CHOSEN ONE

E’YEN A. GARDNER

CHOSEN ONE Kindle Edition

Copyright © 2010 by E’yen A. Gardner

All Scripture bible references are from the King James Version of the Holy Bible.

All rights reserved.  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the author.

Contents

Chapter 1

Chosen

Chapter 2

The Calling

Chapter 3

Lean Not

Chapter 4

Be Strong

Chapter 5

Considered

Chapter 6

Purpose

Chapter 7

Behind Enemy Lines

Chapter 8

Fight for Control

Chapter 9

God’s Move

Chapter 10

Impact

THE GARMENT

As we stand, staring at the door of our closet, we open it and it seems as if we’re seeing everything for the first time. Our eyes are drawn to a garment. This garment is filled with dreams, and permeates love and compassion.  Could this garment be made for us?  Could this garment fit us perfectly?  No longer bound in our closet, the garment appears to have been tailor-made just for us, and draws our attention even more.

As we hold it, we yearn to be clean and fresh just like it. Our lives have been filled with many mistakes and failures, wearing garments that were not made for us. We have only imitated what we have seen, and as a result, we have remained void of any understanding of who we are.

Though we know we aren’t worthy to wear the garment, we just can’t seem to put it down.  We want to wear it.  We’re tired of living without authenticity. As we place the garment on, its touch purifies our wounds and cleanses our mistakes. What was once hidden in darkness, now, we wear!

Chosen

“For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14)

As a writer, I spend a lot of time alone.  I can remember, since the time that I was a young boy, that I have always found contentment in being by myself.  I would go to our backyard to play games and enjoy the freedom of exploring my creativity.

In my mind, I had hit the game winning home run in the World Series, scored a record-breaking seven touchdowns in the Super Bowl, and traveled through the wild jungle to look for lost treasure.  Many of you may think that I was weird for enjoying where my imagination took me, but I was completely happy.

As I grew older, I began to see that the person I portrayed myself to be in public, was completely opposite to who I was when I was alone.  I really didn’t like the “social” me, but because I was so different from everyone else, I felt I needed to blend in.  I literally hid, even from myself, to fit the mold that would please everyone else, and ended up becoming enslaved to the “new” me.  I was completely confused about who I was.

Have you ever done anything that didn’t reflect who you really were?  I struggled in knowing who I was, and what my purpose was, and I got tired of falling into “pits” that I could not get myself out of.  So, I turned to God, and my journey has led me back to the person that He created me to be; a person who is content in his own skin.  The child that had once imagined greatness has been awakened and freed to explore the depths of life!  Not to impress or receive the acceptance of others, but to find the “treasure” of God that is hidden inside of me.  Life now, is limitless and unrestrictive according to the faith that works in me.

Walking in our calling will not only reveal the truth of God and His grace, but it will present the truth about us.  What is the truth about you?

›          Are you scarred from the pain of losing loved ones?

›          Have you been abused?

›          Are you in deep financial debt?

›          Maybe you are bitter from the wounds inflicted by friends or family members.

›          Are you boasters and have exalted yourself as better than others?

›          Are you the “black sheep” of the family that no one understands?

›          Are you jobless and hopeless?

›          Are you fearful, weak, depressed, or stressed?

›          Are you lonely, confused, self-conscious, proud, passive, emotional, overweight, skinny, short or cruel?

›          What is the truth?

We all have a long list of “issues” from our past.  Some lists may be longer than others, but without a list, we would be of no use in our future.  Understanding our past is the gateway to living the life of a Chosen One. (Proverbs 9:6)  When we confront and deal with our past, it will no longer have power over us, for God takes dominion over it.  When you are chosen, God will transform you into what He wants you to be.

“Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a might man of valour, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah.  And Gilead’s wife bare him sons; and his wife’s sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father’s house; for thou art the son of a strange woman.” (Judges 11:1-2)

The truth about Jephthah was that he was the son of a harlot.  No matter how great and mighty of a man he was, Jephthah could not escape his past.  Imagine the scorn and rejection he had to endure while growing up, just because of who his mother was.  Nevertheless, in spite of his “condition,” God still conditioned him.  God set him apart from his brothers because of His plans to use Jephthah in a spectacular way.  Jephthah became the vessel God used, in spite of his past, to deliver his brothers and the people of Israel from the hand of their enemies.

I had a long list of sins, mistakes, and tragic events that occurred in my life.  So, when I received Christ as my Lord and Savior, He came into my life and I was relieved to leave my sins and my past at the altar.  For years I was content knowing that God’s grace saved me from the darkness that had once consumed me.  I felt, since I was “born again,” there was no need to confront my past because all of it was supposed to be “forgotten.”  However, I was ignorant to the fact that God purposely orchestrated each of the events in my life, from the time that I was in my mother’s womb, to mold me. (Isaiah 49:1)

My mother passed away when I was twelve years old.  For years I allowed this experience to corrupt my heart, and I became a “loose cannon” who was easily provoked to fight others.  When she died, I never cried because I felt that I needed to be “strong” for my family, even though I was the youngest of her children.  I had no clue about who I was, so I began to allow the world to define me.  I did not understand my purpose on this earth, and so I could not understand why someone, whom I loved so dearly, had passed away.  I did not understand why God would allow a disease to run rampant in someone that was so dear to me; someone I needed, and who played such a vital role in my life.

My confusion and insecurity made me afraid to confront my questions, so I dismissed the events in my life as God’s sovereignty.  Little did I realize that God does everything with purpose attached to it.  “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1) God used my past to condition me for my future.  Our past does not define us, but rather conditions us for who we are to become.

What this world believes will wound and destroy us, are the very things God uses to makes us stronger.  Contrary to how others think, the outward expression of who we are can never determine who we are on the inside.  For instance, the world classifies who we are, by looking at our nationality, race, gender, age, educational background, economic state, who our parents are, what talents we have, the neighborhood in which we live, and even the political party we support, to try and determine who we are.  However, God looks at our heart, and sees greatness.

“But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” (I Samuel 16:7)

The world can try to define us, but we don’t have to live according to their definitions.  So, in my natural state, I am motherless, I am unqualified to be a writer, I am fearful and emotional, I am left handed (if you are left handed you understand), I am unwanted and I am misunderstood.  However, in God’s eyes, I am healed from my scars (Isaiah 53:5), I am destined to write His words (Jeremiah 1:5), I am perfect through Jesus Christ (Hebrews 13:21), I am fearless and stable (II Timothy 1:7), I am a warrior (II Corinthians 10:4), I am good looking (Romans 10:15), I am beloved (Psalms 139:14-18), and most importantly, I am chosen (Ephesians 1:4-6).

Though the world labels us as “outcasts” and purposeless, God has found purpose in us through His Son Jesus Christ.  Every tragic event that has happened in our lives has been nailed to the cross with Him.  We no longer have to “handle” our past, for it has already been redeemed through the abundant grace of God that has been shown to us by sending His Son.  “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (I John 4:10)  As the chosen ones, God has already provided a path for us to walk. When we understand that our external attributes are only there to enable the internal attributes to be seen, we will be liberated to accept God and His plan for our lives.

Take a moment to imagine the life of a child:

›          Conceived before marriage,

›          Parents came from a poor background,

›          Were not born in a hospital because their parents did not have health insurance,

›          Given a very common name,

›          Wasn’t blessed with good looks,

›          Wasn’t educated in the finest facilities.

(This is how the world labeled Jesus Christ)

Why would a king be subjected to the lifestyle of a servant?  Why would He reject His rightful riches and live in poverty?  (Philippians 2:5-8) Jesus Christ, our perfect example, reverenced the plan of God higher than the temporary riches of this world.  Yes, He could have ascended to the throne for He is God in the flesh, but Jesus chose to become bound to God’s word of sending a savior.  What humility He showed to even allow anyone to criticize or question His deity!  He could have killed anyone who opposed Him.  Jesus’ purpose, however, was clear in that He was sent to save the world and to bring life.  (John 1:29)

So, what is God calling for His chosen to do?  If Jesus Christ now lives inside of us, has His purpose changed at all?  No, His purpose remains the same; to bring life to a dying generation.  That is why He calls us; to learn of Him, to submit to His will, and to bring others to a life in Him.  Will we concede to what is in us?  A chosen one hears the call of God, and accepts the journey of transformation.

The Considered Applicant

Many of us don’t appreciate our divine calling because we are so busy observing the calling of others.  We foolishly envy others’ success, while ignoring how God is personally working in our own lives.              Like with a job, we see the résumés and experience of other “applicants” and we question, “How can a ‘nobody’ like me, get a job when so many other qualified ‘somebody’s’ want it?”  The very thing that God calls us to do, plenty of others are already in the same “field.”  We have no experience or confidence to lean on; we just have a passion to fill the role.

