FLEXIBILITY IS KING?

One of our Life Coaching assumptions is that flexibility is king. The individual with the most behavioral flexibility will control any situation.
Just pause for a moment and reflect on how it will feel, look or sound if you can always have everything under control. Your response will no doubt be dependent on your personality type, but all personalities experience an exhilarating victory when they get an overwhelming situation under control. Your ability to do this in the shortest time possible will greatly depend on the degree of your behavioral flexibility.

It’s important to not confuse being flexible with being unstable which results from doubts. The bible clearly warns that he that is doubtful is unstable and should not expect to receive wisdom from God (James 1:5-8). No situation can be brought under control without wisdom. Not only is there is a time and a season for every activity under the sun (Ecclesiastes 3:1) there is also a proper procedure for every matter (Eccl 8:6)

Flexibility starts by yielding our lives to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and applying the principles of the combination of Ecclesiaistes 3:1-8 and 8:1-6 in every situation we’re confronted with irrespective of how we are feeling at that point in time.

Who is like the wise man? Who knows the explanation of things? Wisdom brightens a man's face and changes its hard appearance. Obey the king's command, I say, because you took an oath before God. Do not be in a hurry to leave the king's presence. Do not stand up for a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases. Since a king's word is supreme, who can say to him, "What are you doing?" Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm, and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure. For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, though a man's misery weighs heavily upon him (Eccl 8:1-6 NIV)

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace (Eccl 3:1-8 NIV)

The word of God likens our submission to God to that of clay in the potter’s hand (Jer 18:6). To the best of my knowledge, the more ‘flexible’ clay is in the hands of a potter, the more ready it is to be transformed into a vessel of beauty to be admired by all. In our work with God, flexibility is a key ingredient of success. God will not always give us details of His plan; we must be flexible enough to keep obeying His last instruction to us knowing He will supply the next piece of information when we need it. Let’s review Elijah’s encounter with God in 1Kings 17:2-11.

Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah: "Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there." So he did what the LORD had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there.The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. Then the word of the LORD came to him: "Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food." So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, "Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?" As she was going to get it, he called, "And bring me, please, a piece of bread."(1 Kings 17:2-11 NIV)

We see God telling Elijah where to go and what he will be fed with. He did not tell him how long he’s going to be there or that the brook will eventually dry up requiring Elijah to move once again. I also noticed that the birds brought meat and bread but there was no mention of salt and pepper to give the food a good flavor. We don’t even know what kind of meat they brought to Elijah. My point is, the widow of Zarephath and her family was saved from the famine because Elijah was flexible enough to be content with whatever God provided for him. His flexibility saved both his life and that of the entire widow’s family.

Paul applied this same flexibility principle to his life and walk with God. He shared it when he said he has learnt to be content in whatever situation he finds himself. Whether in abundance or in lack (Phillip.4:10-13). The secret to these two heroes’ flexibility and contentment is their trust in God’s ultimate plan for their lives. There is no saying how high God can lift a person who trusts Him enough to be flexible in His hands.

Are you believing God for something? Have you made your request known to him? Then let yourself loose in His hands. He is able to keep that which has been committed to His hands (2 Tim.1:12). Gear yourself up for the adventure to possessing your desires, He will do more than you think or imagine but there is no guarantee that it will come the way YOU had it all planned out. God is an adventurous God and He is the only one I know, who always ‘uses one stone to kill multiple birds’. God will give you your miracle, but there are several other people in line whose miracles are tied to yours. Stay flexible in His hands, trust me everything will come together and it will all make sense someday. If not on this side of life, it will on the other side.


STAY FLEXIBLE IN THE HANDS OF GOD. LET THAT FLEXIBILITY REFLECT IN YOUR DAILY LIFE. THERE IS A TIME TO BE UNYIELDING AND A TIME TO YEILD. LET GO AND LET GOD!

With Warmth

Angela.

REDEEMING THE LAND

I started this teaching with Missions with Africa (MwA) recently, and I feel led to share it with everyone that reads my blog because the principles herein can be applied to our individual and family lives. This is the first part of the teaching; I will hopefully post the rest of it as I proceed with the teaching. I believe this is also very important as we celebrate the independence of the USA, recalling the righteous foundation that was laid by our founding fathers, which our generation has unfortunately lost so much ground to the enemy. We have a mandate to ‘occupy till’ our Lord returns (Luke 19:13 KJV) not to ‘loose ground’. I believe our generation should arise and declare that this land will not be taken over, certainly not on our watch.

Why we do it

Jesus paid the price for our redemption and reconciliation of all things to God (Col 1:18-23)

The price has been paid. The law for our liberty has been passed, (John 19:30) but it has to be enforced (Mk 15:16).

Believers are God’s law enforcement agents (Matt 16:19, Jer 1:8). To us has been committed the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinth 5:18-21)

What is reconciliation? To return to God. First step to reconciliation is repentance. What is the evidence of this reconciliation? They that live no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again (2Corinth 5:14-15)

As Christ ambassadors we are God’s watchmen in whatever town, city or nation He places us. Watchmen are guards. They watch out for the interest of the king who authorize them and the safety of the people who live within the walls of their city or families (1Sam14:16). God’s watchmen are intercessors who stand before God on behalf of the City or family He set them over (Isaiah 62:6-8, 2Chro 23:18).

