I want you to imagine for a moment that you are walking through a door. Now turn around and shut and lock it. Turn back and look up. This is your life, what's in front of you. The past is forever locked behind the door and there is no going back to unlock it and relive it. It is finished.
*****
I did something this past Sunday at a church we were visiting that I do not normally do. I went down for an altar call. I do not like everyone staring at me and wondering why I'm walking the aisles, so I usually stay quietly put in my seat and wait for it to be over.
But this was no ordinary service.
The preacher immediately walked up to the stage and started crying. I could tell this service was going to be emotion-filled, and curiously wondered what he was going to say next.
The preacher went on to say he had an entirely different sermon planned. But God woke him at 5 am and told him to scratch it and speak on shutting the door to our pasts so that we can fully live in our anointing and be who we are called to be in Christ.
He said he knew there were people there today that needed to know they have been set free from their sins, their past, their mistakes, their losses. There were people there that needed to know it was ok to be unstuck and move forward.
God had a message for us on living differently despite what our friends and family may say or think. And He wants us to be free.
The pastor called those that were ready to stop living life their way, those that wanted to confess, those that wanted to recommit, those that heavy burdens and needed a clear discernment from the Lord to come down and he was going to pray for each one.
I'm not sure what got into me. But I knew I had to go down, I needed the words he was going to pray to be for me too.
I scooted myself down the aisle at the horror of each of my family members, questioning eyes staring at me and whispering as I passed, "Where are you going?"and I quietly told them to MOVE.
(In my house I am the spiritual leader and sometimes I really question myself and worry about whether I am doing enough or doing it right. Being the leader is scary because if I fail to train them up in the way they should go, I'm going to take the blame one day when I stand face to face with God.)
Not only did I need to go down for my own reasons, but I felt strongly that they needed to see me go down.
I'm not sure why. But does the why really matter when God tells us to do something?
Brave is hard, but living safe, well, that's just not living.(<===Click To Tweet)
Sometimes we really do get too caught up in what others will think if we are Jesus freaks but have no trouble acting like a fool at a football game.
"Sinners cannot quench the Holy Spirit, but believers can." Mike Wright, Pastor of Gateway Community Church
This past Sunday morning, God showed me that every day we choose to leave the door open to sin we quench the spirit. Each time we decide we are not enough or strong enough to face our losses and walk in the freedom of Christ that we have been given, we quench the spirit.
The anointing will break the yoke of oppression, depression, and mourning. Jesus and Jesus alone will set the captives free.
Luke 4: 18, "The Spirit of the Lord is on Me,because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor.He has sent Me
to proclaim freedom to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind,to set free the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor."
Don't quench the spirit. Don't live in a spirit of poverty. We have anointing in us to do more than we could ever hope or imagine. The world says we can't, but no, we can!
We don't have to let our pasts and mistakes, hold us back anymore. We are forgiven and washed clean and made completely new and whole in Christ. Dear friend, let us stopping holding onto what could have been or should have been.
We are right where God wants us to be and He will use it all for His good. We're never too far gone.
God knew I needed to be set free from my insecurities as a leader, from sin that keeps me stuck, and to be reminded that He has set me free to live boldly.
Are you ready? Me too.
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