In the interview, we sweat profusely, we stumble over our words, and we show a lack of confidence as we look unsure of ourselves.  We leave the interview, certain that any consideration for giving us the job has definitely died.  On the other hand, the “qualified” applicant speaks with confidence and boldly declares their past success.  They know that, when given the opportunity, they will be able to handle the job, and they walk away from the interview, certain that they will get the “job.”

Ultimately, God chooses the unqualified, scared, and “wet behind the ears” applicant to fill the position.  Why?  God knows that even though the qualified person seems to be the perfect candidate, they are dependent on themselves to do the “job.”  Meanwhile, the unqualified person is dependent on Him to direct them and train them on how to fulfill the “position.”  It is that exact type of person that God wants to mold, because they are desperate and thirsty for His instruction.  So, He “hires” us; the ones that have a passion to be used, the ones that will do whatever it takes to get the job done.

The Calling

“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,” (II Timothy 1:9)

Our divine calling is always greater than what we see.  Regardless, when God calls us, we are drawn to know more and go after it, because the calling is attractive and means so much to us.  However, rarely are we ready to immediately carry it out, because God wants to prepare us for it.

Although Moses was living in the palace of the Pharaoh, when he saw the living conditions of his brethren, something inside of him made him want to help them.

“And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. 12And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.” (Exodus 2:11-12)

Moses empathized with the enslavement of God’s people, but he allowed his emotions to control him, leading him to try and help them in his own way.  Have you ever done something with good intentions, but actually left things in more of a mess?  Moses’ actions forced him to flee for his life and live in the wilderness for forty years.  Although the wilderness was a drastic change from living in the wealth in Egypt, it was a necessary transition for Moses because God needed to focus and prepare him for the great calling of delivering His people.

The Burning Bush

God wanted to use Moses to deliver His people out of Egypt.  However, after forty years, Moses became comfortable with his life and seemed to forget about the oppression of his brethren.  So, God used the burning bush to get Moses’ attention and refocus him on the calling that was on his life.  If God hadn’t already planted the seed of purpose inside of him, the burning bush experience would’ve had no impact on Moses. (Exodus 2:11)  Moses had a wife, created a family, was raising livestock, and had very much established himself in the wilderness.  However, he was now standing in front of a burning bush that was speaking to the inner man – the great leader and deliverer that God had created him to be.

Like Moses we can be ignorant to the presence of God in our daily lives.  We are working hard at our jobs and handling our responsibilities, but we are ignorant to what really lies inside of us.  There is a “bush” that is burning inside of us, waiting for our response.  It is a “bush” that will make us aware of where we are in life, and where God has called us to be.

When we finally see what God has called us to do, we can look back and realize that our past is the key to unlocking the “door” to our purpose.  We can see that the time Moses spent in the wilderness was not only beneficial, but necessary, because the people of Israel would soon journey through the wilderness as well.

Our natural journey in life is a foreshadowing of our spiritual journey as a deliverer.  So, when we look back over our lives, we can see that the reason why we went through our situations is clearly important.

“And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.” (Isaiah 42:16)

God always has a purpose to what He does and what He allows, but many times, we don’t realize His divine plan until we look at our lives in hindsight.  When we accept who we are and the experiences that we have had, we become “one” with the plan of God.

The Uncomely Call

“Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked. That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” (I Corinthians 12:22-27)

When we fellowship at church it is easy to disregard the great amount of work that goes into carrying out a worship service.  We appreciate the friendly ushers that guide us to our seats.  We love the wondrous sounds of the choir and musicians as they give praise unto the Lord.  We also appreciate the good word from the preacher that blesses and inspires us.  What about the people “behind the scenes?”

›          There are those that pray for the deliverance of others, without announcing it to the “world.”

›          There are those that shovel the snow early in the morning, before anyone else arrives.

›          There are also those that call around and encourage others that have missed a service or are experiencing hard times in their life.

Without the people who are “behind the scenes” fulfilling their calling, there really would be no church to visit.

Who is the most important person in a church body?  Many would say the pastor because they are the most recognized person, but I say the janitor.  The janitor has the least cherished position in the church, but without them fulfilling their role, the church would be too filthy and distracting for anyone to even attend the service, focus on the sermon, or enjoy the voices of the choir.  Everyone wants to be in a clean church, but few want the job of cleaning it.  The janitor, as well as many other “unnoticeable” positions in the church, may never get the appreciation that the pastor or another more glorified position receives.  However, the point is that everyone’s role is vital in the overall success of the vision of the church.

Many aspire to be a preacher, for it is the most glorified position in the church.  It is a person that people respect, listen, and look up to, and is the “face” of the church.  When someone visits a church, they want to see the preacher, not the “dirty” janitor.  However, no matter what our calling is, at some point in time, we will still have to be a “janitor” in our journey and get dirty.  We must learn to humble ourselves and think of others as we do the work that God has called us to do.  Our calling requires transparency, it requires discipline and it requires faith.  A janitor cleans the sanctuary when no one else is around.  They are meticulous in making sure everything is in order and clean.  They place a high standard on the level of cleanliness of the church.

There is a “preacher” in all of us, because we all have a Word in us that will transform the lives of God’s people.  However, there is also a “janitor” in each of us that if allowed to continually cleanse what should not be in us, will allow us to be used so that others can receive what God has for them.  The “janitor” in us will never be seen or praised, but God’s work will be accomplished in the lives of His people when we accept His calling and allow His continual transformation to take place in us.

Strength in weakness

“And Moses said unto the LORD, O my LORD, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.” (Exodus 4:10)

“I am slow of speech.”  While living in the wilderness for forty years, Moses never confronted his weaknesses.  Instead he just did what he did best, and ran from them.  By ignoring and suppressing his weaknesses, it caused Moses to not be able to see the purpose of his flaws.  We must recognize that our calling is intertwined with our weaknesses.  Weakness is different than fear; fear is produced when our weaknesses have been exposed.  When placed in situations where we have to function in our weaknesses, we become nervous, uncomfortable and fearful.

So, why can’t God just use our strengths and ignore our weaknesses?  Our weaknesses have the potential to produce supernatural results in the lives of others.  God is looking for someone He can be strong in, so that He can be manifested in someone’s life.  However, we must be careful not to try and “fix” our weaknesses, for they are what prove the fact that we are human and God is God.

God called Moses to speak; it was the one thing that he was uncomfortable doing, and the exact thing that God called him to do.  When God calls us, we are no longer working according to our strengths for results, but according to the working power of the Spirit that dwells in us, hence the reason for our weaknesses.  When we yield to the call, we place our work and our effort into God’s hands and are released from the burden of fulfilling our purpose on our own.  When God is our strength, we begin to not only see miracles in the lives of others, but in our lives as well.

Michael Jordan, referred to as one of the greatest basketball players ever, is remembered for his high-scoring games, last-second game winning shots, championship runs, and his highflying dunks, but one of his most memorable moments was when he played in a game while suffering with the flu.

His team was in the NBA finals, and they were playing in a must-win game.  Jordan could have easily not taken part in the game, and no one would have even questioned him.  However, he knew how important the game was, and how much of an impact it would have on his teammates if he missed the game.  So, he got out of his “sick” bed and played in the game in spite of his illness.  Every time Jordan looked like he would not be able to continue, something inside of him drove him to a higher level that naturally, would be deemed impossible.  God worked through Michael Jordan in that game, not just so his team could win, but for the purpose of manifesting His strength through someone that was willing to confront his weakness to help others.

Yes, Michael Jordan is defined by all the great highlights, games, shoes, and many other things he has accomplished in fulfilling his calling as a basketball player.  In addition, he is also defined by his perseverance; confronting every weakness and fear to become one of the greatest basketball players to ever.  Michael Jordan redefined the entire game of basketball by accepting his calling, and confronting the many obstacles that presented themselves before him.  Many now follow after him, knowing that they have an opportunity to do the same and greater.  If we also confront whatever obstacles that come in front of us, God can use our strengths as well as our weaknesses to catapult us to greatness, rather than failure.

Lean Not

“He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure.” (Job 8:15)

What are we standing on?  Do we have a sure foundation or are we holding ourselves up?  It is amazing that when God calls for His chosen ones to walk in His divine plan, how confusing the journey can seem.  We are open to new opportunities and new challenges, but the road is so unsure and unsettling.  It seems very risky to us to be exposed to the ways of God, for they lead us to un-chartered territories.

