Recently in prayer, I began to understand the source of my frustration with others. In my discovery, I realized how I had waited on men and not waited on God. I had waited on men to be my help; I had waited for men to have the answer. I was waiting on men for my next move. It was hindering my progress slowing me down and making me angry. I saw my failure to wait on God was causing me to miss His move and with it, His great provision. Bottom line, it was the fear of man and not the fear of God. I began seeing where the fear of man ensnared me and left me without a Godly mandate to move forward. That fear of men kept me from confronting my problems and issues with others. It left me without a voice that could speak as God to inspire true leadership that moves to victory. I did a lot of preaching at the problem, but was distant from confronting it head on with real solutions born out of relationship. The people were not my problem, but failure to wait on God was. Could it be God is calling you to a ‘relationship of waiting on Him’? In your frustations, your failure to wait is a failure to get a word from Him to speak directly with divine wisdom into the lives of others. You like me need to see the work of God in prayer. It is a work that reveals willingness to wait on God bringing rest from other men’s agendas. In prayer, the Spirit of God will cause you to find a ‘fresh wind’ to fill your sails and propel you forward to victory.
Tag: fear
The Mountain of God’s Presence
There is a view behind my house, although it is hidden by the trees, that I’ve often wondered about. I had a sense it was a grand, glorious view, if but one could only rise above the obstacles that blocked the beauty of it. While recently looking at I map, I discovered something I had missed. A very short distance behind where I live was Mt. Sinai; it is one of four recorded summits in the area. My discovery brought so much excitement, I spent the best part of a day just trying to find a way to go up the mount. In my search, I began thinking of Mt. Sinai in the Exodus chapters 3 and 19; it was the place of God’s presence, and a place where he spoke promises. Then this thought occured to me, ‘Mount Sinai, the Mount of God had been there behind my house all along and I didn’t know it’. You know what I suspect? Mount Sinai is there shortly behind the place where you live and you failed to understand its significance. It is a place of glory; Jesus lives there in God’s presence making intercession for you, like Moses, to behold that glory so you might be His witness. He says to you pull off your shoes, for this mount is holy. It represents a place of consecration in your life laying aside some things. Like those trees, blocking the view of His glory, He says to you, ‘rise above to get a view of the mount; make the discovery that it is near to where you live–it is near to your struggle, near to your fears, near your failures, near to you bonds’ saying, ‘come to my glory and remove the obstructions. Come to the mount, it is a place where I reveal my name, my position, my Kingdom, and my Lordship to you.’ After the cross, Jesus resumed His rightful position and is now living at the right hand of God to pray for you to receive God’s power. We are told to come boldly before His throne of grace that we might find mercy and grace in our time of need. It is interesting to note, Moses brought God’s people to the foot of the mountain, but only Jesus fills full the word by bringing us up the mount to a high place with Him. And there near His footstool, He says ask what you will and I will make you to live for me and that more abundantly.
‘Let Down Your Nets’
Where is Jesus? You look in scripture and still find it hard to hear His voice. You ask, but don’t seem to find His answers to your questions. But make no mistake, His voice always comes to His disciples from the shoreline on their sea of trouble to test their faith and give them hope and a greater harvest. John 21 tells us Jesus told His disciples to ‘let down their nets’. It was in the middle of trying times where their faith was being tested. There was great fear, discouragement, and a great wondering about ‘tommorrow’ because Jesus had left them, but then comes His voice skipping off the water, saying, ‘trust me, do as I say and reap the harvest of my blessing and abundance’. I believe He would say that to you, if know Him, ‘Child, let down your net’. You have sought comfort in things of this world and found nothing that lasts. You have, to quote John’s gospel, “no fish”, and there is nothing to show from the labor of your own strength; so why not try His? Come, ‘let down your nets’. I believe He would say, ‘come to the place of surrender; it’s a place marked by My suffering because of the cross.’ It is instant provision in exchange for your strength. Today, He sits at the right hand of God’s redeeming power to display abundant life to those who will hear Him speaking from the shoreline of their weariness to say, ‘let down those nets and take up your cross and I will lead you, and my voice will surely speak saying, come follow me and know the love I have for you.’
The Way to Victory
God desires that you overcome today. David gives us the proper focus in Psalm 27:4 when he says, ‘One thing I have asked of the Lord and that I will seek..’ He underscores the high priority of God’s presence staying focused on the place where His glory dwells with us. I believe today God is saying on the basis of His word, you and I need to arrive at that place of decision–a place where we take a stand with the Lord and seek His presence. He says, ‘follow these steps on your way to seeing greater confidence living an overcoming life’. He says, ‘Fear no man; make no room for evil; and ask what you would that I could do for you. I will do mighty things even greater that what you could ask me for.’ Stand today in the fearless abode of a loving Father who desires to publish abroad a miraculous testimony through your life that rescues, heals, and delivers.
GraceLife 