be taken away-he/she would lose more still. He was talking about seeking and implementing truth, and gaining or losing ground depending on what we do with that truth. Of course, the more truth you have, the more opposition you'll meet because the more Satan needs to take from you, because the more you have, the stronger you are in spirit, and the bigger threat you are to him.

Today's message makes a statement about two being better than one. "Where two are gathered in my Name, there am I in their midst." Jesus said. The power of two is that we have a helpmate, an encourager, a counsel, accountability, and support in weakness-someone to share the load when we feel like we can't carry it anymore. Jesus is always there anyway. He said He'd never leave us or forsake us. But, there's a line in Ecclesiastes that talks about a threefold cord being stronger; and any road seems shorter when it's walked with a friend. I once had a revelation about this in terms of a marriage partnership, but it works in any partnership. Two people walking side by side, hand in hand...so to speak. Now imagine being attacked. How quickly, you can stand back to back and cover each other's backs, defend on all sides. Again, imagine being exhausted. One can lean on the other; one can lift the other's burden and carry if for awhile, etc. Now, face each other. Here, you have the heart to heart talk, the counsel, the accountability, etc. Finally, maybe it's not going so well at all, and you just need a hug. You're already face to face; wrap your arms around each other in consolation, encouragement, and God's love.