Some parents, after having a child, take them to a swimming pool while they are babies to teach them how to swim.  After they place the baby into the water, the baby naturally begins to rise to the top as they grow comfortable in the water.  As the baby grows, they do not have to live in the fear and anxiety that many adults have to overcome, from not learning to swim when they were younger.

As babies, it is natural for all of us to be able to swim, but our fears have stripped us from executing the skill that was already given to us.  If we are fearful in the water, the fear becomes paralyzing, and we could possibly drown. Paralysis prevents our bodies from performing its natural function to swim in the water.  Excellent swimmers have even become victim to the enemy of fear and have drowned. It does not matter what your experience or skill level is, there is always a possibility of drowning when you go swimming.  Unfortunately, some of us may never learn how to swim, but that does not mean we have to be afraid of the water.

We are all called to the “water” for it is where our purpose dwells.  However, God does not call us according to our natural ability, but we are all led to the “water of impossibility” through God’s ability.  No matter what our past experiences have been, we all are brought to the “water” for a new challenge.

Just Walk

“But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.” (Exodus 14:29)

“And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.” (Matthew 14:29)

Many of us are held back from our purpose by fear because we waste time holding on to our past experiences.  Others of us jump into the “water” of life, work hard to rise to the top, and then do everything in our ability to stay afloat and maintain the life we’ve created.  In the “water,” which represents life, God does not want us to sink or swim; He wants us to walk.  As we follow our calling, out into the “water,” either one of two things will happen: we will walk on the “water,” or God will divide them and allow us to walk on dry ground.  Both sinking and swimming do not require faith, but walking can only be done in faith.  Taking those steps into the “water,” force us to not only confront our fear, but overcome them as well.

To be in God’s Will is to live a life that is not weighed down by fears and regrets.  It is far from a life of stress and restlessness, and abundantly filled with adventure.  Each moment is filled with new challenges and obstacles that bring excitement into our lives.  No matter where we come from, we are liberated to live according to God’s full and awesome power, and not our own.  Walking on “top of life” allows us to live free, so that we can fulfill what He has created us to do.

Less is More

Walking on the “water” requires us to depend and trust in God.  If we lean on ourselves while we are weak, we will drown.  It is in our weakness that God wants us to lean on Him so that He can empower us to walk by faith into the divine destiny over our lives.  Some of us are miffed at God’s way because we have been so accustomed to succeeding from our own hard work and determination.  There is nothing wrong with working hard and being determined to succeed for those are good characteristics, but without God’s help and guidance, our efforts will eventually fail us.

As a young boy, I succeeded in sports, academics, and everything I involved myself in through a lot of hard work and determination.  I remember taking a Sociology class in college.  I was struggling in the class and needed to do well on a test to improve my grade. I did all that was in my power, even studied for ten hours, but I still failed the test, and could not get my grade above “water.”  Not only was I failing Sociology, but other classes as well.

I remember walking to the library, late one night to study, and on the way I looked up to the sky and spoke to God and said,

“God I can’t handle this load.  I have been trying to do all this by myself but God I acknowledge that I can’t succeed in anything without you.  Please be with me.”

From that point on, I rested in the fact that God would be the reason why I succeeded in college.  I was desperate for God to work in my life, and because I gave Him that opportunity, He helped me to not only pass my classes, but to complete and graduate with my Bachelor’s degree.

I had never failed in anything, so I never genuinely asked for God’s help in my life.  When I finally had to confront a situation that would not submit to my strategies and my hard work, I saw my need for God as well as the freedom that I could have in resting and depending on Him.  No longer did I have to cram my brain with an excessive amount of information, I just did my best, prayed, and believed that God would work things out for me.  When we are dependent on God to work in our lives, we can have peace even if the “waves” are tossing around us and the “wind” is howling in our ears.

One day, God spoke to me and said, “Less is more.”  I could not understand how less was more.  It didn’t make any sense.  Was I supposed to just sit and do nothing?  When we do less, God has the opportunity to do more in our lives.  We want things to happen a certain way or to look a certain way, but we don’t realize that we hinder God’s power from being manifested through us.

“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” (I Corinthians 15:10)

God finds pleasure in being able to work in our lives in magnificent ways, so our “less” allows His grace to produce more.  When we do all things unto God and not Man, it creates an avenue where His power can work through us.  God rewards faithfulness in the little tasks that He gives us to do.  We complicate our lives by doing more than what God has called us to do.  We must quit competing with God in trying to do “great” things and surrender to Him so that He can do great things in us.

Cursed or Blessed

“And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;” (Genesis 3:17)

When we lean on our own understanding we “curse the ground” that we travel; every step, every idea, and every work.  Just like Adam, we have a life of unfruitfulness and hard work because we turn away from God’s voice and follow our own way.  On our own, we have to work so hard to accomplish even the smallest things, and then everything that we do accomplish, is still bound to the limitations of Adam.  However, when we obey the call of God, we are free, by faith, from the curse through Jesus Christ.

“For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:17)

Jesus became cursed, so we could be blessed. (Galatians 3:13) Now, the curse has been broken off from of our lives by faith in God.  Living the life God designed for us does not require hard work from us, it just requires obedience.  When we simply obey God’s voice, we have dominion through Christ Jesus.  Every step we take is prosperous, for we are walking in the will of God.

“Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.” (Joshua 1:3)

We were all created to give God glory, and we all must choose if we will live blessed or cursed.  Jesus Christ has given us the opportunity to be blessed and live free from our limitations, let us lean upon His voice not ours.

Be Strong

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might” (Ephesians 6:10-12)

Being strong is not determined by how much we flex our own “muscles,” it is determined by how much we allow God to flex.  We ourselves do not fight; we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, because regardless of how many “muscles” we have, we will fail. Satan entices us with things that we desire and lust for, to get us to fight him on his “turf.”  He wants us distracted so he can stop us from fulfilling our destiny. So, he uses temporary solutions for our problems to lure us away from our home – the kingdom of God.

When we have been traveling and doing what God has asked us to do sometimes it seems like our needs won’t be met.  Waiting on God can be unsettling when all avenues of provision seem dry.  We know that God is going to work in our lives but in waiting for Him we are confronted with many temptations.  Temptations can be anything and they are placed in our lives for the purpose of drawing us away from the presence of God.

When we are naturally weak, we are tempted to step out of God’s Will and doubt Him.  Satan uses the same word against us that we believe, to “chip” at us.  He tries to make us anxious and make us feel that God won’t do what He promised, so that we will look at our circumstances, take our eyes off of God, and try to accomplish our vision in our own strength.  However, the word of God says,

“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” (James 1:11)

Holding on to His Word

When my oldest daughter was a baby, one day, she was running a high fever.  She was so hot that I could feel the heat through her clothes.  A couple of times in the past, my boys had a high fever as well, and we prayed and God would put them to sleep until they woke up healed the next morning.  So, just like the boys, we prayed for her and went to sleep knowing that God would heal her.  However, in the middle of the night, my wife frantically woke me up because my daughter was shaking in her arms.  My baby’s eyes looked lifeless, as if she was in a trance, and she was screaming in a way that I have neither heard before nor after that night.  I jumped out of bed, grabbed my clothes and coat, and was ready to dash my helpless baby girl to the hospital.

As I went to open the door, God spoke to me. It was then that I turned away from the door, looked at my baby and my wife, and told them that we weren’t going anywhere.  My wife cried because she knew that it was time for her faith and trust in God to grow, and in our time of weakness, we began to pray and praise God for His goodness and love, in spite of the situation.  As we entered into His presence, God healed my baby that night and left no signs of the sickness at all.

I get emotional when I picture my daughter’s face and recall her piercing screams.  As a father, it is very difficult to watch your child suffer because you want to do everything in your power to help them.  In that situation, I was asleep, and the enemy used that to his advantage.  He also used the condition that my daughter was in, to get us to doubt God and depend on man because he knew that we believed God to be a healer.  Satan used the very thing that we believed in, to try to get us to let go of our faith.

The whole time that we were praying and praising God, the enemy kept trying to make us believe that we were killing our baby; that we’d better leave and go to the hospital because God wasn’t going to do anything, He wanted us to believe that we were making a big mistake.  It was only by the grace of God that we kept the faith.  He gave us the strength to believe in His word and to endure the temptation of turning away from Him.  We were not tempting God to heal our daughter; we just believed in the Word He spoke to us and left room for Him to do what neither we, nor any other man could do.  Our faith in God’s divine healing power was and still is attacked, but God’s word continues to prevail in our lives.

