Lessons Learned

In the past few weeks I’ve experienced some uncomfortable things. I won’t go into detail because I don’t want to give place to the enemy. I’ve done that enough and frankly, I’m done with his vicious self. But just in case there is someone out there who is struggling, let me encourage you today as I’ve been encouraged.

Honestly, I struggled.

I recently came upon the nine year anniversary of my healing from depression, anxiety, intimidation and a lot of emotional garbage. My mind is healed! In that healing, God allowed me to build a ministry of helping others find healing from those same things and more. However, over a year ago, I was thrown into an extended period of chaos – as was the entire country/world – with the Covid pandemic. Something that should have continued unhindered, didn’t.

Therefore, I let my writing, speaking, videos, and ministry fall by the wayside as I fought within myself to discover what God wanted me to do… except, I already knew! Sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? Hang with me, it gets better.

In a recent Live Facebook video, I commented that sometimes we will do good things, even things that have meaning, but are not in the plan God has for us. In other words, good doesn’t always mean that’s from GOD. I had done just that. I had begun a couple of things which were very good, helped people even, but it wasn’t necessarily what God called me to do. And deep down I knew it, chose to believe I could do all of it, and everything would be okay.

False.

What happened is, I began to really miss writing, miss the ministry, and ultimately I missed my time with the Holy Spirit. What happened next opened my eyes and also caused me some angst. But in that angst, the difficulty, and the things affecting me, I learned a huge lesson and I want to pass it along to you.

I’ve been reading a devotional by Smith Wigglesworth. In two days I’ve learned that God is still for me and also that He will deliver me! What must I do? First, I need to learn this secret: Ask ONCE. Then believe! Seriously! God hears us when we pray. There’s no need for me to repeat myself. So, what about the passage that says to keep asking, seeking, and knocking? Yes. We are to keep praying. But it’s when we ask once, then believe God has done it is when we begin to see things happen. Pray, believe, and move on. But here’s something else I learned: everything is within reach of me and every obstacle can be removed!

So what is bugging you today? Whatever it is, God can take care of it if you’ll just ask Him. Romans 8:31 says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Well, God is for us! And just as much, God will deliver you! This brings me to the next lesson I learned.

Remembering what God has done for me, what He called me to do, and my disobedience, I made a decision. I’ve said before whenever we make a conscious decision to step out in faith two things happen: God begins to move, but so does the enemy of our souls. Because I was distracted from my calling, still doing good things, they were not God things. I had to make a change. When I began making that change, I immediately came under attack of the enemy.

Don’t let that scare you. I absolutely know the enemy can’t kill me. However, he can try to make me so miserable I think I’m going to die. Which is what was happening – to the point I lost sleep. Now, this probably sounds absolutely ridiculous – and it is. I’m embarrassed to even write this. BUT… someone out there needs to read this, because it’s happening to you, too.

In my second devotional reading, my eyes were opened and I began to feel a sense of healing and restoration from the attacks I’ve been under. One thing I read was, “God tries only the people who are worthy. If you are passing through difficulties, trials are rising, darkness is appearing, and everything becomes so dense you cannot see through, hallelujah!”*

Say what?

Exactly! If you aren’t under spiritual attack, you are not where God wants you to be. Because when you are operating in your spiritual gifts, your calling, your anointing – and you do have all of those things – you will come under attack of the enemy. He will do whatever he can to prevent you from achieving the goal which God has set you to do.

The Bible even says to “count it all joy when you fall into various trials” (James 1:2), because this is what helps us to grow, to learn patience and to persevere, to become successful for the Kingdom of God! You can also count these things all joy: God will see you through your trial. He will also be near you because He is a God of deliverance, power, a “balm in Gilead”* (Jeremiah 8:22), the “rose of Sharon”* (Song of Solomon 2:1), and more.

But because He is a gentleman, He waits for us. He waits for our affection. He loves us unconditionally, unequivocally, yet. But He waits for ours to be reciprocated. Remember when Jesus asked, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” (John 21:15). Do you love Him? If you love Him, you yield to Him and His plans. If there is anything not yielded to God’s plan, you can’t only do part of what He has called you to do. And that is where I recently found myself.

It is also where the enemy attack increased. But don’t be afraid of what the enemy throws at you. Although he can try to make it look like you won’t come through, the truth is you and I have already won! The battle was fought and won for us when Jesus went to the cross, died, was buried, and then rose from the dead!!! Hello!

I am encouraged by all of this in that when we make the effort to be obedient, God meets us with the beginning of that first step and we are safe, protected, and not alone! Yes, we will have to walk through trials. But keep in mind we walk through. We will come out on the other side better than when we went in, and with that we are now equipped to minister to and help someone else.

If you’ve stayed with me this far, thank you. I appreciate all my readers. Let me apologize for being lax in my commitment to helping others (that’s you) find their way on the Path. However, together we will continue the journey and lovingly remind each other that we are merely human and prone to detours on the path. I’m grateful for a Heavenly Father who knows this and loves us anyway. And I’m grateful for you!

Blessings, my dear beloved!

*These quotes were taken from the Smith Wigglesworth Devotional ©1999 by Whitaker House