April 2 , 2007

When You Get Bumped

In June of 2006 God pressed upon me to write a message “Are You Ready For A Change?” If you read it you know I was having a weed problem. Well the weeds are back. As I was on my way home I asked God, “What Now?” You see I have begun to realize that weeds reflect a spiritual issue. They reflect something in my life that may need to be straightened out.

My sister friend Charlotte told me weeds try to look like whatever they are around, but we have to know that they are weeds. Because New Beginnings is a ministry of transparency there is not much I don’t feel free to share. This morning I was studying Experiencing God by Dr. Henry Blackaby. Dr. Blackaby made it plain, so I know that I am not crazy. He said, “sharing what God is doing in your life may help someone else encounter God in a meaningful way.” That’s why I am so transparent. That’s why my life is an open book as some people describe it. Everything that has happened in our past is a stepping stone to our future under God’s direction.

I received a e-mail several weeks ago from a sister in the Lord, sharing her opinions of me and what I do. At first I was angry and my flesh said, “get her!” If we are real we have all had those thoughts. My spirit said “NO!” She is why God called you. She is one of the ones He wants you to touch. Many times our words of anger come from a hurt place. Pray for her and respond with the truth in love the way the bible instructs you too. I did just what God told me to do.

I even asked to speak to her and my request was declined. She had said everything that she needed to say and felt that closed the matter. The bible instructs us in Matthew 5:23-24, 23"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

We as Christians need to take this scripture seriously and make sure that we are reconciled to our brother or sister. God wants us united not divided. Just sharing our views and opinions in anger without hearing the other person is the same as if we were to throw up all over a brother or sister in the Lord and then walk away and leave them to clean themselves up. We said what we had to say. That is an immature way of dealing with our issues with one another. It is like being in kindergarten, throwing rocks and then hiding our hands. It is the world’s way. I want to be united with my sister. We were never close friends, but I do not want her to be my enemy either.

The bible tells us to speak the truth in love. Part of doing that is being willing to hear our sister or brothers response. How do I feel about my sister? I love her and pray God’s best blessings for her. The enemy intended to stop what God has given me to do, but God has given me the wisdom to know my sister is not the real enemy. 1 Peter 5:8 says, 8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. (NLT) He has a desire to destroy us.

My sisters, know we are not each other’s enemies. We need to stop threatening each other, throwing scripture at each other, and making unfounded accusations and start loving God and each other. We have to love each other even when it hurts and it will.

My sister shared several things in her message to me that the enemy never wanted me to see, because I can see God in everything even the things the enemy is attempting to use to destroy us. You have to get a hold of these truths.

1. Pray specifically. She accused me of praying something that I had never prayed or thought about. I wasn’t praying specifically as she assumed and you may not be either.
2. The prayers of the righteous availeth much. We don’t need to fight with each other. God has all power in our lives and has a purpose and a plan for us, which will not be thwarted. (Isaiah 14:27) If the enemy did not see us as a threat, he would not come after us. Those who know me know I am a prayer warrior. My mentor advised me that I was in warfare and I thought I was taking a break just getting out of one battle and planning to chill for a few minutes. If everything had been handled differently I would have been lulled off to sleep. Instead the warrior spirit rose up and I was stirred to fight in prayer.. The bible says the things the enemy intends for evil for our destruction God will work them all out for our good. Watch out satan, you woke me up.
3. What the enemy intended for evil God is using for my good. He is strengthening me for my purpose. I’m not angry, just more purposed than ever before to see people healed and delivered.

When you get bumped, brush it off, ask God what He wants you to get from it and press forward. You may be bruised but you will not be broken. Surround yourself with some people that can pray for you when you hit those bumps, you are going to need them.

Several years ago one of my mentors said the enemy was going to try to attack my integrity and that has happened. If you attempt to do what God has purposed you to do, whether that is a job, being a parent, husband, wife or leader you will get bumped in some way, how you respond is much more important than the attack. Heed the warnings of God and those that He sends to surround you because if God has purposed you the bumps will come.
The enemy’s shake up is our wake up call, don’t miss it and have a pity party. Don’t forget who the real enemy is.

   Weekly Scripture:

Romans 8:26-30: Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good. God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him. After God made that decision of what his children should be like, he followed it up by calling people by name. After he called them by name, he set them on a solid basis with himself. And then, after getting them established, he stayed with them to the end, gloriously completing what he had begun.

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