October 15 2007

Look For God In Everything!

I don’t know about you, but a lot has been going on in my life, struggles with people, situations, struggles with issues that don’t make any sense. Several years ago one of my mentors told me that the enemy was going to attempt to attack my integrity.

A month ago I had a dream. The dream made no sense to me at the time, because it was about me and everything in it went totally against my character. Unlike most dreams I could remember every detail, so I assumed it had some meaning so I filed the dream away, because it was so strange. Well it became a premonition of a problem that was to come or we may just call it an opportunity for me to be the woman of God I was created to be and to see how much God has changed me.

For the last several weeks the enemy has been challenging my integrity at work. Earlier in the year he attacked my integrity as a woman of God in my personal life. That only caused me to go deeper with my heavenly Father and the results have been great. Needless to say the enemy was unhappy with the results of the first attack, it did not destroy me but only made me better and more resolved to do what I need to do to become what God wants me to be. Last week he challenged me on some computer programming issues.

I knew what I knew and he wanted me to get angry and storm out of the programmer’s office or get upset because something had been done wrong and have a fit. Now let me help you, I have done that in the past, so it would not have been unheard of, but God has humbled and mellowed me out and since the change has been so gradual and over time those involved were expecting something much different than they received. God got the glory as I humbly asked what I needed to do to resolve the issue and went about doing it. I received a note of apology related to both of my programming issues.

Well last week things went to a whole different level of craziness. We all know that the enemy is an accuser of the brethren and this week he pulled out all of the stops against me. I didn’t understand at the time what was happening because I was so shocked by the situation and the accusations that were being made against me. A person I knew made an accusation that I punched her. This was another woman. She claimed that I did not just punch her once but I punched her three times. I had not even touched this woman, but she believed this really happened. In the dream I told you about earlier I was a shoplifter and a drinker, neither of these are true about me. I have never stolen anything and I tried to drink on my 18th birthday (that was the legal age back then), however that held no interest for me as I had grown up in an environment where I had seen the affects of alcohol on the lives of the people that love the alcoholic.

In the dream my job was in jeopardy because of the shoplifting. That was the dream. When the real attack on my character came I was just as shocked as in the dream, because I was not known for beating people up either. I had not hit anyone. I was shocked by the accusation, shocked by the thought that anyone would believe that about me. I know I am not the only one that has been wrongfully accused. John 10:10 says, 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

What does that tell me? It tells me that the enemy has a job to do and his job is to destroy me, my future and everything God has for me, but the awesome thing is the scripture goes on to say that God has a better plan, that I might live life in it’s abundance and receive everything that God has for me.

I have learned to look for God in every situation I find myself in. In what appears to be a bad situation I look for what God wants me to get out of it. What is God trying to teach me in that situation? In the accusations even though unfounded and even though the people investigating found the truth, even though we know it was never true, we still have to go through and endure the situation. We have to go through the process so that we can get to the place God wants us to be and also to be a witness of who He is to others. His power living in us is what keeps us from tripping at every storm that arises. Our problem situations are God’s opportunities to get the glory and to grow character in us. He is working on me and I recognize it. He is teaching me to love those that despitefully use me and to pray for them. He is teaching me as I go forward in ministry I am going to deal with some hurt people that will attempt to hurt me. As you move forward in life and whatever God has for you, you will find God is working in your life through situations as well.

What has He spoken to me personally? “Be nice Angela, no matter what happens or how they treat you, just be nice.” On my own, I could not always smile at those that have attempted to hurt me, but I have God living on the inside of me and He is living through me smiling when I may not feel like it, loving when on my own I just can’t, being nice when I have been hurt.

The bible assures me in Philippians 4:13: 13I can do everything through him who gives me strength. In can love in spite of because He gives me the strength to do it. As you go through your personal attacks of the enemy, look for God in those attacks. Is He using them to refine or prune you?

Whatever you go through know that the enemy has no real power. Before he could touch you he had to get God’s permission. That means ultimately in all that we go through or are going through, if you believe in God, He is going to work it all out for your good. You will be exonerated and elevated if you just hold on. Be still and let God fight your battles for you.

Look for God in every situation. What is He doing, what is He saying, what does He want you to learn from it? People will think you are crazy, when you don’t respond the way you always have, but know the change in your response is an indication of your growth and who is in control of your life and it gives God glory.

Remember to guard your heart and take every thought captive, because that is where the enemy does his best work. If he is coming after you, you can be assured that you must be doing something right. The impact you have on the kingdom must be significant or why would he bother? When you think about it just smile and thank God for choosing to use satan and thank satan for allowing God to use him to press you to your next level.
Remember the enemy is a liar, but if you look you can find God in everything.

 Weekly Scripture:

John 10:10:
10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

We just worked out spiritually. If you have not worked out your physical temple get up and put your video in or go for a walk, but do something. Remember to work out at least 3 times per week (20-30 minutes per day) to experience a New Beginning physically. Work out to music, workout and pray. Just workout.

For further discussion contact angela@mynewtemple.org or write to us on the message board