The Lord has been preparing my heart for the mission field. Every conversation and interaction in my life lately has been about being kingdom minded.
Yesterday was my LAST day at a normal job for over a year!
Woah! That came at me fast!
I sat down to make a list of things I need to accomplish before I leave.
I felt burdened……..HEAVY
How can I possibly accomplish all the things on my list?
cleaning my apartment selling my car?
cleaning my car getting rid of things I don’t want
packing things I want to keep getting bills in order
researching vaccinations I need (and getting them)
tiring up loose ends
AND FUNDRAISING?
Not to mention what had already gone wrong:
my address on the flier to send in donations was incorrect
I was only days away from a donation deadline and $800+ away from it
I was trying to trust that God was going to take care of things,
but these are things I have to do, right?
NOPE
I pulled up my fundraising tab online (I haven’t checked it in a few days)
$3,600
still 4 days away from the deadline and I was $100 OVER it
His peace flooded back over me and I prayed.
It was so clear that he said “Rachel, I have promised you something great! You have been obedient and trusting me, but you have to do better. I need you to trust that these things will fall into place, WHILE you are bringing me glory!”
So here is the lesson:
BEING KINGDOM MINDED
Isaiah 55:8-11
8-11 “I don’t think the way you think.
The way you work isn’t the way I work.”
God’s Decree.
“For as the sky soars high above earth,
so the way I work surpasses the way you work,
and the way I think is beyond the way you think.
Just as rain and snow descend from the skies
and don’t go back until they’ve watered the earth,
Doing their work of making things grow and blossom,
producing seed for farmers and food for the hungry,
So will the words that come out of my mouth
not come back empty-handed.
They’ll do the work I sent them to do,
they’ll complete the assignment I gave them.
“your ways are higher than MY ways”
1st Lesson- we need to do what we are called to do,
not just what sounds good to do.
He will handle the details- I need to keep saying Yes.
James 4:7-10
7-10 So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet.
2nd Lesson- Withstand the Tests and Pressure.
The enemy knows you long before you are able to see your potential, The Attack on your life reflects that potential and the enemy’s determination for you NOT to reach it.
James 1: 2-4 Faith Under Pressure
2-4 Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.
If you are down and out, think about it this way- The greater the test/struggle, the more potential you have to serve the kingdom. Don’t think about your bad luck or struggles as that! We are worth far more to the Father and these tests are so that you don’t reach that potential!
I want to be mature, well-developed, and not deficient! I am going into the world to do ministry and what a shame it would be if I hadn’t learned anything!
3rd Lesson- Prayer
James 1:5-8 If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.
This one was tough, I had to think about the way I pray. “ASK BOLDLY” and “DONT WORRY YOUR PRAYERS” really got me. How little faith I have shown my Jesus in the way I pray to him.
He died on the Cross for our right to Boldly ask and the ability to do great things in his name. I have been wasting that gift with my “wind-whipped” prayers.
If I am not praying prayers that scare ME, I certainly am not praying prayers that scare THE EMEMY.
Moving forward, Pray BOLDLY with me. Find the ways you are under pressure in your life and change your mind to the kingdom ways. We are not at this alone and have not been left without the tools we need to overcome our challenges.
Read James- It wrecked me, it will do the same for you too.
Read the scriptures, they are the keys to life and keep us living in freedom.
without those words, you can be saved
but never step into your right to abundant life
The scriptures are the key to living in the spirit (for those who do) we know
that IS abundant life.
