The irony of this message I wrote 6/6/12 does not escape me.... This old message found me recently through total accident but fits everything happening so well. When I wrote this I had no idea what was coming, the message-the word is still a powerful reminder of how to have victory through the uncomfortable process of change and transition. I changed as little as possible out of the original text, but had to take a little bit of you know who out. That season will always be special to me but well ya know....it's over. So enjoy...keep in mind I was preaching it so there are bold words to keep me on track and off my notes and it reads like how I talk....I hate editing. Funny thing, not liking to edit when you love to write. Some day I will edit everything with the help of someone who loves to edit. Is that you?
Anyway...change is coming! Can't wait to share more about all that with you.
P.S. I added my current notes to this message in ironic red!!! For some reason this makes me laugh hysterically. xoxo
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| I am committed to chasing my dreams and visions like never before!! |
Launhcing out and Embracing Transition preached 6/6/2012
I began to
pray on this one word….this is a word that I am very familiar with….this is a word that I have to admit I don’t
much care for….Transition. Liking it more now
Transition means change….and quite frankly I don’t much like
change.
I like a well
thought out plan, I like organization
not surprises. I like to know right where I am going and how I am
going to get there. Oh sure I change,
but left up to me it would just be slow
and steady like a river carving out a slightly different edge, however……Boy, no kidding!!!
Jesus after all brought transition.
Hebrews
9:16-17 (MSG) 16-17 Like a will that takes effect when someone dies, the new
covenant was put into action at Jesus’ death. His death marked the transition
from the old plan to the new one, canceling the old obligations and
accompanying sins, and summoning the heirs to receive the eternal inheritance
that was promised them. He brought together God and his people in this new way.
Now, God sometimes
does things slow but often he creates a dam
that forces change. When the dam burst, I learned to curse. bahahaha No judging. It felt like the only thing that worked to express my emotions.
I was
thinking about the best example of transition I can come up with and it
involves birthing a baby. When I was pregnant with my son Jacob, we did
all the maternity classes and in those classes they talked about transitioning
from one level of labor to
another.
I think
there were three levels of labor…well Gary was all prepared with his little
cheat sheet of what each level was like and how each season of labor would
look…early labor, active labor and transition!!
Transitional
labor is the home stretch but it is also the worst…I will never forget him
running to get the nurse because I was throwing up and her coming back into the
room and saying oooohhhh she has progressed (I had been at a 2 and suddenly I
was an 8) fast she is ready to push this baby out and my ex saying…..wait
a minute she didn’t do the second level, he looks at his little cheat sheet and says
the active labor part, we didn’t get to do our breathing….she looked at him
kinda funny and said sir whether you are
on board or not she is pushing this baby out!
This is kinda how
transitions are, whether we think we are ready or not….here they come! btw I am pushing now to birth something new!
Transitions are
hard but they always precede a new level in our lives…when we push through the
transition we will find ourselves in new territory.
And yet change
or transitions are one of the most feared things that we as human beings
encounter.
WE resist it with
every fiber of our being. We love
stability. But the inevitable fact of
life is that it always changes.
The only thing constant is change.
I have had a
lot of transition in my life, forced situational transition. Death of my son, loss of a marriage, loss of a church, moving, learning to date, new job, new life, etc. No shortage here of transition.
Like in
labor, this transition made me sick….physically a little, but spiritually it
rocked me and I had to choose to walk out my faith, not dwell on the
negative and begin to press forward for the promise Land of hope.
You see what
I have grown to recognize is that God doesn’t bring transition into our life
just for the sake of change.
Transition is moving from one point to another. Moving
forward. Moving forward also means leaving what is behind....not easy.
When we
begin to get uncomfortable, when things seem shaky and our way of life is
shifting, we need to realize that God is taking us somewhere. He
is repositioning us!
There are things we cannot grasp where we are at,
and so God in His wisdom strategically repositions us so that we will be able to access things that we could never get to in the place we had been. So excited as I hang here suspended in mid-air reaching for the next thing and letting go of some of the old! Taking the risk, I can see the "new thing" right in front of me and I will not go back.
I can’t
pretend to understand why God has allowed the twist and turns in my life, but I do know that through that He changed
me.
So I have
been journeying my way through this on-going transition which doesn’t mean that
there have not been other changes happening at the same time.