The tricks of the Enemy

Being strong is what the world would call being risky, but spiritually it is called faith.  Satan attacks our beliefs and tries to destroy our faith in God, but if we hold onto it, God will perform exactly what He has promised.  He will give us everything that we need, but it is according to our faith.  “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” (I John 5:4)  Our faith empowers us to receive the miracles of God, and enables us to be victorious in our lives.  When we are faithful to God’s word, He does not withhold anything from us.  Yes, the brand new car may look nice, and the new house will give us the amount of space we need, but if we believe and wait on God, we can receive the things we desire, without the burdens that are usually attached.

When we take the “bait” of the enemy, and become distracted, we may be temporarily satisfied, but what we believe to be a blessing, really turns out to be a curse.  We will have to be strong and pass up on many opportunities and things that may seem to meet our needs, to just wait on God to add those things to us.  “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (II Corinthians 4:18) We will always see the things that we want and need, but it is only God that can give it to us without the strings of bondage attached to it.

At the time that my wife was pregnant with our fourth child, we were driving around in a medium-sized car that could seat five people at the most.  During and throughout the weeks of the pregnancy, people kept telling us that we needed a bigger car.  Of course they were pointing out the obvious, but it became so irritating to hear from so many people, all of the time.  They were so occupied with looking at what we didn’t have, that they never spoke “life” into our need.  On our own, we had no means to buy a new car at that time, so we just waited and believed that God would provide us with a bigger car in His time.

We rested in our beliefs, and one week before we had our daughter, God gave us the means to buy a minivan.

“He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.” (Romans 4:20-22)

The van came with no car payments attached to it.  If we would have listened to those around us, we would have gotten a car that we could not afford and it would have placed the burden of a car payment on us.  It is not that we were stronger in our faith than the people that were pointing out our need, it’s just that we were crazy enough to wait on God and believe the promise that He had given to us.

In our society, it is easy to find our own solutions to our problems.  If we are hungry, there are plenty of restaurants available just around the street corner.  If we need knowledge, our answer is on the “tip of our fingers,” through an internet search.  We can learn so much in this life, but in all that we know and find, we still lack an understanding of God.  “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (II Timothy 3:7) We can easily see the many needs we have, but we continue to deny the one, true need for God in our lives.  God wants to be more than a last resort; He wants to be elevated in the sight of all our priorities and dreams.  When we stand firm in our belief in His word, instead of yielding to the advice of others, we receive the truth of God.  When God is our first choice, it doesn’t matter what our outward circumstances may be, for He will never fail us nor forsake us.  We have to completely rely on Him to bring victory, because all other options are accompanied with side effects and long lasting “scars.”  With God, there are no side effects.

My Grace is sufficient

My wife and I were in transition from closing our printing business, to doing what we felt we are called to do.  Financially, we were “strapped” for money.  We barely had any income, and what we did receive, God would put on our hearts to give to others.  So, we gave to others in spite of our financial need, believing that God would bless us with money to pay our rent and other bills.

Well, there was a day that came when our rent was due and we had no money to pay it.  There was no a check that supernaturally appeared in the mailbox, although I did check.  I felt humiliated and shameful because we had always paid our rent on time, but now, after taking a leap of faith to do what was purposed in our hearts to do, we had nothing to give.  As I opened the car door, God spoke to me and said, “My Grace is sufficient,” and immediately my joy was renewed.

“For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” (II Corinthians 12:8-10)

Though we did not have money, God’s grace was sufficient enough to meet the need in our lives, we just needed to rest in His grace.  We deserved to be evicted, but by the grace of God we remained in our home, and in our weakness, His strength was made perfect.

It is not always easy for our flesh to do the will of God because there will always be many obstacles that will test our faith.  However, every obstacle is there to strengthen us to live beyond our own limitations and live in God’s limitless power.  God is well equipped to meet every one of our needs, but we have to be strong and wait on Him.  At times, we are placed into trying situations by the hand of God, so that He can get the glory in our lives.

Job lived a good life, and when things turned for the worse, he did not curse God as his wife thought he should, but he continued on. (Job 2:9)  My Godfather had a spirit that would light up every room he entered.  If he was with someone who was in a bad mood, by the time he left, they were in a good mood.  He was such a humble and godly man who loved me genuinely.  Toward the end of his life, he was diagnosed with intestinal cancer and it aggressively attacked his body.  He could not keep on weight and could barely keep food down.  However, despite his weakness, his spirit always remained the same.  He never spoke against God, and even ministered to other hospital patients around him.  He trusted God, while staring in the “face” of death, he still kept his faith.  Even until death he kept his faith and trusted in God.  God’s light shined into my heart through his weakness, so that I might see God and be drawn closer to Him.  Naturally, he would have been justified to feel resentment for doing the right things and still be in so much pain, but God’s love prevailed.  Although my godfather may not have known it, his courage strengthened me to also take courage in my desperate situations.

We are created for the defining moments when God is able to imprint onto others, His undying love and strength through us.  “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18)  How wonderful our God is, that even our suffering is a stepping stone to bless someone, and to allow them to know Him in the power of His might.

Strength of a friend

Lazarus, a close friend to Jesus, became very sick.  The doctors could not help him, medicine did not work, and every other “avenue” of deliverance led to a dead-end.  So, his family and friends sent for Jesus.  Everyone that was close to Lazarus rested in the hope that seeing his dear friend would bring him comfort in the midst of his affliction.  One thing they did not expect to encounter was waiting.  They just knew that Jesus would come right away and heal Lazarus from his sickness.  However, they waited and waited, and the more they waited, the worse Lazarus’ condition became.

“Where is our savior?”

“Where is our King when the conditions that we are enduring seem to be destroying us?”

For days, death hung over Lazarus’ head until it finally grabbed a hold of him and he died.  Although he believed and waited on God, he died in his sickness.  Jesus finally came four days later, but Lazarus had already been bound and buried in the tomb.  Everyone was sad and disappointed, and they explained to Jesus that if He had come sooner, Lazarus would not have died. What they were really saying was, “Why weren’t you here when your friend needed you and believed in you?”  They did not realize that Lazarus’ death was momentary and for a specific purpose.

God allowed death to come upon Lazarus because He had already provided a way of deliverance for him.  Jesus could have spoke life back into Lazarus before he died, but a wall of limitation needed to be destroyed for man to see.  God chose his good friend, Lazarus, who was loyal unto death, to use and demonstrate his power to defy the laws of nature.

“When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.” (John 11:4)

The entire death and resurrection of Lazarus was purposely set up, so that others could see that God is able to do just what He says.  Not only did Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead, but he was also completely healed from his afflictions; the very thing that sent him to his grave was eradicated and he lived with a resurrected body.  He was able to live beyond the laws of this world; not having to fear death, because he experienced it and overcame it by the grace of God.

When we grasp the revelation that God has placed us in our situations, we can save ourselves from the stress and agony we put ourselves through and just allow Him to work magnificently through us.  Our faith in Jesus will allow His strength to be made perfect in our weakness, and even death will not be able to defeat us. (Romans 8:38-39) God’s grace is sufficient for those that believe and trust in Him until the end.

Considered

“Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.  And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.  And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?” (Job 1:6-8)

“Have you considered my servant Job?”  Satan, the “accuser,” found a place in God’s master plan, but why would God give him permission to wreck havoc in Job’s life?  Hadn’t Job lived a life that was pleasing in God’s sight?  Job was not boastful or proud; on the contrary, he reverenced God.  Job was not perfect, but his first priority in his life was God.

What does God see inside of us that would lead Him to consider us?  Have you ever considered why you’re in the state that you are in?  Ever wondered why “bad” things often happen to “good” people?

Job lost everything, including his health.  God did not afflict Job with sickness and take everything from him, Satan did.  However, God allowed Satan to afflict Job, not to hurt him, but to elevate him.  When we are considered by God, He gives Satan permission to also wreck havoc in our lives.  Regardless, he is not permitted to do one thing, and that is, take our life.  As a result, Satan attacks our minds, our finances, our homes, our relationships, our families, our jobs and even our health.  We become afflicted and persecuted, and placed in extreme conditions as our lives are “flipped” upside down, and like Job, we feel like our prayers are not being heard. This is the time when we need God, but He seems to be so far away.  During this time, our true heart is revealed.  When God considers us, Satan strips, sifts and shakes us, but without knowing, he actually becomes the biggest “tool” that God uses to shape us into what God has called us to be.

