April 16, 2010

I woke up today feeling kind of old, wondering how I was going to ever be able to do all the things the Lord had put before me to do.  I was wishing I had done them when I was young, thinner and much more energetic.  I'm so glad I read the Scriptures today, for they really spoke to me about all this.

Even though I heard my call when I was 14, in an unmistakeable way (not an audible voice, but one that couldn't be missed), I wasn't in the place to walk it out.  In fact, I outright rejected it, more intent on my own way of doing things than worrying about what God wanted.  The next seven years was pitiful indeed!  Since then, every seven years has brought a new fresh call, a renewal of the very first call, with an increase.  God has never given up on His vision for my life.  He has never given up on His vision for yours, either.

I was so impressed with Caleb, who went to Joshua and asked for the inheritance that the Lord had promised him.  "I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart. 8 Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the LORD my God. 9 So Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children’s forever, because you have wholly followed the LORD my God.’ 10 And now, behold, the LORD has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the LORD spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old. 11 As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in. 12 Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the LORD spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the LORD will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the LORD said.” 13 And Joshua blessed him, and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as an inheritance. Joshua 14: 6b-13

At first, I was reading that thinking, "That sure doesn't fit me!"  But the Lord showed me otherwise, for two reasons.  One, I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me-- it's Christ's righteousness and work in me, not my own, that makes me worthy and gives me the ability to carry out God's will.  Only faith and obedience is necessary.  That is all.  I haven't always been so great on the obedience part, and that's the only reason I am still struggling to take my inheritance.  But I see now that the faith part has always been there, although many times as good as dead from lack of corresponding action.  But I am still believeing.  In my spirit, I am more vigorous than ever, and because I know my God more than I did when I was 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, 50, and 57 (everything gets refreshed at the 50th year, the Jubilee), I think I am able to say:  Now, then, give me this mountain!

We saw Jesus teaching that men ought to pray and not give up.  Yet, He wanted to know if, when He showed up, would He find enough faith so that we could receive the answer to our prayer. 

Jesus has shown up over and over again to answer my prayers, and yet, I was still not ready enough to keep exercising my faith in His promises to stand firm when the giants came to try and steal it.  I am determined to see it though this time, with His help.  He's not going to do my life for me, or without me.  But when I take my Sword up and my shield of faith, He's going to be right there strengthening me, and fighting for me.  I think I even have enough faith in His creative power to get back my youthful vigor! 

What about you?  What's He promised you?  What's your inheritance in Him?  Are you just going to stand there and wait another 7 years?  I don't think so!  It's time to act out our faith and say:  NOW, THEN, GIVE ME THIS MOUNTAIN!

April 12, 2010

As I read today in the Joshua passage, I saw something that simply took my breath away! It's possible that I may have heard it taught before, but I don't remember it, and I certainly never "got it" with such impact. What I saw in the story about Jericho was intercession and spiritual warfare over individuals and cities. I'm not saying that we should do literally what the Israelites did, but that it is a symbolic word picture through and through, as well as the historical account.

The Lord brought a Scripture to my mind that upheld what He was saying to me (He is always so kind, isn't He, to help us understand). "A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city." Proverbs 18:19  [Many people are offended with God-- I think it's true of anyone who won't receive Him or others.]

When I read of Joshua encountering the Captain of the Hosts (He was Jesus, the Word, wasn't He!), it absolutely gave me chills. It is His battle-- we are fighting with Him as part of the army of God, and it's a spiritual one, not fought with flesh and blood, but with effective weapons against spiritual enemies-- and He is victorious! Only, we must bow before Him and obey His commands.

Rather than try to pick the story apart for an exact strategy, I will share the things that became energized to me today. I saw the seven days, seven times, seven priests, seven trumpets, as God's perfect and complete plan of redemption and restoration, the trumpets as praise of God and announcing His presence, and the circling in silence as forgiveness. What did Jesus say, "seventy times seven?" 

Oh, I could write a long essay on this! Have we ever been able to win a person who has a hardened heart-- or with walls of defense built up around them-- by trying to batter the walls down? No! And yet, it has been done to me, and I have done it to others. I have learned the hard way that if I haven't interceeded for a person, coming before God with a humble heart (to be circumcised of the selfishness, or to have the log removed from my own eye), the Lord will not allow me to speak.  If I do it without His permission and in His timing, the walls will not fall down, they will only be fortified, and often I will be the one attacked. Most of the time, a confrontation is not needed when intercession is done, declaring the Word over a person (in private, as the Spirit dictates only), and declaring the truth of their deliverance to the enemies who hold them captive-- until their enemies melt with fear. And at the proper time, we can shout the praises of God for the victory, and the walls come down without ever having attacked the person.

Rahab, a prostitute who had come to fear God and believe His Word, was saved along with her family, and everything else was devoted to destruction! There was a heavy penalty for anyone who would take something that was supposed to be destroyed. It is so important to let the Lord deal with anything in us that would hold a person to their sin, especially someone we are close to, such as a spouse,child, or close friend. It is too easy to become attached to the one we used to know, or out of some unmet need, to try to save the very things that God is burning. You could call that co-dependency. I know by experience that it is painful to go through the process of having the walls fall down, and the sinful nature burned up-- when I'm there myself, or when I'm around another who is going through the process. But we must allow the Captain of the Host to do His work.

Salvation rarely looks the way we think it should. So often it offends our proud and self-righteous spirits (religious). Just when we think the process is done within ourselves or in another, something else begins to burn or fall down. Don't forget the picture we saw of the loving Father, who forgives, receives, restores and rejoices over the one who had gone astray-- or the Good Shepherd, who leaves the 99 and goes after the one.

Now, take this picture and see how the Spirit of Wisdom might apply this to winning cities for the Kingdom of God!