It is God’s work, if we refuse to do it, or become lax in doing it, we expose ourselves to laboring under a curse (Jer 48:10, Judges 5:23)

Jesus is coming back soon and expects to meet all the watchmen at their duty post (Matt 24:45-51)

HOW WE DO IT

The first step is to do a ‘SPIRITUAL MAPPING’ of our lives, deal with the issues that arises, then proceed to do a ‘spiritual mapping’ of the town or city we’ve been placed.

What do we mean by spiritual mapping?

It is the process of uncovering strongholds of the enemy, idolatrous covenants and altars, any ‘crack in the wall’ through which the enemy may gain entrance – to deceive or overpower. It is assessing were we’ve come from, were we are currently and where we want to go. Identify the gap, uncover and gather available resources, then map out our route and get started!

Why we do ‘Spiritual Mapping.’

We do not want to be blind watchmen (Isaiah 56:9-11)

Ignorance will cost us more than we are willing or able to pay (Hosea 4:6)

We are not to be ignorant of Satan’s devices, snares, strategies, intentions, scheming, designs (2Corinth 2:11)

We are not to give the devil a foothold in our lives (Eph 4:27)

Why we map our lives first before mapping the city

We want to know if there is anything in us that need uprooting, so that when Satan or his cohorts roar at us, they will find nothing in us to devour ( Jn 14:30)

If we take out the ‘log’ in our eyes, we can clearly see the ‘speck’ in our brothers’ eyes (Matt 7:3-5)

God told Gideon to go first destroy the altars in his father’s house before going out against the Midianites (Judges 6:25-27)

We do not want to labor under the curse of the law.

How do we redeem the land?

Based on the findings from our spiritual mapping, we confess our sins and that of our ancestors (Leviticus 26:40-42)

Ask the Lord to uproot the source of these sins (Matt 15:13)

Destroy all Idolatrous altars (physically and spiritually) (Ex 34:13-14, Deut 7:5, (Prv 18:21)

Repair the broken hedges (Jer 1:10)

War with God’s prophecies (His spoken and written word)

Pray that the Lord will frustrate the devices of the enemy (Job 5:12-13)

Raise new altars unto the Lord

Be silent no more
Pursue holiness.


With Love
Angela

FREEDOM AWAITS YOU IN THE LIGHT!

A great hindrance to living the victorious Christian life or attaining to the fullness of one’s potential is the fear of past failures or present weaknesses.

One of the characteristics of true believers is that they love righteousness and hate wickedness. In return for this attitude, God anoints them with the oil of joy. Unfortunately not very many are able to keep their joy.

You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy (Psalms 45:7 NIV)

The above bible passage was also quoted in reference to Jesus Christ as the Son of God (Heb 1:8-9). Jesus in turn declared that anointing us with the oil of joy is part of His assignment when in Luke 4:17 -21, He quoted what Isaiah had written concerning His ministry.

The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me; because Jehovah hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the year of Jehovah's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah, that he may be glorified. (Isaiah 61:1-3 ASV)

Since these are truths of God’s word, why do we allow the enemy to rob us of our joy by intimidating us with our past failures or present weaknesses? God has always known Satan’s agenda and warned us that anywhere Satan or his cohorts operate, their threefold agenda is to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10). God word teaches us to not be ignorant of Satan’s intentions, strategy, devices or snares (2 Corinthians 2:11).

One of Satan’s strategies of robbing us or our joy and keeping us from enjoying all that God has blessed us with is get us to live so much in the past or the future that we hardly take the time to enjoy today. The presence of stress is a symptom of a person depleted in enjoyment. Overpowering fear of our past failures or present weaknesses is an indication of one being robbed of joy.

HOW TO GET OUT OF THIS SNARE

The bible describes Satan as the prince of this world (John 16:11). But…HEY…he’s been judged! Praise God! His sentenced was pronounced on the cross when Jesus cried out ‘it is finished’ (Jn19:30). Satan is a sentenced criminal waiting to start serving his time in the lake of fire (Rev 20:10). Meanwhile he is still roaming the earth seeking every opportunity to cause more havoc (1 Peter 5:8). We don’t have to be his victims.

Satan is the prince of darkness, he knows the word of God, he is aware of God’s command to touch not His anointed and do His prophets no harm (1 Chronicles 16:22). He heard Jesus’ prayer to the Father to protect us from the evil one (John 17:15) and He knows God answered that prayer. The question is do you know all these? Satan can only rob you to the degree that you are ignorant of your covenant rights. Anyone who covers up his sin rather than confess them, operates in the ‘dark’ and is under Satan’s jurisdiction consequently, he can manipulate, intimidate or dominate such a person (Proverbs 28:13). If we stay in the light, he can’t dominate us because light is God’s domain (1John 1:5).

As long as you are doing all you can to keep your past failures or present weakness in the dark, Satan will continue to intimidate you.

And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. (Eph 5:11 NKJV)

There is power in bringing things to the light. Stop allowing your weakness or past failures define you. You have a right to stay silent, but there is a time to be silent and a time to speak (Eccl.3:7). Until you are free, you cannot walk in the fullness of your potential. The devil is a liar! Quit entertaining those lies about your past failures or current weakness being beyond pardon or modification. There is nothing new under the sun (Eccl 1:9), countless people have been in your shoes and are today victorious. God does work everything together for the good of all who love Him (Romans 8:28). God’s decree says you are more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37) and His opinion of you is what really counts. You have everything to gain by believing what God says about you. Quit hiding behind a mask, come out OF THE DARK, FREEDOM AWAITS YOU IN THE LIGHT!

To your victory!

With Love,
Angela