Ever had a teacher that would give you tests, and not want you to pass?  That teacher would show no interest in helping you with any questions, and gave the impression that their only goal was for you to fail.  They did not create the course themselves, but they had to teach what was given to them by the administrator.  In this scenario, either of two extreme things usually happens.  Either, we get mad at the teacher and do not study for the test because we feel that we will fail regardless.  Or, we study even harder for the test and allow our work to speak for itself.

In our tests, the answers are already absolute.  So, no matter how Satan feels about us, he can not change what is in God’s will, but can only discourage us from seeking after God.  He wants the “test” to seem impossible for us to pass.  He understands the power of our testimony, so he tries desperately to keep us from “passing” and walking in victory.  However, God allows us to take the “test” over and over until we pass it.

Considered to Obey

It is important to be in close fellowship with God, because when the “test” comes, His word is the only thing that will get us through it.  We can’t stand on the words of men, for man’s words will lead us into a much worse condition.  “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death.” (Proverbs 16:25)  God considers us because He wants to complete a mighty work through us.  However, we need to be aligned with His plan and be willing to listen and obey.

Many times I take the responsibility of doing more than what God has spoken over me.  God has given me the authority to write, but I get “caught up” on all of the details.  I was watching a movie once, and one of the characters said, “The devil is in the details.”  That statement is so true.  When we get “caught up” with the details of life, we ignore the most important aspect of our life, our purpose.  We become so consumed with the specifics, that we neglect God and the simplicity of what He has called us to do.  Not that we don’t accept the calling, we just feel the need to add to what He has purposed.

If the enemy can get us to consider and believe his words, he knows that the words that Gods speaks will seem unfathomable and unrealistic to us.  Oftentimes, it is easier to listen to Satan because he shows us the tangible “benefits” of following his plan.  On the other hand, God’s plan is not often fully revealed, and we realize that it will take even more faith for us to go after His plan.  However, when we choose to follow God’s plan, we save ourselves the heartache of heeding to the enemy’s plans and losing everything in our lives because they are completely contrary to God’s plan for us.

Some years back, God instructed me to start a tutoring program, once a week, for youth in our neighborhood.  Although I knew nothing about it, I started it anyway.  As God started to bring children, I began to receive many suggestions on what I needed to do, and how I should operate the program by people who had no interest in actually being involved.  For the most part, I didn’t listen to their input because most of the suggestions were directed towards making money, while God was instructing me to have the program, to inspire the children and to help them excel in all aspects of life.

One suggestion, however, was given to conduct the program twice a week, and because others were willing, I did.  For a while everything was going good, but then the “test” came, and it became a struggle for us to go to the tutoring program.  Tutors could not always help as they did in the beginning, started to leave in the middle of sessions, and I was frustrated and tired.  Working with the children was enjoyable and exciting, but other things I did outside of the program were suffering and had to be put on “hold.”

I finally prayed and asked God, “What is going on, and why do things seem so dry?”  He said, “I told you, one day.  I never intended for it to be a burden.  You made it a burden when you disobeyed my voice.”  It was that simple; the program was not working because instead of standing on God’s word, I was standing on my own word, as well as others.  I was led to start the program all over again and establish God as the central focus.  The program was now in His hands, not mine.

I had been fighting a losing battle because I was not in tune with the word that God had spoken to me.  There was sin in the camp of Israel and they could not proceed any further until the sin was dealt with. (Joshua 7)  We cannot proceed any further in victory until we repent of our sin and go back to simple instructions that Christ has given us.  It is an honorable thing to be considered, but it takes us to remain obedient to the voice of God for our lives to be victorious.

We must allow God’s voice to lead us into our divine purpose.  There is no way to get around keeping our hearts aligned with His voice, because without His voice there is no victory.  When we are considered God has a promotion prepared for us on the other end of the test, but we will never see the increase of God until we are planted by the incorruptible seed of His word, without our ideas and notions attached to it.

Becoming One

Becoming “one” is becoming a bond that cannot be separated.  Our relationship with God is either compounds or mixtures.  A compound is a solution that comes from the joining of two elements.  It cannot be separated back to its once independent state, it can only be destroyed.  A mixture is a solution that comes from the joining of two elements as well, but a mixture can be separated because the mixtures are merely co-existing.  God is love, and He is what makes us complete.  Without Him, it is impossible to be whole, but with Him, we can become a force that cannot be broken.

“Oneness” is where God has created us to dwell, but it is the hardest thing to obtain.  It takes a complete “death” to all that we have ever known, so we can live in the depth of the heart of our loving God.  It is our life’s journey, not a temporary worship experience.  It is our divine destiny to be “one” with God.

What has God conditioned you to be?  Are you pursuing for a deeper understanding of God or are you happy with “where” you are?  Jesus Christ was not perfect because of the miracles he performed; God used others to demonstrate His power numerous times before.  It was His “oneness” with the will of God that distinguished His perfection.

“Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;  And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;” (Hebrews 5:8-9)

Jesus was tempted to step out of the will of God in all points, but His relationship with the Father was more important than anything that was presented to Him on earth.  His “oneness” came from loving God more than loving His own flesh, and He loved us so much that He suffered and died on the cross for our sins.  Jesus regards us higher than Himself, and He regards God’s will higher than anything.  Jesus does not intend for us to fill His shoes, He just wants us to walk in the footsteps that He has already provided.

“And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.” (John 10:4)

“Oneness” is the key to our peace, our joy and a right standing with God.  The power of our witness will change the world, will free the lives of the lost, and it will awaken the deadness of stagnate lives.  God wants us to enjoy life, but the key to our enjoyment begins and ends in becoming “one” with Him.

Purpose

“Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.” (2 Timothy 1:8-9)

What is the purpose of the matter?  Well, it is all about purpose; we are always on God’s mind, and He has a purpose for all of us.

If we don’t understand our purpose for living, we will never understand why we go through the things we go through.  It is for this reason that God desires a relationship with us and not just someone who is willing to follow principles.  Have you ever heard someone say that if you follow their “steps,” you will get the same, great results?  However, when you follow their steps, for some odd reason it does not work out the same way.  The principles of others have been specifically “sculpted” and catered for them and their lives.  Many of us live our lives following others’ principles and guidelines, but they never bring us true fulfillment.  Most importantly, living by someone else’s standards does not bring us closer to God.  God wants a personal relationship with us to show us what He wants from each of us.

A personal relationship with God sounds so amazing, but I would often question, “Lord, if we are not restricted by guidelines, won’t we abuse our freedom and justify the things we do that are contrary to Your Word?”  I know now, that God will never tell us to do something that is not in agreement with what His Word has already established.  The main problem is that we look at each other through the standards of “religion,” and we become upset with anyone who is not doing the same things that God has called us to do.  If I am a “hand” on a body, I can not do what a “foot” does, and if I am a “heart, I can not operate the way that an “ear” does.  The point is that we have been chosen to accomplish great works, but only according to our commitment to the divine purpose for our lives.

When we don’t know the purpose for our lives, we fall into the “trap” of pursuing to become someone that we are not.  There is nothing worse than someone who is pretending to be someone they are not. So many times, we compare our lives with the lives of others and become frustrated when things are not working out the same way that they are for others.  We want to be used by God and we want to live the life that He has for us, but we often get distracted and begin to focus on the life and benefits that others receive as well.

When Jesus began to expound on Peter’s future, and explaining to Peter that he was going to suffer and die for His name’s sake, Peter looked at John and asked, “What about him?” (John 21:18-23)  John was the only apostle that did not die of martyrdom, but he still suffered many afflictions for God’s name.  However, God had a purpose for him to live in his old age and to write the gospel of John, three epistles and the book of Revelations.  Neither man’s life was greater than the other, but each man’s life was purposeful in its own way.

We have to get to the point in our lives that we don’t care what others have and be thankful for what God has blessed us with.  “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.” (Colossians 3:15)  We have to get off of our own “page” and get on God’s “page.”  We fight so hard to achieve what we believe to be our purpose, but we never come into agreement with the will of God.  The less that we allow ourselves to be distracted by others and our surroundings, the greater the opportunity we have to walk in our destiny.  We may have heard God’s call over our lives, and we may understand the necessity of our divine calling, but we must pay attention and follow God’s direction.

Follow the Signs

When I turned sixteen years of age and received my driver license, I was so excited because I finally had evidence that I was permitted to drive on the road.  The day I received my license, I could not wait to drive, so I immediately decided to drive to the neighborhood store.  I heard a siren, and I realized that I was being pulled over by a police officer.  I was scared, confused and in shock.  What did I do wrong, that fast?  The police officer explained that I didn’t stop at the stop sign, and warned me to make sure that I paid attention and followed the street signs.  After he left, I felt relieved that I did not get a ticket, but my initial joy and excitement was gone.  I was so excited to drive, that I did not remember the importance of following the street signs.

