Thanking Him in Advance

Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.” John 11:41 (New King James Version)

God is once again revealing truth to me through His Word. As many times as I have read the account of Lazarus being raised from the dead I have missed a huge aspect of Jesus’ prayer. He is giving thanks BEFORE the miracle occurs! That is not usually the case with me. I have a tendency to hold off the praise and thanksgiving until after I see the answer of my prayers manifested. In doing that, I have missed out on an essence of intimacy, faith, and interaction with God.

How different my prayer sounded this morning as I began to review the things I have been asking of God and changing them from petitions to praises. Thanking Him for all that He has yet to do in my life. Thanking Him for internal healings not yet accomplished. Thanking Him for the revelations of Himself that are not yet seen. Thanking Him for the filling of many holes still in me. Thanking Him for all He will do between now and eternity. Thanking Him for the places He will eventually take me to. Thanking Him for broken chains of bondage. Thanking Him for freedom from mindsets that keep setting me back. Thanking Him for victories that will one day be mine.

The list is endless by my point is this: when I start thanking God ahead of time for answers to my prayers my faith and trust in Him come alive. I no longer feel it is all just a big waiting and guessing game. It becomes a time of active participation and anticipation that strengthens me and glorifies Him. It switches my focus from my problems to God’s power, provision, and potential. This does not mean I do not ask for things. What it means is once I have asked I then have things to start thanking Him for.

Dear Reader, I invite you to do what I am doing. Review those things that you have been crying out to God to do and begin thanking Him for the way He will intervene on your behalf. Thank Him for the healings, help, and wholeness that will come from His hands to your life. Then as you begin to see His answers manifested, the praise and thanksgiving will be even more profound. I am amazed at the internal shift that takes place as the words of thanksgiving pour out of my mouth.

Father, thank you for what is yet to come! Amen.

Exposing Lies and Embracing Truth

He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44 (New American Standard Bible)

Jesus had no trouble identifying the originator of lies. It was Satan. He is a master at seeking out our places of vulnerability and tailor making a lie to introduce to our thinking. We would do good to be aware of his tactics, our weaknesses, and the opportunities he takes to combine the two. It helps to look at his past track record with us and see the patterns that arise. It requires knowing ourselves well enough to realize the areas he is most likely to continually attack. I don’t know about you, but I grow weary of his repeated schemes. I want to learn from the past in order to be better prepared for the future.

For years, I bought into his lies about God. The character assassination is still fresh in my mind. He had me convinced that God tolerated me more than loved me, was disappointed in me, was a harsh judge, had a love that depended on my performance for Him, and barely knew me. The lies stuck for decades until the truths of Scripture began to be seen and embraced by me. Once I saw what God was really like, the lies lost their hold. Now that the lies no longer work in that area, he has slithered his way into other domains. His most recent attack has to do with relationships.

A precious friendship recently fell victim to my insecurities and the enemy’s lies. No one has been involved in my life longer or remained more consistent than this individual. She has never hurt me or given me any reason to doubt her sincere love and acceptance. But that didn’t stop the enemy from gaining a foothold in my thinking. I pondered the lies and ended up sending an email full of questions and doubts. With the graciousness and love of Jesus, she responded with truth. Her view of me and relationship to me has not changed. The lie was exposed and renounced as the truth was embraced. What Satan meant to destroy, God strengthened!

I cringe at revealing this side of myself but I do it in hopes that others might see a similarity in themselves. It is my desire that the lies and tactics of the enemy be exposed for all to see. He is a ruthless and defeated foe! May today be a day of victory in Jesus.

Father, You have used Your Word and a gracious friend to reveal truth to me. I am humbled, not shamed, by it all. Make me wise and discerning as the enemy prowls. Amen.

A Powerful Shift

In the multitude of my [anxious] thoughts within me, Your comforts cheer and delight my soul! Psalm 94:19 Amplified Bible

More than any outward circumstance or the external component of my day, the place of trouble for me is often my own thoughts. Joyce Meyer had it right with the title of her book The Battlefield of the Mind. It is the place of greatest attack by the enemy and a factory that produces far too much frustration. Just one unguarded thought can rob me of peace, reek havoc in relationships, spiral me down emotionally, produce fear, and cause much inner turmoil. Like an out of control fire, a fierce storm at sea, or forceful hurricane gales, anxious thoughts are destructive and wide sweeping. Often, I do not notice the occasional thoughts that make their way into my mind. I make the mistake of letting them accumulate until they multiply in number and strength. That is when I suddenly realize my reasoning has become clouded, my steps have become uncertain, and my sense of security has been shaken. It is not a place I desire to be and certainly not a place God intends for me to stay!

