Permission of Empowerment

I have been under construction lately. Well, I'm always under construction, but I have been under major construction lately. Can I just plead with you for a little bit? Can I just tell you from experience that if you sincerely ask God to reveal himself to you, He will! It might not be within 5 minutes of your prayer. It might not be in the way that you expected. In fact, it probably won't be in the way you expected. But by rejoicing at His feet and seeking earnestly the will of God, you will be blessed and He will far exceed your expectations.

A couple weeks ago I started a new journey in my walk. God has been pouring His heart out and revealing His will to me in ways that I feel completely incompetent to handle. He has changed my whole view of life. Everything I once knew is changed...or more enlightened. I'm still catching up from this flood of knowledge and wisdom but I wouldn't have it any other way. An example of a change of thought process was induced by this quote I read the other day:

"The ultimate vengeance on the enemy is that whatever he tries against us only succeeds in making us bigger, better and stronger. When under attack, we focus on what the Father is giving us permission to become." -Bill Johnson

At first glance, I see this as an encouraging quote about overcoming obstacles and things that the enemy tries to throw at us. So that guy that cut me off in traffic this morning, I will pray for him, which will lead me to pray for others therefore changing my attitude to glorifying God instead of succumbing to frustration. This is true of this quote. But something else spoke to me from this quote. Instead of merely encouraging me in my walk, it empowered me to literally BE the hands and feet and heart of God.

"When under attack, we focus on what the Father is giving us permission to become."

God, the Creator of the universe has more planned for me than I could ever imagine.

I am not bound by financial struggle.
I am not bound by sickness.
I am not bound by fear.
I am not bound by social expectations.
I am not bound by age restrictions.
I am not bound by this box that I have put myself in of who I'm supposed to be.

(Please excuse the run-on sentence you are about to experience.) When I am faced with an obstacle, I already have the power in me and now, the permission from THE one and only God to have victory over this obstacle.

By choosing Christ, by accepting His love and grace and redemption in my life, I now have every tool I need to live a life of victory. NOT a life of self-induced victory, but a life of complete abandon of my desires to fulfill God's desires. There is so much more that I am destined to accomplish than to acquire the American Dream.

My job is a platform to be the hands and feet of Christ.
My family is a platform to be the hands and feet of Christ.
The obstacles, fears, sickness, hurt, grief, anger, pain, anxiety and insecurities I face are a platform to be the hands and feet of Christ.

I have not just the permission, but the honor and obligation to be the paint brush to create His masterpiece.

They say "easier said than done". That's why I write. :)