I have been looking at the vision I have in my life and what has been spoken over me lately, and as I was looking up verses to memorize and hold onto in order for me to hold fast to the vision, I came across this:
A few things came to my mind as I read these verses:
One, I’ve been reading quite frequently about living with a Kingdom Mindset over the last few years, so this is a good reminder of where I need to keep my eyes focused on. If I focus on the immediate, I lose sight of the vision and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. Yesterday, for instance, I was absolutely overtaken by hunger and not happy about it when I could have been taking advantage of an opportunity to make new friendships instead of having a pity party. I must die to myself, and the change starts from within.
Two, “we are receiving a Kingdom that cannot be shaken.” Wow. I don’t know if people really get this; there are so many times I forget what I have in the moment. I am quick to doubt or move to fix a problem by my own strength. Many times I am quick to pray, but the Lord has been showing me that while I have the faith to pray and declare, I still hold onto the fear attached to the problem. I have a mixture of trust and fear stirring inside me instead of an understanding that the Kingdom cannot be shaken and the Kingdom is in me. Another verse came to my mind that has similar phrasing:
Psalm 16:8: I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Oh, to have the faith of David in times like these. Living in the Spirit, in the Kingdom, as my eyes are turned to Jesus, I will not be shaken.
Three, let us be thankful. Being thankful is something that comes easier for me now. I used to have this nasty sense of entitlement attached to me, that sometimes tries to sneak it’s claws back into my spirit even now, but the Lord has most definitely given me a new heart. Still, there are times when I take the Lord’s faithfulness for granted and do not give Him the thanks He deserves.
Four, worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. I have thought a bit of what that would look like. There have been many times when this is exactly how I have felt during a worship service, a quiet time, a car ride, etc…full of awe for an amazing God we have, but as I was thinking of an image that best captures that sense of awe that we are to have during worship, Westminster Abbey came to mind. The two times I walked into the Abbey, my jaw literally dropped in amazement while I attempted to take everything in. The vaulted ceiling, the stonework, the organ, the statues, the tombs, the history, the gold, the artwork, the cloisters. It was as if I was entering the throne room of the Lord, not the ruler of Great Britain. Yet, even in this, I know it was a barely a ray of light compared to entering into the glory of His presence.
Five, “our God is a consuming fire,” which is referencing Deuteronomy 4:24. In Deuteronomy, the context is this: “Be careful not to forget the covenant of the Lord your God that He made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the Lord your God has forbidden. For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.”
Do I hold anything more dearly than Him? When I worship, am I still distracted by all that is going on around me or pleasing the world and that is what has kept me from the worshiping with the respect He deserves? There are times when this is definitely the case though I have no excuse of ignorance, and I am so grateful for a God who is full of grace and continues to train me. The good thing is, faith doesn’t need to be a pendulum swing of highs and lows. We only need to recognize that regardless of feelings and what the world is saying around us, the Spirit is what it is.
Katournica 