I was speaking with a woman at church recently, and she was telling me about the word she received from the Lord for 2008, and how the last few months had seemed to be the enemy's fight against what the Lord had brought so far this year. She went on to say that, just that morning, she'd received her word for 2009.
In reflecting on this conversation later, I thought about how I'd never really had "a word" for a specific year... I didn't let this concern me; I just realized it and moved on in my thoughts.
Well, what do you know? The Lord is funny about these things, isn't He? Last night, part way through a movie, I had what felt very much like the enemy trying to plant poisonous thoughts in me. I knew I needed to take captive those thoughts and turn to the Word for truth in order to do so. The Lord led me to a specific passage; the end of the passage, I feel, was given to me as....you got it, my word for 2009. :)
This will likely be a familiar passage to many of you, however, most of us know the beginning better than the end:
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile"' Jeremiah 29:11-14 (NIV).
This verse encouraged my heart in the moment; I was reminded that all the captors that can exist in my life - all tools of the dark one, are no match for the Lord my God. For He who is within me is more powerful than him who is in the world (1 John 4:4). Praise God!
Then, this morning, I woke up with a passage on my heart. Now this is not a very common occurrence for me; in fact, I'm not sure it's ever happened before... nonetheless, I woke up and went straight to Acts 23. It's about Paul's transfer between prisons, as he's being plotted against by the Jews. I asked the Lord for insight; what am I supposed to take from this?
His answer came quickly and plainly: I can be captive to one thing, or another. I can be bound in one prison cell, and break free, but I will simply be transferred to another if I do not take care. I can live cell-to-cell, but (praise God!), I don't have to. It is Him who sets me free. It is in His word that I find truth. It is that truth that, as the Bible tells us, will set us free.
Lord, I ask for a fresh washing in truth today. Sometimes it is so hard to separate out the truth from the chaff. I know that it is for freedom that Your Son has set me free; help me to know what it means, and how it looks to "stand firm" so that I am not again taken captive! Lord, I heard Your word for me. You have come for me; I am being carried from the place in which I have been in exile. Help me to plant this word deep in my heart, Lord. Send away any and all doubt and disbelief that may creep in around this word. Help me plant it deeply in my heart, and to nurture it and allow it to grow! I love You, Lord. Thank You! Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment