Have you ever had one of those major light bulb moments with God? A moment when He completely and totally opens your eyes to something and all of a sudden you see so clearly? In one glorious, shining moment it all makes sense. What once appeared to be a jumbled mess or was just altogether hazy is now staring you plainly in the face and you can see how all of the pieces of the puzzle fit together so perfectly. God breaks through the haze and in a monstrous wave illuminates His plan, His vision, His intentions, His heart.
This happened to me yesterday. And I’m just so amazed that I’m nearly speechless. Mostly I can’t believe I have been this blind for this long. God has been speaking to me regarding a very specific issue for a long time now, and even though I must have known it deep down and had been picking up on the hints, I was somehow unwilling or unable to grab hold of what exactly He was trying to show me all that time. Though I had bits and pieces I couldn’t see the whole picture He was painting. Must have been all the excuses I was making that were fogging up my vision and preventing me from seeing clearly. Or maybe it was denial, or complacency. But I am so thankful that God did not let it go. He would not leave me alone. No matter how I couldn’t or wouldn’t listen for all of that time, He kept on nudging me and convicting me in that gentle way that He does until one day He just has to shout it out to me. Though I wasn’t getting it at all, He wouldn’t give up on me. In His unlimited patience, He was just waiting for me to lay hold of what He was speaking to me. And now I have.
This is a moment not to be forgotten, a moment when I feel like I finally see what it is God has been calling me to. And though it’s hard for me to admit and though I probably didn’t realize it consciously, in this particular situation I had been waiting around for someone else to do what God had been placing on my heart to do, waiting for someone or something else to come through. It made more sense to me that it’d be someone else, so I was just waiting. Though I was consistently prayerful about it, it wasn’t all that urgent to me to take any kind of action beyond that. I had all kinds of excuses of why it just couldn’t be me, even though deep down I knew that God had been placing it on my heart so much for a reason. And the totally deceptive thing is that from a worldly perspective, my excuses made total sense. And being in the world, it’s so easy to get caught up in the world’s standards and expectations and to play by its rules. But sometimes I completely forget that this is God we’re dealing with here. Almighty God. And excuses don’t fly with Him. If He calls you to do something, if He places something on your heart, you’d best listen to Him and heed His call! He is calling YOU. Not someone else, but YOU. There is a reason that other people weren’t doing anything about it or couldn’t see what you see, because it’s YOU He wants to use. He has opened YOUR eyes and has given YOU the insight. It has been His plan all along. And nothing in the world can stand in the way of God’s plans and purposes. The very gates of Hell will not prevail against His church, His body (Matt. 16:18). So if He calls you out, He will make a way when it seems like there is none. He doesn’t send out His workers into His harvest field with nothing. He will equip you, He will provide everything you need to do what He has called you to do, and most importantly He Himself will go with you. No weapon forged against you will prevail! (Isa. 54:17) But the first step in faith is always yours.
So, yes, what God is calling me to do right now seems out there from a worldly perspective. And I’m sure I’ll encounter all kinds of opposition in that form. But who was I to think for even a second that following the call of God on my life would be easy, or comfortable, or free of obstacles? In fact, if we’re starting to feel comfortable in our walk with the Lord we need to search ourselves and question if we’re really following Him. It should be a huge red flag. The reality is that denying ourselves, taking up our cross and following Christ isn’t exactly for those who are slaves to their comfort zones. No, it’s radical. It’s always been radical, because Jesus is radical. Not only that, but it’s messy, it’s risky, it’s bold, it’s even dangerous at times. We’re stepping directly into a battle zone, we have targets on our backs; it’s anything but neat and pretty. And yet so often that’s the trap I feel like I’m stuck in, and the major misconception about Christianity in general in today’s world. We want to believe that we can somehow have one foot in each world, that there is some kind of middle ground of compromise, that we can call ourselves followers of Christ and still blend in and be comfortable in the world. That is called divided loyalty, and I am no stranger to it. No, folks, living for Jesus Christ and being His disciple is not for the indecisive, half-hearted or weak-willed. Ultimately it means giving up everything we have (Luke 14:33). He means business. He has called us out to do what He was doing and do even greater things (Jn. 14:12). How insane is that?! We go against the grind. We don’t conform to the patterns of this world (Rom. 12:2). We are His hands and His feet. And we need to quit living to please the world and start understanding that we are called to be set apart, to be different, to live radically for a far greater purpose. We need to know who we are.
For me, if something seems too risky or if I don’t think the world will understand it, I always find some excuse to remain in my comfort zone. But enough! If I want to see God’s power at work, if I truly want Him to use me, if I want to be a part of His advancing kingdom, I’ve got to take these risks. So what, the world might think I’m a little crazy. I already know that I am, and I don’t care. Right now I’m feeling more than a bit radical and fiery for Jesus and I’m loving it. I feel more alive in Him than ever before. God has lit a fire in me anew to go out into the place He is calling me and He has given me such a clear vision. What more do I need? So no more waiting, no more excuses. There isn’t time to waste when lives are on the line, lives that are precious to God. It’s got to be now! And I have the King of kings and the Lord of lords leading the way, the One who holds all things in His hands and who will make my paths straight as I acknowledge Him. He will not fail me. It’s all Him; I’m simply a willing vessel yielded in His Hand. I am willing to go and to carry His Love and His light into the darkest of places. Is it scary? Yes. Incredibly. Am I uncomfortable? Entirely. This is so not me right now. And don’t get me wrong, a part of me is still listening to the excuses swimming around in my head regarding the logistics of it all and saying, “really God, really?” “YES,” He says. “Really. Trust Me. I have chosen you and I will be with you.” And more than it’s scary right now it’s liberating, because I am beginning to see God work on a whole new level. I am finally getting a glimpse of what it looks like to be a disciple of Christ. And in complete awe of God and how amazing He is all I want to do is worship.
Satan, I am on to you. Your time is up. You think you’re so clever, and you may fool a lot of people but you don’t fool me. You came to steal, kill, and destroy, but Jesus came that we may have life and have it to the full. And guess who wins? In the Name of Jesus you are defeated, you are powerless. In fact, I suggest you get lost before things get really ugly. You heard it here: I’m coming after you, and I come with the power and authority of Jesus Christ. Translation: you’re finished.
Come on, Lord, let’s DO this! There is POWER in the Name of Jesus, and it’s His Name that I claim! Now I GO. (Expect updates with awesome testimonies of what God is doing in the near future :)
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go... - Matthew 28:18-19
I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. – Luke 10:18-19
Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They overcame him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony... - Revelation 12:10-11
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that - and shudder. - James 2:18-19
I don't want to live like I don't care
I don't want to say another empty prayer
Oh I refuse to sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself
Oh I could choose not to move
But I refuse
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