What brings them on? It may be a stray comment someone made, an unmet need that has persisted, disappointment, boredom, loneliness, tiredness, personal failure, discontentment, comparisons of others, unconfessed sin, or any number of things. Some are fiery darts of the enemy and others are issues that need to be brought to God for correction. Whichever the case may be they have the potential to cause a lot of distress and pain.

I don’t know how He does it but as soon as I begin to get the hidden thoughts out in the open with Him, He begins to clear away the troubling thoughts and replace them with truth. I feel the weight of oppression lifting and my spirit breathing freely once again. It is like taking an antihistamine for my soul! I not only feel the effects internally but changes begin to take place outwardly. My demeanor, stance, and countenance reflect the delight I am experiencing. As my soul lights up so do my eyes!

That is one of the reasons I enjoy reading the Psalms. I like to see the shifts! David goes from voicing fears and frustrations to explosions of praise and delight! His train of thoughts shifts from focusing on himself and his circumstances to the faithfulness and power of God! THAT is what I crave because that is what I have gotten a taste of in my relationship with my heavenly Father. His counsel and comfort are addictive and irreplaceable. Praise Him!

Father, Your comforts do delight my soul! May I resist the urge to go after any counterfeits that pose as You. Arrest my soul as I rest in You. Amen.

The Weight of Waiting

For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it hastens toward the goal and it will not fail: though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay. Habakkuk 2:3 New American Standard Bible

Several years ago, God gave me a verse of promise. It was 2 Chronicles 25:9, “The LORD has much more to give you than this.” I had been on my journey with Him for a year, experienced His Word coming alive to me, seen changes taking place within me and around me, and had begun to see God for who He really was and what He was really like. So to have Him assure me that He had much more to give me than what He had already given me was powerful! Then came the season of waiting!

The most difficult part of waiting is when there seems to be no manifestations of the promises. I think back to when I wanted children. The waiting was hard when there was no pregnancy. I was filled with doubts as to whether or not I would even be able to bear children. But the waiting took on a different perspective when I became pregnant and awaited the delivery! The child growing in my womb was something tangible, felt, and evidenced in me. There was no more guessing, wondering, or doubting. It became just a matter of time.

God knows my tendency to grow discouraged when the waiting is without touchable, seen, and concrete areas along the way. So every once in awhile He sends a confirming reminder my way. He whispers encouragement through His Word, prayer, or even other believers. Last night and this morning He drew my attention to Habakkuk 2:3 and His words of “Wait for it; for it will certainly come,” spoke volumes to me. A quote from The Daily Bread brought assurance. It read, “God never says, ’Wait awhile,’ unless He is planning to do something in our situation--or in us. He waits to be gracious.” Occasionally someone will say to me, “God has big plans for you. He is doing something in you.” The wise advice of a godly woman came back to me this morning. In response to my question of what I should do during the wait, she said, “Just keep doing what you are doing. God will guide and open doors at the right time.” My Bible ancestors like David, Ruth, Joseph, and Moses are serving as personal reminders as well. Their waiting often covered decades!

This has been a weekend of reminders that I have needed. I am strengthened by the realization that God is always involved in my life and will eventually bring about His wishes, desires, and plans for me. The waiting time is not wasted time. I choose to rest in Him, cooperate with Him, learn from Him, and follow Him. He will not let me down!

Father, You hold my life and my heart in Your hands. Thank you for the assurance that You are not finished with me yet and that You continue to hasten toward the goal You have for me. I cling to You. Amen.

My Cord of Attachment

For You are my hope; O Lord GOD, You are my confidence from my youth. Psalm 71:5 NASB

Many times throughout the book of Psalms, David states that his hope is in God. Today’s verse caught my attention because of the slight difference in phrasing. Here David refers to God as his hope. When I looked at the meaning of hope in the original language I found that it meant a cord or attachment. I was puzzled about that concept so I asked God for some enlightenment on the subject. How He delights to open our eyes to truth! Here’s what He showed me.

When I place my hope in some one or some thing, there is an attachment that is formed. Many times that attachment is based on emotions, needs, desires, and expectations. In a sense, I become entangled with the one I am looking to for help, meeting of needs, assistance, and instruction. I picture it like a rope or cord that wraps itself around the other individual and myself…hence, keeping us connected. I can think of many times this is a healthy and normal part of relationships. But I shutter to recall the times it has crossed over into a soul tie that was unbalanced and unhealthy. The attachment had become so strong it then crossed over into idolatry. Addictions work the same way be it in relationships, substance abuse, materialism, etc… I may have started out with good motives and intentions but due to unresolved issues in my own life I crossed lines that led to bondage of the heart, soul, mind, and body. In my quest to get needs met, I may not have turned to drugs or alcohol, but I turned to something and in that turning I became attached.