Sadly this is the same problem that many of us as believers fall into.  We want to journey freely to our divine destinations, so we don’t follow the “signs” that God has created for us.  God’s “signs” are simply His direction for our lives, and when we follow His signs, we save ourselves from the struggles that were not created for us to encounter.  However, the excitement of our calling can sometimes blind us from the “signs” that are right in front of us.

One of the worst things that can happen when we ignore God’s “signs” is impeding on the progress of other believers to their destination.  We desire to reach our destination so bad, that we have no regard for the well-being of others.  Through our selfishness, many times we cause an “accident”, a hindrance, which delays others from being used as well.  We often force ourselves into other “lanes” and block others from staying close to God by getting in their way, causing them to become so focused on what we did to them, that they lose sight of where God was taking them.

God has given us permission to be on the “road.”  He has given us the authority to walk in our calling, but our “license” is only valid when we follow His simple “signs.”  Stop, Yield, and Go.  We can ignore those “signs” and force our way into our purpose, but we will ultimately cause more harm than good.  Abusing the right to serve will result in getting our “license” revoked.  Our prosperity comes from our ability to heed to God’s voice.  There is a time and a purpose for everything in our life, and if we ignore His “signs,” we are headed towards danger.

STOP

Many times when we come to a “stop sign” in life, we feel delayed from our destination because there seems to be so much traffic traveling from opposite ways.  Sometimes people line up behind us, waiting for their opportunity to continue on their journey as well.  We can hear the “horns” of impatient individuals behind us, but we remain stuck in position with only the expectancy to continue on when the opportunity opens up.  It is important that we know that our delay is necessary, because our reaction to the pressure around us will also directly affect how others behind us will react.  If they see us jump into “traffic,” they will continue in that urgency and do the same.  If we wait until all of the “traffic” has passed, then others will see the necessity of being patient, and will remain patient until their opportunity to continue comes.

Every “intersection” in our life has its own individual “sign.”  When God leads us to “stop,” He is going before us and clearing a path so we don’t encounter things that were not intended for us to go through.

YIELD

The “yield sign” is one that is ignored the most.  When we do not see others ahead of us, we continue on without a thought of even pausing.  Although we are legally permitted to continue, yielding is our opportunity to experience God’s power.  When we yield to God, we are expressing to Him that we don’t want to enter a new “road” without Him going before us.  It is our choice to yield or not, but when we do, it shows our reverence towards God, and our reliance and dependence on Him to take us to wherever He wants, in His time.

It can be hard to yield when we can see the other side of the “street” and the benefits of getting there.  It means that even though we have been given permission, before we continue, we will take the time to understand what God desires for us to do; we are giving the control and the authority back to Him.  Our intent is not to fulfill our purpose in our own ability, but to give our purpose, our calling, and our lives completely over to God to direct us and use us for His will.

No matter how many “stops” and “turns” we take, when we yield to Christ, we can rest assured that He will bring us safely to our divine destination.  When we don’t yield, we risk wandering on the “road” and returning back to where we came.  We don’t receive direction nor understand when we don’t yield, causing us to become bound by our ignorance.  God desires to direct every decision in our lives, for He knows what is best for us no matter if it may seem hard or easy.  God has a path uniquely created for each of us that only we can journey when we yield to His way.

Too many of us are living out our calling as a profession instead of a true lifestyle.  When we look at our purpose as a profession, we take our dependence off of God and become dependent on our gifts and the gifts of others to carry us to our destination.  Making our calling a lifestyle allows us to hear and see the way God wants us to go, and gives us the desire to yield to His direction.

GO

After we stop and yield as God has directed us to do, He then allows us to go.  We are empowered by our patience and waiting that by the time we go, we are completely fueled for the journey that God has laid out for us.  No matter what comes our way, we know that it has been purposed for our edification, and we can go in peace and joy, for the Word has gone before us and has paved the way for our safe passage to our destination.  (Isaiah 55:12)  We can go and be confident that we are in His will and that His grace is covering us.  He has instructed us to go and to pursue the desires that He has placed in our hearts.  What a wonderful blessing it is to know that God has given us the “city” and that whatever is before us, He has given to bless us.

We must follow the “signs” to ensure that we receive all that God has for us.  When it is time to go, we cannot stop or yield, but we must go immediately, for God has an appointed time for us to accomplish what He has purposed for us to do.  If we delay when He is telling us to go, we hinder ourselves from getting to our destination and from accomplishing what the Word has sent us out to do.  Whatever direction God leads, we must follow without delay, for He wants to lead us to the life that He has promised us. We have to un-complicate our lives and simply allow God to direct us because as his chosen ones, we see that each step is purposeful; promising the presence, power, and life in Him that He has spoken.

Behind Enemy Lines

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12)

There is a battle raging in our lives.  Our foe has set his eyes on us for destruction, and we have our eyes set on a victorious outcome.  We are armed for battle and no longer scared of the enemy’s intimidation tactics.  Our fear has been replaced with the zeal to fight, using the weapons that we have been equipped with.  So, any and every thing the enemy throws at us, we fight against.  We fight against poverty, sickness, depression, fear, anxiety, insecurity, pain, and any other affliction he confronts us with.  No matter how tired we become, we keep fighting, never surrendering to him.  Nevertheless, one problem persists: the affliction does not leave.  It may subside for a while, but what we are wrestling with, will not go away.

What is the one thing that you continue to wrestle with?  Whatever the situation, God has a word for you that will leave the enemy defenseless.  There is a secret weapon that has been hidden from him, only to be revealed when the time is right.  We must visualize the one thing that continues to be a nagging “thorn” in our side and realize that it was strategically placed in our lives so that God could show His power to the world.

For years, I struggled with a sickness.  Although God had healed me from a digestive disease, many weaknesses and wounds remained that I still had to overcome.  I followed His instruction not to take any medication, but when I got sick, although I depended on God to heal me, I was always so fearful, and negative thoughts constantly consumed my mind.  I didn’t like the negative thoughts because I knew that God would heal me, but as much as I tried to fight them, they would always find their way back into my mind.  I felt as though I had moved from one cell of physical bondage, to the bondage of my thoughts.  However, I found that whenever I surrendered to God, the pain and sickness would go away and He would strengthen me.

We have to understand that the enemy attacks us, specifically, at our points of weakness.  It would be a waste of time to attack us in our strengths, when he only needs to plant one seed of doubt to disrupt the entire order of our lives.  Naturally, it feels horrible when we are vulnerable because we are weak, helpless, and exposed, and for this reason, we spend a lot of time covering up our weaknesses.

Many of us are ashamed of our afflictions, and to avoid being exposed, we “dress the part” to please others.  We don’t realize that in doing so, we play right into the hands of the enemy.  He wants us to concentrate so much on “looking the part,” that we never take the time to actually “be the part.”  Unfortunately, we fall into his trap and allow who we are portraying, to become our identity instead of allowing God to be our identity.

All the while, we are battling our afflictions in our own strength, and instead of progressing, we are stagnant and getting exhausted.  We are becoming weaker because Satan does not just attack us with one weapon; he floods us in an effort to consume and take over us in our circumstances. We try to use the Word of God to impart life into our “dryness,” but our efforts never bring enough “water” that can satisfy our “thirst.”  So, from day to day, we fight the same battle and continue to receive the same results.  No matter what we do, it seems as though we remain in darkness.

Maybe poverty is our battle, and we have been living without enough money to pay our debtors.  The “get rich quick” schemes do not work for us, our attempts to become debt free fail, and by the time we give up, our debt has unfortunately grown despite our efforts.  Why do we pray to God to bless us out of the battle of poverty, and then try to climb our own way out of our debt?  We say we trust God, but don’t give Him the space to move our mountains.  We pray, but then we begin to make our own provision for our flesh.  We do not like the afflictions that come upon us, so we feel the need to fight against them.  We keep running away from our afflictions to the point of exhaustion.  We know the odds are against us, and we see and feel the signs of defeat, but our resilience refuses to “wave” the white “flag of surrender.”

God has set the stage for a great triumph over the enemy, but He won’t move until we get out of His way.  We have been fighting a battle that was not ours to fight in the first place.  God is ready to disable our enemy, but not until we are cleared out of the way because the force could kill us.  So, God simply waits on us to surrender to Him completely; not willing to force us to be in His will.

Whether it is poverty, weight issues, or sickness, God has good news for all of us.  Stand and believe on the word that He spoke to you.  This situation is not unto death, but for the glory of God to be seen through us.

