Your calling is going to crush you.
If you’re called to mend the broken-hearted, you’re going to wrestle with broken heartedness. If you’re called to prophesy, you’re going to struggle to control your mouth. If you’re called to lay hands, you will battle spiritual viruses. Your calling will come with the cups, thorns, and shifting necessary for your mantle to be authentic, humble, and powerful. Your crushing won’t be easy because your assignment isn’t easy, but it is worth it. Your Oil Will Cost You Everything God is looking for people who are willing to say, “I’m all in. I’ll pay the price.” Luke 14:28 (ESV) says, “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?” Maybe you have told the Lord you’re all in, but do you know how to pay this price without giving up? The key is to keep surrendering yourself and your oil at the feet of Jesus. There is no other way. Remember the woman in the Bible who poured her costly oil over Jesus, while others scolded her, saying she had wasted it (Mark 14:3-9)? You will always have scoffers who do not understand your passion, actions, or commitment to the Lord, but you cannot let them stop your willingness to pay the price. To Fully Answer the Call, You Must Surrender All Surrendering – which means to give oneself up to the power of another; to submit, yield, give away, relinquish control – is hard work and requires intense warfare against the flesh’s self-centered nature. Nonetheless, you must learn to surrender:
It’s Worth the Price Even though your oil will cost you everything, it’s worth it. Only when you’re fully living for the Lord, surrendering all to His will and His ways, will you truly become all He has created you to be. Have you counted the cost? Are you ready to pay the price? Pray the following prayer aloud: Dear heavenly Father, Thank You for the destiny and call You have placed on my life. I have counted the cost and choose to make a fresh commitment to live only for You. I surrender all areas of my life afresh to You today including my self-will, relationships, tongue, need to know and control, and finances. I’m “all in” for You, Lord, and I’m willing to pay the price. Anoint me, lead me, and guide me to do all that You have called me to do. In Jesus’ name, amen.
2 Comments
An oak tree and a willow tree lived side by side. Fixed in their ways, they stood the same way, day after day. Suddenly, a mighty gust of wind began to hit the trees. The oak tree, rigid and refusing to change its position, was broken by the power of the wind. The willow tree, on the other hand, bent as the wind blew and escaped the storm unharmed.
As with the storms of life, becoming resilient--adapting and bouncing back when crisis hits--is the key to surviving intact. “I have always done it this way” just is not going to cut it anymore! Resilience has to do with one’s emotional strength. It is knowing how to cope, despite setbacks, barriers, or limited resources. It is being able to learn from mistakes and move forward, rather than wallow or dwell on failures. Someone who is resilient will be strong, tough, quick to recover, flexible, and adaptable. Resilience is an ability to spring back into shape after bending, stretching, or being compressed. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 says, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.” God desires that we become resilient. Resiliency Blockers
Resiliency Boosters Resiliency can be developed in our lives when we choose the right behaviors, thoughts, and actions.
Pray the following prayer aloud, asking the Lord to help you develop resiliency in your life: Dear heavenly Father, I ask You to empower me now to successfully be resilient in the face of every adversity, trial, and storm. Forgive me for the times where my resilience has been blocked, including when I've walked in self-pity, negative and destructive thinking, and blamed You when things went wrong. Enable me to use the resiliency boosters, including flexibility, determination, having a tough skin, and completely trusting You at all times. I command any spirits hindering my ability to be resilient to go now, in Jesus’ name. Thank you, Lord, for equipping me to survive every storm. Amen. |
BLOG CATEGORIES
All
BLOG ARCHIVES |