We began yesterday with a list of questions regarding how do I know that I am in God’s Will and how do I distinguish His voice from all the other voices that are surrounding me? When seeking Him with all my heart and soul, why do I sometimes get it so wrong? Where is the clear direction that we need? Why is it that when I look back over the roads I have journeyed, I see it strewn with what many would call failures-at least by man’s viewpoint? What about God’s viewpoint? Where was He in all of this?
Before we move on to the next few sections of how to put on the armor and how to abide in Christ, I feel it is important that I step aside for a moment and answer some of these questions through telling you of some of my journey.
Anyone who has read my book "A Broken and Contrite Heart" will realize that I spent a large portion of this journey with a heart that searched for someone who would love me and somehow believed that finding that one would confirm God’s love of me. Wrong theology? Yes, but I dare say that there are many fragile hearts out there who have thought the same. "A Broken and Contrite Heart" was that aha moment and short of putting the entire book here I cannot impart the whole depth of God’s answer; but, I will attempt to summarize. In that book, I had reached the point where I saw my whole life as having failed God because I suddenly realized it had not been God breaking my heart; rather, it had been I breaking His by not realizing He was the only true love I needed. That is where the book began and the remainder of the book, some 10 chapters was God’s miraculous, answers of love, mercy, and grace. From that point, I with great joy had laid down the dream of human companionship and reveled in the knowledge of God’s love. In fact, I wear a promise ring on my right hand to be an ever constant reminder to whom I am betrothed. So, no one would have been more surprised than I when suddenly from no where I received a phone call from a very gentle voice who asked permission to be my friend on Facebook. I looked at their profile and it was laden with Bible Verses so I said yes. Over the course of several weeks and many hours of online chatting this man appeared by all appearances to be so kind, so gentle and so caring; I wondered if God had decided to give me this wondrous gift of human love and I marveled at it all. The man would call every night to pray before saying goodnight. In fact, it was he who gave me the verse in Acts that started me on this series which God has so powerfully used in my life. In the midst of other turmoil within my world; by all appearances, God had sent a knight in shining armor to help me through. It is my plan to move to Missouri within the next two years. There had arisen circumstances which seemed to be born out of evil that press me to move sooner; yet, the mountains in my way of that move from financial to physical loomed large before me as I stood on the truth of who I am in Christ. I know that God has a plan and He will clear the path. Still, was this man a part of that plan? I wondered. So, as Matthew 17 tells us; the faith that moves mountains begins with fasting and prayer. That is what I did. Suddenly, this renewed dream of love clearly proved to be nothing more than a social media scam artist. Obviously, he had studied all my writing and knew just what to do or say. Don’t worry, I am fine and I am very joyously in love with Christ–so no broken heart here. After now telling you about my being a fool, let me tell you the marvelous answers to the above questions in the midst of all of this; and, let me remind you that this entire series began with a verse given to me by someone who meant evil and harm. God; however, had a different plan. Let me turn you to:
Genesis 50:20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
So, how do we know whether it is God’s voice talking and which is the right direction?
1. Always test it against the word of God. So study the word, write it on your hearts, and be ready in season and out to test everything by the word of truth. God will never tell you that it is OK to compromise. I do recognize that sometimes in the testing like Peter, like David, and like I we will fail and fall down–from which we will learn and grow. God’s allows Satan to tempt us sometimes so that He might sift away the chaff, the stubble, and the pride which is getting in the way of our relationship with Him. (For more about that, you could read my book A Broken and Contrite Heart)
2. Prayer and fasting helps to bring clarity and light to any situation. Many of the questions we ask, do I change jobs? Do I move? Do I buy this house or that? Those questions are not answered by the word of God directly. Those we need clear direction which comes through prayer and fasting.
3. Keep your eyes fixed and focus on Christ, your Savior. Recognize Him as your greatest treasure and your true Joy. When you do this all this other stuff does not matter any more and you will find that you are rejoicing in the center of whatever trial or tragedy.
4. Remember this, God rules over the Just and the Unjust and will not allow anything to happen in your life but what He will turn it to good. All those failures I said I see as I look back through my eyes are quite different when I see what God has used them to accomplish both in my life and in the lives of many others I have met along this journey. He took all of it and continued to weave a tapestry that looks like His son. He has even taken my failures of the past and used them to transform me and more miraculously used those to Glorify the name of Christ to people I have met. Some have come to Christ as a result of this faltering little pilgrim continuing on against all odds by the strength of Christ in her, many times in spite of herself.
5. Never forget who you are in Christ. Because of the blood of Christ by faith and not by works, you are saved if you ever accepted Him as your Savior. Thereby, in Christ you are redeemed (risen), blessed, beloved, chosen, child of the King-heir of royalty, imprisoned by abounding love, servant because of overwhelming gratitude, enlightened by His light, New Creation, filled with His gifted faith, and declared a Saint.
This journey down here on earth is a treacherous journey at times, remember as Paul said;
Ephesians 6: 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
So to conclude, in order to stand victoriously holding fast to who you are in Christ, keep your eyes focused on Christ, pray, study His word, remember that God is in control, and then rest in the assurance that He will guide your path one step at a time. You do not need to see the end, for God does. Do not fret and worry, my friend. Rather, rejoice even when others try to do evil against you; because in the midst, in the center of it all a loving heavenly Father is working out a plan of good for you. And as for the man on the internet and for all those who have plotted evil against me in the past, I pray that their having met me will lead them to Christ as their Savior. I pray His mercy shine down upon them all. I have no idea how God is moving the mountains before me; but, I trust in His plan and will keep stepping forward-one step at a time, eyes fixed upon Him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0jpHtsSEQo