“When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.” (John 11:4)  “Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” (John 9:3)

Relax and stop fighting a battle that God has already given you the victory over.  Step aside; allow God to defeat your situation and hand the “spoils” over to you.  You may be “behind enemy lines,” but your commander already has an ambush and exit plan in action.

Deceiving the Enemy

God wants our attention, our focus, and our praise.  God desires for us to enter into the kingdom, but it requires us being turned to Him.  If we are to obtain the victory that has been set up for us, we must get focused on God, and leave our situations in His hands.

When my family was in the midst of an extreme financial squeeze, I was driving and wondering how I was going to get us out of the situation.  I believed that God was going to work a miracle, but I hated the fact that it had gotten so bad and that there seemed to be no sign that God was going to come through for us.  It was usually the busiest time of the year for our business, and yet we received no orders.  For seven months, our company produced no fruit, and we were in a drought that continued to get worse by the day.  God spoke to me and said,

“E’yen, you are fighting on the enemy’s territory, and you must surrender.  When you surrender, the enemy will place his hands on you and you will become the affliction that you have been fighting.  At that moment the enemy believes that he has won. When he has placed his hands on you, it enables Me to destroy his works through your surrendered vessel.” (I John 3:8)

If Jesus Christ is in us, His purpose has not changed, and He manifests Himself to destroy the works of the devil.  The enemy tries to control our thoughts and influence our beliefs by using our circumstances against us.  Regardless of his attempts, when we stay focused on God, though the enemy slays us, we are not swayed in trusting God, for greater is He that is in me.  “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (I John 4:4)

This is the reason why it is so challenging to submit to anyone, not to mention God, because the enemy is working hard to deceive us.  He knows that when we surrender to God, his evil works are destroyed and he can no longer use that affliction on us.  Will you surrender to your circumstances so God can defeat the enemy for you?  Someone has to become poverty so that many can be rich. “… as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.” (II Corinthians 6:10)  Someone has to become sickness so that many can be healthy. “…as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed.” (II Corinthians 6:9) Will that someone be the “Christ” in you?

Fight for control

I spoke the words, “I surrender it all,” to God so many times, and I really believed that I had surrendered my life to Him.  However, just as quickly as I gave it all to Him, I took it all right back when my problems began to press against me.  The fight was an intense battle because it started as a struggle to defeat my circumstance, but it soon became a fight for control.

The enemy wants control, and God wants to be the “head” of our lives, but the difference is that God won’t fight us for it.  We have to choose to surrender in order for Him to take the reins over our life.  As long as we continue to control and make our own decisions in life, we are vulnerable to the temptation of being our own god.  We become the god of our life when we choose not to follow the guidance and the presence of our Father.

Our “control” is logical and limited; for our decisions are influenced by the seen and when we come against adversity we deal with it by natural means.  For instance, if I have a headache, I naturally decide to take a pill to take away the pain.  It may work, but after a while of using the medication, my body adapts to it.  When it does not work any longer, I move on to a stronger pill.

Unfortunately, our solution never fix the problem, it just temporary relieves us of some of the suffering we experience.  Although this may be a solution that most of us temporarily resort to, the pills will ultimately have a greater effect on us beyond just relieving the pain.  The bottom line is that when we act in our own means, no matter how we “sugar coat” things, we are acting out of fear and fear only hinders our victory.

Living under an umbrella

Many of us desire to live in a perfect environment.  We want to be happy and live in peace, so we try to control our atmosphere.  If anything comes into our lives and begins to effect our environment, we pursue ways to combat it in efforts of controlling it.

If it is raining outside and we have to go through a storm, many of us choose to use an umbrella, so that in spite of what is coming down, we can continue to control our space from getting wet.  The problem is that we now become controlled by the boundaries of the umbrella.  If we step out from under the umbrella, we get wet.  Though we appear safe under our umbrella, we are really bound by our fear of getting wet.  Yes, we are in control of our immediate environment, but we are still controlled by the surrounding affliction; free when the sun is out and bound when the storm comes.  Ultimately, we begin to regard the clouds and carry our umbrella with us even when it is not scheduled to rain in our lives.  Whatever the affliction or storm, the enemy wants us to act out of our fears.  He knows that while in fear, we will always resort to our own ways, and he will continue to use our actions against us.

God desires to set us free in the midst of our storms.  He wants to reveal to us the enemy and his plan to bind us in our fears.  Although the enemy does not truly control us, our fears control us and limit us with the “umbrella” that we walk under.  The “umbrella” then becomes the source that we lean and depend on in the time of need, instead of the spirit of God.  We know God is bigger than our problems, and we know that He can handle all of our situations, but we can only choose to give Him control through our faith.  We can never receive God if we don’t first believe.

Our belief in God does not prevent our storms from coming, but our faith gives us peace in the midst of the storm. The enemy creates stumbling blocks and would love for our circumstances to hinder us, but when the Spirit is in control, God uses them as stepping stones.  God is not going to fight for our attention and He does not have to.  We have to make up in our mind that we are going to allow the glory of God to manifest its power in the midst of our affliction.

Every affliction is destroyed by just surrendering to God.  In our lives, the enemy cannot defeat God, so he afflicts us.  When we “let go” of ourselves and our control, and cleave to the Spirit, what was sent to destroy us is destroyed by the power of God.  Surrendering means that we stop moving and we allow God to move.  It is laying aside our pride and our ego, and trust in God to establish victory in us.  Go ahead, put your “umbrella” down, and get “wet!”

God’s Move

There is no better feeling than to be in God’s hands.  When we are surrendered to our Father, it is His choice when change occurs, but we can rest assured that whatever surrounds us is only there for a season.  The tables have turned; pride was once drowning us, but now our lives have been changed with one simple act of surrendering to God.  When we shift the control of our lives over to God’s control, everything that is presented before us has to bow down at the presence of our King.

Imagine of a school where, the older students think they can pick with the younger ones because they are too small to put up a real fight.  They may get their hats taken from them, or teased because of their appearance, and because they can’t defend themselves, they stay an easy “target.”  They don’t like being teased, but when they try to defend themselves, it just seems as if it encourages the bullies even more.

As a father, if I would go to the school, the bullies would back away and leave my children alone as long as I am in their presence.  However, as soon as I leave, the bullies immediately return to attack my child with everything they’ve got.  When my child is fed up with dealing with their bullies, they will come and tell me all about what has been going on.  When I go to the school and find the bullies, after I am done with them, they turn and go the other way whenever they see my child.

Bullies prey on those that are weak, and they want to intimidate the vulnerable and innocent.  When we are chosen by God, our relationship with God is seen as a weakness to our bullies.  So, we are constantly attacked for the relationship that we have with Jesus Christ and the freedom that we have in Him.  However, there is no greater weapon that we carry against the enemy, than to be able to go to our Father and cast all of our cares on Him.

“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” (I Peter 5: 6-7)

Our desire to rid our lives of the torment caused by our bullies causes us to passionately seek the face of our Father.  When we diligently seek Him, whatever is going on in our lives has to move because when our hearts are focused on God and not our bullies, He is able to do miraculous things.  Most importantly, the more time we spend seeking for Him to move and guide us, the less our situation affects us, for His peace reigns and His goodness and mercy follows us everywhere we go.  It may be unsettling sometimes to be surrounded by the enemy while he shows off his muscles, but what a comfort it is to know that an ambush is waiting that he can’t escape.

We know that King Jehoshaphat was a man that honored God.  He had a desire to teach the people about the laws of God, and in his pursuit, he became one of the wealthiest kings ever. (II Chronicles 17:3-14) The favor of God evidently surrounded this man and provoked others to bring their treasures and possessions to him.

Nevertheless, enemy armies caught the people Judah off guard and surrounded them. (II Chronicles 20:1-2) King Jehoshaphat was terrified at what stood in front of him and his nation, and knew of their certain destruction if God did not come to their rescue.  Regardless, King Jehoshaphat took his eyes and attention off of his bullies and sought the face of the living God. (II Chronicles 20:3-5)  Jehoshaphat pleaded with God to work just like He had in all of the testimonies that were read and heard, because this enemy was real and he wanted to witness the manifestation of God’s true power.  (II Chronicles 20:6-12)  Jehoshaphat had experienced the peace and favor of God that had went before him since his ascension to the throne, but now he needed to experience the same grace and mercy that led Moses and the Israelites across the Red sea.

