by Belinda Jabore
I see and hear the Lord bringing my attention to, and even the Holy Spirit alerting me to, the amount of ‘stuff’ we have in our lives. We just have so much ‘stuff’ that we are consumed with and by it - I hear the Lord saying “Work out your stuff”, by presenting ourselves consistently before Him.
There has never before been such a thrust to simplify things in our life, making things less complicated, getting Godly order into our lives. The Lord is requiring us to get our selves into His order and I’m sensing such a push in the spirit for us, as His loved ones, to comply with this to the best of our ability. If we are willing it will impact all areas of our life.
Physical- Our fitness level. Are we keeping fit (exercise) and what are we putting into our body’s (diet) to give us a greater stamina? Not how the world sees it, but the way the Spirit of the Lord sees it. It’s not about getting caught up in losing weight, but eating what’s right for our bodies. Further, it’s about not over indulging in eating bad things that aren’t beneficial, and more toward eating good foods that will benefit us. It’s not about the quantity but the quality. Even Daniel proved eating the right things made him more aware and alert physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally (Daniel 1:8-17). This way we are strengthening our bodies so we are less susceptible to sickness, pain or disease while gaining more energy. Are we getting the maintenance we need on our physical body, getting the check ups we need first- not waiting till we just break down? Are we exercising 30min a day? Are we resting our bodies in the presence of God?
Financial- Are our finances in Godly order? Are we giving exactly what God has required of us and being diligent in this? Maybe we even need to go without for the sake of being true to our word and vows before God. Have we got medical cover? Are we paying all our tax and ‘on time’? Do we owe money? Are we paying it off? Are our dogs registered? Have we registered our car? Have we put the sticker on? It goes on and on. We must have Godly order in these things, and the time is now to get them to the state God wants them to be.
Mental- What are we feeding our minds on and allowing to cramp our minds. How is our home, is it in order or chaos? Are we mentally meditating (thinking, pondering) what the Lord truly wants us to achieve in His call in us. Are we writing lists as to what’s important for us to achieve in God and looking at it on a weekly basis to see what we have accomplished to get closer to the plans He has for us. Otherwise, we just get distracted and lost. Are we resting our minds in Him. Are we renewing our minds with the word of God and believing it? Maybe we need to go to a mountain top and gaze on His creation for a while, just to let our minds draw on His magnificence and sheer beauty and just to be with Him. To take a walk with Him, or go fishing with Him. Maybe we need to climb the mountain to be with Him, maybe we just need to scream from the mountain.
Spiritual- Are we increasing and allowing the Holy Spirit to teach and direct us in new and challenging areas in our spirit lifeA Are we learning as much as we can ‘sitting at His feet’, deepening in greater intimacy and understanding of what He is requiring us to do? Are we operating in the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit to the best of our ability and developing in them? Are we doing the last thing the Lord required us to do – and completing it where necessary? Are we developing our gifts He gave us or are we burying them and leaving them idle? Are we motivating ourselves to do them and making plans to accomplish them, which will in time bring fruitfulness and multiplication? Are we seeking restorative healing to all areas of our life as the Lord leads? Will we allow Him to remove all sin (especially besetting, habitual) and any hindrances that would nullify our relationship with the Lord - as He will not hear us if we continue in these practices that separate us from Him?
Emotional - Are we prepared to really look at our emotional state? Are we shoring up areas of the emotions that need healing so as to be free of past hang-ups? Do we really know who we are, our true person, the one that God Himself created us to be? I feel that a lot of us wouldn’t know our true selves even if we fell over our selves. I have been enquiring of the Lord and asking Him - Who am I really Lord? What really makes me tick? What do I really think – of me? The world and the cares of this world have so distorted our true identity in God. We must be on a quest to find our identity in God – ‘My identity equals God’s opinion of me’ – an opinion God chooses to express constantly throughout scripture.
The truth is most of us are not functioning to our full capacity in the fullness of God. We don’t really impact this world as much as we would like. What’s stopping us? Surely, we must purpose to work these things out. We as a people have so much disorder and many distractions in our lives. I put my hand up first and foremost to this, but I am determined to do what the Father is requiring of me.