Oh the freedom that God desires to give us! He desires to not only free us but to be the actual cord that attaches us to Himself. The security is not only found in Him…He IS the security! He is the confidence! He is the trust! He is the everlasting Entangler! While I have experienced the painful and necessary process of Him detangling me from my other “hopes” I have stood in awe at who He then attached me to….Himself!!!! There must always be a letting go in order to embrace.

Father, thank you for such persistence on Your part to replace my cords with Yourself. Bind me, twist me, and connect me to Yourself in such a way that I seek no other connections or soul ties. Amen.

House Cleaning

The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all the inner depths of his heart. Proverbs 20:27 NKJV

For You will light my lamp; the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. Psalm 18:28 NKJV

Recently I became motivated to do a thorough house cleaning. It is amazing when I begin going through closets and dressers how much stuff I find that has been hidden away for YEARS! Some of it is useful and still needed. Much of it no longer needs to take up the space. This project is getting spread out over a number of weeks but when I am finished there will be a sense of accomplishment and welcome space.

This morning I am sensing God urging me to do an internal house cleaning. He is probing my heart with questions that are causing me to do a lot of thinking. It is not the kind of questioning that leaves me feeling shamed and condemned. Rather, the questions are inviting me to allow Him to reveal to me some hidden areas that need my attention and His touch. I am finding that over time I can pack away, stuff, and hide many things and it is time to open the doors and drawers of my heart so that WE can begin to clear away some clutter and allow His Spirit more space in me.

Here are the questions that have already begun to make their way down the corridors of my mind. What are the things I still fear? Is there anyone or anything in competition with God for my heart? Where do I still feel shaky in my walk with Him? What changes am I presently unwilling to make? Where is my energy, focus, and passion directed? What strongholds have yet to be demolished? What lies am I believing about God, myself, or others? To whom am I not willing to show love? What are my conversations centered around? How am I spending my free time? Where do I tend to walk in distrust? What are my priorities? What are my motives and agenda behind my actions? What wounds still need healing? What have been my most recent victories? Where do I see growth in my Christian life? With whom have I recently shared Jesus?

The questions are endless but certainly not daunting! God will use my honest answers to show me where we still need to work. I am assured of His love, patience, and help through all of this. I feel safe and cared for because He has already shown me His heart and character. May this time be productive and beneficial in many ways!

Father, do a thorough examination of my heart! Illuminate all that needs to go and all that needs to stay. I give You the key to every “room” in me. I rest under Your watchful eye and in Your tender hands. Amen.

The Ruining of Strongholds

You have broken down all his hedges; You have brought his strongholds to ruin. Psalm 89:40 NKJV

We hear a lot about strongholds today. We see evidences of them in addictions and perversions. Each one of us is aware of those things that have a vice grip hold on our mind and a death grip on our life. They consume our thoughts and reek havoc on our actions. They stand in competition with God for control of us. They are the mindsets that we carry with us and yet long to be free of. Today’s verse is our victory cry!

I have often forgotten that it is God who brings a stronghold to ruin. Educating myself about the stronghold and attempting to demolish it myself is not the answer. I have warn myself out in the past trying to gain the victory in certain areas. I thought that if I could just get enough answers I could figure out why it was a stronghold for me and I would be free. I can’t tell you the number of times I THOUGHT I had victory in an area only to fall in defeat. Frustration and failure seemed to mark my path continually. I figured there was either something I wasn’t seeing or something I wasn’t doing right and that is why I wasn’t experiencing a true release from the stronghold. I included warfare prayers in hopes of gaining freedom from the grip! I sought godly advice and read any book I could get my hands on in hopes that someone would give me the missing puzzle piece and set me free.

When it was all said and done, while I had stored up many helpful truths my mind was not free. The mindsets remained in tact and the belief grew that change would never come in this life. I had embraced a lie and began to live with resignation. That is when God used something in the Psalms to wake me up! I saw the number of times David would cry out for deliverance and decided to make that my prayer. For an entire day I simply asked God to deliver me from my mindsets in a particular area of my life. I asked Him to release me from the thoughts that had completely consumed my every waking moment. I literally handed it all to Him.

With a heart of gratitude I have spent the last few days thanking Him for the freedom that is finally mine in this particular area. I could tell deliverance had come because I was no longer battling the thoughts and new thoughts were able to enter my mind. I was not having to work at renewing my mind….He had done that for me. The cobwebs of confusion are gone, the sense of hopelessness is gone, the inner turmoil is gone. My view of God has been enlarged and my faith in His ability to set free has been strengthened. I now enter another day of precious liberation!

Father, I give You the praise and the credit for bringing my stronghold to ruin. You have shown me what true deliverance is like. With all that is in me, I thank You! Amen.