I could imagine King Jehoshaphat thinking, “Why me? Why now? I have done all that has been asked of me, and it’s left me standing against overwhelming odds.”  Although it is natural to have those types of thoughts, it is ultimately our response that seals our outcome.  Jehoshaphat did what he only knew to do; he depended on God.  That is what our response to our situations must be; to not dwell in our fears, but to simply respond to them by bowing our face to the One that sits on the throne.

It was God that drew the enemy armies to Judah, like a “fish caught on a hook.”  Those enemies were there just so God could be glorified, but King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah did not receive the word of God until they responded to what was in front of them.  They had to release themselves into the mighty hands of God in order for them to receive the victory that was already theirs.  God never intended for the children of Judah to fight their enemies, He just wanted them in position so that He could reveal His power to the world.

“And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s. Ye shall not need to fight in this battle; set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem; fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them; for the Lord will be with you.” (II Chronicles 20:15,17)

God has also drawn our enemy’s armies close so that He can annihilate their existence from us and any that are connected to us.  Whether it is the army of poverty, the army of grief, the army of sickness, depression, abuse or doubt, God wants to put us in position for a victorious outcome.  It is our royal duty as kings and queens to present ourselves to God so He can free us from the yoke of our enemies, and He has divinely chosen us to be the “one” that turns our hearts to Him and encourage others to believe in God despite the odds.

On the next day, King Jehoshaphat sensed that the people were doubtful and unsure, so he told them to believe in God. (II Chronicles 20:20) Initially, the people were so happy that God was going to fight for them.  However, the feeling quickly subsided when they began to march towards battle.  Many were probably wondering how God was going to come through.

God has called us, His “chosen ones,” to declare to the people of God to trust in Him for deliverance, and to tell them that our victory is in our praise.  When we praise God in the midst of trying circumstances, it distracts others from their problems and inspires them to also praise God.  Praise is the weapon that invokes God’s presence to move when we are faced in front of the great army.  As they began to praise God, He moved against their enemies and caused them to destroy themselves. (II Chronicles 20:22-23)  When we are basking in the presence of God, He consumes anything that is against Him.

God didn’t just destroy Judah’s enemies, but He also gave them all of their enemy’s riches that were left. (II Chronicles 20-25) How amazing it must have been to not even fight and still be victorious and flooded with the abundance of the enemy’s treasures.  The treasures are definitely nice because they are what we sometimes desire, but the real treasure is to see God’s hand move on our behalf.  Natural treasures are temporary, for they come and go, but God’s presence and power is forever.

God withholds nothing from us when we wait on Him, but He showers us with the fullness of His presence. When I go through pain or I am sick, my response is what dictates God’s move.  God cannot move on my behalf if I am stuck and only act according to what my fears are.  When I turn to Him and seek Him in spite of my pain, I receive peace, comfort, and patience to wait on Him to move in my situations.  When I praise him for who He is, I am privileged and so consumed by His presence that I don’t even realize that I have been healed.  The healing is a blessing, but to be close to Him while in the midst of our darkness is the true gift.  God wants to move in our lives, to shower us with miracles, and shine His glory through us.

Whether we like it or not, we must learn to wait on God with contentment, because we will have to wait anyways.  God won’t immediately move just because we have a “pity party” or throw a tantrum.  There is an appointed time for our deliverance, healing, and miracles, however, we have free access to His presence whenever we respond in faith to Him and not our circumstances.  It is more beneficial to go through our storms in the arms of God, rather than the arms of our flesh, for we don’t know how to solve our problems or even know the purpose of them. God will keep us in perfect peace if we trust and keep our minds on Him. (Isaiah 26:3)  We can’t elevate into our divine destiny until we’ve been strengthened for what is ahead.  So, follow the leading of God to position you, and you will see a move a God so magnificent that you and all that are around you will know that only His power gives true and total victory.

Impact

What is the range of our impact on this world?  Are we leaving a mark on the people we encounter?  This is our purpose as the chosen ones of God.  Our impact on this world is deeper than just doing what we are “called” to do, but is incorporated in every aspect of our being.  The people we are connected to and how we impact them in our daily encounters determines the scope of who we reach in this world.  The lives we live as children, parents, employees, and neighbors have to be aligned with what we believe.

When Jesus was about to suffer on the cross, He commanded His disciples over and over again to love one another.  Why would Jesus passionately plead with His followers to love one another?  At a desperate time, when He was about to suffer many afflictions and even lose His life, He was still concerned with the hearts of His followers and the impact they would have on others.

“Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.” (John 13:3-4)  Knowing all power was given to Him and then he decided to wash the feet of His disciples.  What an example of humility and love that we have in our Lord and Savior!  What an impact He made and continues to make in people’s lives!

What impact are we making?  Do we consider the lives and the hearts of others, or are we too busy focusing on our own problems?  So many times, we selfishly consume ourselves in our own circumstances, that we never consider the pressures and burdens of others.  We are carrying miracles, meant to be released in the lives of our neighbors, but we can’t see their needs until we take our eyes off of ourselves.  Our responsibility as the chosen one may seem a bit overwhelming, being told that we are the ones that will impact every person on this earth.  However, just know that we don’t have to prophesy or preach a sermon in front of millions to make an impact; we just have to share God’s love to one person at a time.  If we just love one person, we will change the world.

When Paul and Silas sat in prison, they witnessed to one person, and in doing so, he and his entire family were saved. (Acts 16:25-33)  Daniel never had to condemn the unholy kingdom that held him captive; he only interpreted the dream of one king, and turned the eyes of an entire kingdom to the power of God. (Daniel 2:47-48) The three “Hebrew boys” did not preach to the provinces, they just stood up to one king and that same king ultimately glorified God, proclaiming that there was none other like Him. (Daniel 3:28-29)  Joseph did not have to try and impress the Egyptians, He simply submitted himself to God in spite of his circumstances, and an encounter with the one ruler over all of Egypt, placed him as second in command. (Genesis 41:39-43) God used him to save His chosen people and all of Egypt. (Genesis 45:5, 7-8)

We are chosen of God to have divine encounters with people that will change not only who we meet, but will also shake and shape the hearts of all men.  Many are lost and confused about who they are and if God is real.  They are looking for fulfillment and the purpose of their lives, but nothing has been able to satisfy their souls.  Money won’t do it, relationships won’t do it, a job and a home won’t do it, and education won’t help either.  What they are looking for dwells inside of us.  We are the “key” that unlocks the mysteries of their hearts.  We are the vessels that will introduce them to the Savior of their soul.  When we surrender to God, we are placed in position by the Spirit, to touch the lives of our children, our spouses, our parents, our friends, and our families.  It does not matter how many people we know, but it is about who we know.  It is not our purpose to impact the lives of our loved ones; it is God’s purpose to use us.  We can’t change anyone, but God can.

I heard once, that on average, a person knows two hundred and ninety people.  I might not know someone that lives in Australia, but I know a person, that knows a person, that knows someone who lives in Australia.  We are only four people away from impacting the entire population of the world!

Just imagine what God will do when we heed to His commandant to love one neighbor as ourselves, and then that person loves their neighbor and loves spreads to others because of the love in you.  It is our time to change the world by introducing one person to the presence of God.

Jesus did not need the marketing strategies that we have available to us today.  He did not have a press release or commercial in order to impact the world, He only needed the love of God to save a world that was destined for destruction.  Many martyrs gave their lives so that we could be free.  It is not an easy road, but you have been conditioned for it.  You are the chosen one.    It is up to you to introduce the world to their Savior.  Surrender to your destiny, Chosen One!!

Acknowledgements

Maia, you have done an excellent job on this book.  Thank you for encouraging me to keep moving forward when times got difficult. You are the best wife, mother, friend, songwriter, editor, manager and teacher in the world.  I love you “My.”

Arin, J’sun, Raya, Lesa, Kyan, and Bria, you are truly gifts from heaven.  You make life worth living.

Dedications

This book is dedicated to the memories, the chosen ones, which have impacted my life dearly.

Joanne K. Gardner, my mom

Ralph Gardner Jr., my gramps

Annie King & Ruby L. Smedley, my grandmothers

Dexter Green Sr., my godfather

Contact the Author

Printed Word Publishing

Attn: E’yen A. Gardner

P.O. Box 360812

Columbus, Ohio 43236

WEBSITE: www.EyenGardner.com

EMAIL: eyengardner@yahoo.com

PHONE: 614-678-5353

FAX: 1-888-221-3166

Table of Contents

Copyright

Contents

THE GARMENT

Chosen

The Calling

Lean Not

Be Strong

Considered

Purpose

Behind Enemy Lines

Fight for control

God’s Move

Impact

Acknowledgements

Dedication