Like many of
us would say….life keeps changing…evolving and not with my plan but it is God’s
perfect plan!
So when I
share on transition and embracing it rather than fearing it, please know I am a
living, walking testimony to God’s grace to get us through to the other side in
victory!
So all that
to say….let’s look at
Luke 8:22-25
(MSG)
22 One day
he and his disciples got in a boat. "Let's cross the lake," he said. And
off they went.
23 It was
smooth sailing, and he fell asleep. A terrific storm came up suddenly on the
lake. Water poured in, and they were about to capsize.
24 They woke
Jesus: "Master, Master, we're going to drown!" Getting to his feet,
he told the wind, "Silence!" and the waves, "Quiet down!"
They did it. The lake became smooth as glass.
25 Then he
said to his disciples, "Why can't you trust me?" They were in
absolute awe, staggered and stammering, "Who is this, anyway? He calls out
to the winds and sea, and they do what he tells them!"
I want you
to catch the symbolism here….The boat (get on board with Jesus) Off they went
(Go) The wind was blowing (the unseen forces were at work) the waves were rolling (the problems we can
actually see) Sometimes just the unseen
blowing and battering against our minds can get us off course…but sometimes
it’s both the unseen and the seen!
A side note here: They were smack dab in the middle of Gods will and still there arose a
terrible storm. I often think of this...the discouragement that comes with doing what your are sure you are called to do and yet it fails. It gets all sideways. The slow wearing down and giving up the fight.
In the
middle of God’s will we will still face real challenges, loss of job, loss of a
dream, loss of a loved one, loss of finances, opposition, conflict….it doesn’t
matter what it is, it matters how we respond. I didn't always get it right, the pain was so great I lost my mind for a bit...true story.
WE have to remember if God brought us
to it, He will bring us through it! I got through it, it did not kill me. It made me different and better. The pain ravaged me but also left me naked and ready for change. The flesh that was eaten away, the pride that died, in the end it is good. Honestly often at the end of a bad day I will say, "Well, no one died so it's still a good day." Talk about perspective change.
When the storm is raging don’t doubt God’s
plan, don’t waver in your determination.
We must remember the storm is not the destination but the pathway to
the destination. Don’t ask why the
storm has come, ask how to get through it!
So I want
you to get 4 main points out of this text today.
1. Jesus says, Get into the boat there is somewhere we need to go…..THERE IS A
PLACE OF PURPOSE HE WANTS TO GET US TO…..We need to transition to the other
side….He knew the need on the other side…He
was positioning them to minister to a need and impact a city! They hit the
shore and deliverance came….if you keep reading you see that as they came on
shore a naked, possessed man came to them….Jesus delivered him and then Jesus
sent him on his way proclaiming how good God was…. So you see that in order
for them to be in a place of purpose they would have to cross a sea and
weather a storm.
To get to this new place of ministry there were going to be real
challenges….They had to leave the multitude, the multitude represented the
followers…they were following but their level of commitment was one of
MEDIOCRITY. I don't know if I would be that hard on them today. They hadn't been through enough with Jesus to understand the level of trust they could put in HIM. I know Him today in a different way. I trust Him in a new way because of the storms.
Their focus was on what Jesus could do for them, to get in the boat you
have to be focused on what you can do in the name of Jesus! We will all face moments of decision….where you will have to
decide to follow Jesus IN A NEW LEVEL OF
FAITH or to stay in the safe, comfortable place with the multitude. You can stay with the multitude and eat
the manna or the fishes and the loaves…In other words you can be saved and
enjoy the bread of life or you can go, you can move into the adventure and
purposes God has for you and be a part of the miraculous not just a
bystander!! Settlers or developers….We will
all have to make the choice when Jesus says…Let’s go! I am saying Let's go!!
If we are unwilling to let go of the
old we will not experience the new things God has for us! I am letting go and not even afraid, well most of the time not afraid.
There are times where we are faced with decisions and we could play it
safe, stay with the crowd but God is calling us to step into the boat and go to
the other side! Bring revolution to the
world….isn’t that what Jesus did??
We have to learn to be strong and
courageous and get
into the boat so that we can be positioned for great things!
Three times in Deuteronomy Moses commands the
people to be strong and of good courage….specifically he is talking to the
younger generation because the older had an epic failure and would not cross
over into the promise land and so to those who would he said BE STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE FOR YOUR Lord goes
with you!! I am braver than I have ever been, its so much funner!! Is that a word?