It’s up to us to seek out the Lord’s plan and purpose for our lives. Who we truly are in Him - to work it out with fear and trembling as commanded in Philippians 2: 12 -16.
If we won’t do it, who will?
The Lord?
He doesn’t have to - as His commands clearly state what - We have to do!
What part of this don’t we understand?
I hear the clear word of the Lord saying:
"
Therefore my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING; for it is God who works in you both to WILL and to DO FOR HIS GOOD PLEASURE. Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or laboured in vain." (NKJ –
Philippians 2: 12 -16)
(Amplified
Philippians 1:12-13) - "
Therefore, my dear ones, as you have always obeyed (my suggestions), so now, not only (with the enthusiasm you would show) in my presence but much more because I am absent, WORK OUT (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) YOUR OWN SALVATION WITH REVERENCE AND AWE AND TREMBLING (self distrust, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ). (Not in your own strength) for it is God who is all the while effectually at work in you (Energising and creating in you the power and desire), both to WILL and WORK FOR HIS GOOD PLEASURE AND SATISFACTION AND DELIGHT."
I believe these words are very serious indeed and we should, if we are wise, guard against distractions concerning God’s commands. We must work it out for the Lord’s good pleasure, satisfaction and delight.
Please for the sake of the kingdom within us - let’s work out our ‘stuff’.
We as Gods people must have a purpose to work it out.
Here are 5 things from John Maxwell’s leadership Bible that has helped me.
1. A purpose will motivate you.
2. A purpose will keep your priorities straight.
3. A purpose will develop your potential.
4. A purpose will give you the power to live in the present.
5. A purpose will help you evaluate your progress.
At the beginning of August our fearless leader and her fearless husband had just got back from a gruelling schedule in Africa, and the things they had to endure and battle was quite amazing in God. One of the things that struck me the most was that they hardly have any thing there and are under violent and extreme difficulties and poverty throughout their country, and even though these people have extreme difficulties and hardship, those that had ears to hear were so hungry for God.
We have so many choices and opportunity here and yet a lot of us are so full, full of the delicacies and fine dining of God and life’s luxury’s, yet we still continue not to do what God is requiring us to do (I am speaking to myself first and foremost). Some of us are doing nothing to further the kingdom of heaven, but just extending our own desires and agendas. We tend to keep feeding on the delicacies taking all the time - not truly laying our lives down and dying to ourselves not working out our salvation with the fear of the Lord and trembling, and we make excuses and do other things that are more appealing to us and resist Godly order and authority, when it’s as clear as the nose on our face. We must work it out for the Lord’s good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.
I know that God wants us to take a good look at ourselves and then make the appropriate changes in our lives, being accountable with the five fold ministers that the Lord has placed you with. Working together with reverence awe and trembling, not taking the Lords name in vain, but applying ourselves to the max to fully complete the goal that the Lord is developing in us.
Now if you don’t know what you are meant to be doing and developing in for the Lord, then just hang around and serve wherever you can in a five fold ministry… and just by being diligent and faithful in God by showing up, presenting yourself, getting healing for the different areas of our life that we need, eventually God will make it clear to you what you need to keep on developing and being faithful in. and you will become the person God has called you to be.
I have strong apostolic and prophetic five fold ministers around me to guide and direct me in the things of God. They are my weapons and I wouldn’t want it any other way. I think it a privilege and honour to have that in place today. I thank God that He has put His Godly order around me, as it would be just a matter of time before the enemy would have his way with me. I saw a great saying the other day, it said –“The victory is knowing your enemy”. I thought yea, that is so true.
And of coarse more importantly is knowing the Lord with His Holy Spirit is guiding us and helping us through it all, as His ways are not our ways.
I have found I can do nothing in my own strength, but when I ask the Holy Spirit to direct me and guide me to seek and do righteous ,and ask for the anointing to do so, I am then able to do all things in Christ who strengthens me.
Please for the sake of Christ and His kingdom within us, let’s sort out our stuff and work it out.