May 31, 2009
|
subscribe, view past issues and Get Releasing Kings
You're a Character Ask For Whatever - The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and gave him this invitation: "Ask for whatever you want me to give you." That question is being asked around the world right now. The Holy Spirit is urging us to ask for the desires of our hearts as a means of building the Kingdom. Jesus gave exactly the same invitation multiple times. Our ability to ask for the desires of our hearts and receive answers is the beginning of our spiritual "life and life more abundantly."
Why not ask? - Some Christians have learned to ask but most wouldn't dare ask for their heart's desires with any expectation of an answer from God. We have all made mistakes that we assume disqualifies us from such favor. We not only have the condemnation of our past but we continue to make mistakes (if we try to do anything). In fact, the more Kings are committed to building the Kingdom and pursuing their heart's desire and the purposes of God, the more mistakes we make. Back to Solomon for a moment. Take a look at the verse preceding his dream:
Solomon loved God and demonstrated his love my walking in His Ways... "except." That's a big word that indicates God was overlooking a few things in Solomon's character. Let's go a step farther. I want to suggest that most of God's hero's were "characters." Abraham, the father of the faith, tried to pass off his wife as a sister. David, a man after God's own heart, committed adultery and covered it up with murder. Peter denied the Lord 3 times before he fulfilled his destiny. Here is the reality of our lives. We often behave more like a flock of chickens than a pride of lions. I simply want to suggest that God already knows what we're made of and He sees our goof-ups. Yet, His mercies are new every day.
Our Job - What's God priority? Well, since most of His kids are imperfect characters it appears He is happiest when we simply love Him and are comfortable asking for our heart's desires. God loves people that won't let condemnation dampen their love or their ability to believe. We just accept His forgiveness and realize His mercies are new every morning for a reason. Focus - Let me share an example from my own life. When I first started sharing in a church setting, I was very self-conscious, said some dumb things that I wished I could take back, and was generally intimidated by the whole process. That's when the Lord showed me it wasn't really about "me." He so loves his people He uses any willing vessel to bless them. So I simply shifted my focus from self to the people God was ministering to. That was the end of nearly all my mistakes. Even if I did make one, I just fixed it and went right on because now I knew that ministry wasn't about me; it was about a communion between the Holy Spirit and the people He desires to touch. In the very same way, we all have to get over our fear of failures and take our best swing. Will there be some mistakes? Of course! So what? Your alternative is to sit back and watch someone else run with your destiny. Someone will say, "Yes Lord," and move a mountain. Why not you and I? Get over yourself - You have a checkered past and a questionable future. Get over it. Love God and start the adventure by asking for your heart's desires. God has a low tolerance for introverted, self-righteous Pharisees. Yet God seems to love Peter's, David's, Jacob's... and you - if you step into your destiny and answer His question:
Kings realize this simple premise. We have to ask big to match the majesty of God's love and the magnitude of His purposes. It's not about us, but God has invited you and me to to be his friend and share in a great adventure to bless the nations and love people. Dream big, ask freely, work smart, and expect your cup to run over for the sake of others.
|