If you give into self versus leaning on God, you might as well go out and roll around in a pig pen. That’s exactly what the enemy wants your spiritual world to be like. He wants you to stink to high heaven!
Instead of allowing “me” to be all about “me,” I have learned to promptly retreat to the Lord in prayer as I read Scripture out loud at times when my faith needs assurance. It has taken many months to understand how to handle days like today. This lesson was NOT learned overnight.
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)
As I continue to pray for God to open up a door for more work, tears began streaming down my face. My business is drying up like a dust bowl but I keep going forward because I sure as heck don’t want to go back to the way I was living.
My modest freelance business has provided me with feast and famine times. There have been projects overflowing with abundant blessings to meet and exceed my bills. Then there are other times when no projects are in sight as famine kicks in. I believe it’s God’s way of teaching me to handle the good with the bad, and still have a happy heart as we are expected to depend on God and be thankful to Him at all times.
“…in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” I Thessalonians 5:18 (NASB)
It’s not an easy learning task but the blessings from God’s lessons are mighty, powerful and fearless as the enemy attempts to attack and destroy.
“For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7
During feast times, I always feel confident and secure as money is the key factor. During the famine season, or dry spells, I have learned to swallow my pride as I humbly work any job where my skills could be used.
In the everyday natural world, you will often sense or smell fear unless you are living in God's spiritual world which is simply learning more about God!
Remember God is a Spirit! There are two worlds evolving on earth at the same time. The spiritual world many Christians don’t seem to care to discuss (possibly based on fear?) and the natural world as we see things in plain vision.
When God arrives in your life as He did in mine, I welcomed Him with open arms asking to be cleansed from my old ways. He answered my prayer request. When He pulled my spiritual nose plugs out... “WHOA! WHAT IS THAT AWFUL SMELL???” It was fear of being what God wanted me to be instead of what I knew how to be.
Fear attracts the enemy out of thin air like stink on a stick. The devil scourers the earth as a fear monger, spiritually trying to entice you with the stench of fear. His number one goal is for any of us to return to our old comfort zone and reject God.
Remember, God DOES NOT give you the spirit of fear! So where does it come from? If it ain’t from God, then it must be from the side of E V I L which is “live” spelled backwards. Interesting??? How do you "live"... backwards or forwards?
It was not until my struggles became reality then I not only sympathized but empathized with others who are in worse shape than my situation. But here’s the GREAT news!!! God promises He will meet our needs! He has met mine since I stepped out on faith and long before my first cry on this earth.
“The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” Isaiah 58:11 (NIV)
Reality Check: Stench of Fear Alert!
Today is a day like most Christians experience from time to time as you draw nearer to the Lord. God is breaking down barriers and taking away issues which keep us from being what He needs us to be for Him. Some how when that happens intuitively, our innerds start freaking!
When I begin to wear down during my financial famine, I sense the enemy is waiting on the edge of my God's safety zone around me as he tries to lure me back into my old life. I can just see the enemy with his party hats and party horns as he is ready to have a fireworks celebration in honor of my demise as fear is the factor and the smell draws him like flies to honey!
Fortunately, the adversary must have been greatly disappointed with this believer as I continue to lean on the Word of God for His strength.
The unwavering fluctuating fear I experience at times reminds me of a 24 hour virus. There is no self cure. There is not a quick fix. Only the Great Physician can heal your troubled fears and dispose of your anxiety. Then rest in Him as Jesus tells us in the Book of Matthew… "I will give you rest.”
It was a realistic day in the life of this Christian. For a fleeting moment, I wondered if this blog or anything I do for God is the right direction. Those doubts were placed in my mind to create despair and fear as the enemy wants me to return to my sinful life and ignore God.
As I sign off, I assure you the stench of fear did not linger around me for very long as God’s sweet words of comfort were sent to me through an earthly angel named Hoskins. God bless him!
I share my struggles with for one reason only… not for pity… but to be honest. Stepping out on faith is harder work than a regular job with a regular income. I know deadlines intimately having made a career in the publishing business. And believe me, the earthly deadlines we think are important are nothing compared to the final deadline that will come when Jesus returns!
I know what it’s like to having a great salary, live in my own home, be able to pay my mortgage with plenty of food in the pantry and lots of nice clothes in my closet.
I needed to experience the famine to fully appreciate the feast! And my famine is STILL A LONG ways from true famine. Thank you God for the rich blessings in my life!
The only true way to experience God’s blessings is to learn what His blessings entail. Remember to thank God in every situation. Should you ever go without, you will have walked as many souls are doing currently in our own country! It’s a lesson many Americans, including myself need, or needed, to learn as only God can teach when we allow Him to really unplug your spiritual senses! Are you too wired into this world? God unplugged is phenonmenal!
Don’t be afraid, or fear, to live in God’s world on this earth. Let go and let God assures your maturity in Christ and will allow you to walk closer to Him.
In God’s world, fear stays downwind, permanently!
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