******* REVIVAL FIRE!!! *******
It's time to "realign"
Maureen Bravo
What I have realized in this "season" of my life, and recently begun to revisit in a whole new light, is that there are some things that I have previously agreed with / protected / defended / supported, etc. that no I am no longer allowed to "align" with. I am in a fresh process of reviewing and correcting any beliefs, words, actions, patterns, etc. that might be in any way "out of line" with God's intentions, in order to "realign" more perfectly with Him.
Whether because of environmental or circumstantial influences, due to a belief systems, old family patterns, acquired habits... whether through empathy or sympathy, or simply by making a personal decision...whatever...throughout my lifetime, I've made choices to agree with / "champion" certain causes / people / things. Some of these were for a season, others are ongoing...and others simply "never even should have been" considerations. (That awareness usually comes as one "matures" and "grows" through life...and is easiest when "wisdom, age and grace" interact together.)
The lives we live today are a composite of all that we have experienced in days past. Life choices (both good and poor) have contributed to making us who we are today. As we grow in relationship with the Lord, we begin to see that some of those things that we believed / learned / accepted in our "yesteryears" are no longer profitable for this hour. We might not yet realize that they were harmful, or sinful, or represented "strongholds" in our lives; we simply begin to see that we need to either eliminate or revise them, in order that tomorrow might be more productive. When we reach the point of "considering the possibility" that we might have been in error about some things, we often encounter "spiritual resistance"; if we do not know that is what that is and how it works, we may be thrust back into our former unawareness. If we do persist in seeking the truth, and actually decide that something we upheld / endorsed was not good, the spiritual struggle can intensify greatly; darkness will try to continue to possess what it considers to be a "rightful home".
Whatever the cause of sin in our lives was...however it took up occupancy...(whether we didn't know better, or had a nagging feeling we chose to override, or just willfully made a wrong decision), we can't continue in it! Although the struggle might be intense, as the old patterns / beliefs (strongholds) fight and die hard, they must be eliminated...torn down...put to death! We are called to live in freedom...in the light of God. We can't go back...we must hear and see what God is revealing to us today. The rest is history!
We must begin to write a new story...in the light of true "His-story". Jesus is the Light of the world...and His-story is that "He came to seek and save the lost"...those "lost" in patterns of thinking / belief / behavior that do not agree with God...(ie. sin). When we begin to question the things we previously believed, and encounter Him, we learn the real truth. We must acknowledge Him... and His truth that is revealed to us. As we accept His loving conviction, and repent, we no longer want or need to justify / defend our old behaviors / sinfulness! As we purpose to abandon our old ways and adopt His, we receive His forgiveness. Only then are we restored to relationship with Him. To believe less than this is delusion!
Before, when we were blinded by the god of this world, we were actually trying to make the ONE, TRUE GOD over...in an image that suited us / accepted our beliefs. But no matter how earnest we might have been in our errors, they were still errors, and we could never "fool" God into believing that we were right (and He was wrong)! He Who is TRUTH searches hearts, and knows and understands all! The only ones fooled were ourselves...and others who were caught up in the same errant beliefs!
Those old ways...our previous history...are now behind us. All that counts is what choices we will make with Him today. "If today you hear My voice, harden not your heart!" If we are sincere in our desire to serve Him, to change our ways, even if we slip and fall again, there is forgiveness. He is with us, pouring out His grace upon us...ready, willing and ABLE to help us write "His-story" through our lives at the present moment...and continuing on with us...taking us "from glory to glory"!
In order to cooperate with Him in writing that, we need to know the Truth about WWJD...for Jesus is the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE. In every situation... in whatever interaction we have with any person, ideology, circumstance...we must first know God's plan...purpose...and power...so that we can do things His way! In order to do that, we must KNOW Him, His CHARACTER and His ATTRIBUTES...intimately...lovingly...freely!
Once we know what He would do, we no longer desire to align with / champion something that He would not. We do not want to defend anything that would ultimately be harmful to another person. We can no longer be a part of justifying that which would cause them to remain in bondage. Instead, we begin to operate as Jesus would; we speak LIFE and hope of freedom from that which is oppressing them. We tell them of the TRUE CHAMPION Who can set them free!
What a difference from when we used to refuse to see things from God's perspective, and operated from our own belief system! In what we thought was an attempt to "protect", we actually harmed those bound in sin, by hiding the truth from ourselves and them! We became part of their deception, as we encouraged them to believe the lie that they could hold onto and operate in their sin (in this case, homosexuality) and still be in a right relationship with God. How cruel!
To have believed that they can have both was a lie! When we supported that lie, we were, in effect, washing our hands of their lives and destiny, as Pilate did with Jesus, while thinking himself blameless. When we did not know and share truth with them, in love, we were really agreeing to them remaining in bondage to sin. When we said we wanted them to "be free" to choose how they would enjoy their (earthly) lives, we were really saying AMEN ("so be it") to their spiritual "deaths"...and their ultimate separation from God for all eternity! That is not loving!
We can see that we have a great responsibility for those we are in a position to influence! We must no longer allow ourselves to agree with / defend any position that is "out of alignment" with God's plan... for when people do learn the truth, they will hold it against us for having "lied" to them (through the omission of failing to help them understand the reality of their condition, so they could "get free" of what held them captive!) We must purpose to KNOW, LOVE, SERVE HIM, now and for all eternity! Any and all hindrances to that must go!
It is time to realign!
(Originally distribution July 5, 2002 / reissued August 21, 2008 by Maureen Bravo / RUII )
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