That brings me to point #2
2. Storms will come, but don’t forget who’s with you…..
Don’t forget who is in the boat with
you! What we possess is greater than
the challenges we face….
When we really believe this then we will be ready to possess the Promise
Land.
In the greatest trials of my life….I worship….singing to my iphone my heart is calmed as I realize Jesus is with me. I can feel His presence and I was reminded
that this didn’t take Him by surprise.
That we were not alone in this….the
creator of the universe the invisible God becomes visible to me in that moment. Boat or ambulance, home or
office, church or street, whatever vehicle God is using to move us…whatever
storm we are facing HE IS WITH US!
3. Watch your words!! They cried out we are going to
drown….watch your confession….I think this aggravated Jesus…. We must learn to say what Jesus said…Peace be still! Even when I struggle with thoughts of fear, I did my best not to give voice to them. Though the storm may rage we too can have
peace in the midst. Jesus who lives in us offers us that peace…We
can do all things through Christ who
strengthens us. Learn to control what
you say, what you confess….force
yourself to speak good things, hopeful things even in the midst of difficult
transition. Open your eyes and your
heart to see the good in the difficult, it is always there. Let that rule in your heart and therefor come
out of your mouth.
4.
Look for the fresh revelation! Coming through the storm often gives us fresh
revelation of who God is!! The disciples suddenly had a new awe and
respect for Jesus….He calms the storm, He commands the wind…New
understanding of Jesus had come to their hearts and every transition we face has the ability to show us the power of Jesus if we will
embrace it rather than resent it! Watch for it, He is there and He wants us to know Him in new ways. My
fresh revelations come in some of the most difficult of moments, but they have also come progressively as I have seen my trust in Him
grow.
I want to move quickly towards the
destiny God has for us, I don’t want to waste time doing meaningless things…I
want to make every minute count for eternity.
Ok so
#1. Get into the boat! There is a purpose.
#2. Don’t forget who’s with you!
#3. Watch your words
#4 Look for fresh revelation!
God is using
every transition to help us reach our God given destinies, He provides
protection, direction, encouragement and accountability as we are together in
the body of Christ….and here is the good news….Jesus said in Matthew 16 that
the gates of hell shall not prevail against it!!
I want to
leave you with one last verse…
Isaiah 40:27-31 (MSG)
27 Why would you ever complain, O
Jacob, or, whine, Israel, saying, "GOD has lost track of me. He doesn't
care what happens to me"? 28 Don't you know anything? Haven't you been
listening? GOD doesn't come and go. God lasts. He's Creator of all you can see
or imagine. He doesn't get tired out, doesn't pause to catch his breath. And he
knows everything, inside and out. 29 He energizes those who get tired, gives
fresh strength to dropouts. 30 For even young people tire and drop out, young folk in their prime
stumble and fall. 31 But those who wait upon GOD get fresh strength. They
spread their wings and soar like eagles, They run and don't get tired, they
walk and don't lag behind.
I know we
all struggle with wanting to complain….because life seems somehow unfair but….God
knows about the difficulties and problems of His people.
If we belong
to Him, He is able to quiet the storms of life, and we his children are able to
learn in the storm.
When we find
ourselves in the midst of a storm, instead of sitting and crying and being
upset with God….we need to get excited because He is repositioning us for
greater things!!
He is strategically
repositioning us so that we can access more and more of His grace and
power because we must bring His kingdom to earth. WE must be plundering hell…fighting
for the lost at every opportunity!!
Are you
getting this? He is pushing us to
change, because transition is good… I am learning to rely more and more on God
because I must. I put a heavier demand
on Him because I cannot do it in my own strength.
Beloved,
regardless of who we are, if we are going to move with God through this earth, it
will cost us something. It felt like a high price, but somehow it all makes sense now in some weird way. It's all the living, all the trauma, all the loss that has taught me a new thing, that broke open my creative heart and broke off the necessary things!
It’s not going to be easy, we will have to
launch out in the boat, we will face storms, we will be approached by mad men
in need of deliverance….But God will
furnish us strength and equip us with everything we need if we will be bold
and courageous.
If we will step into the boat….not kicking and
screaming but genuinely saying to the Lord….I’m ready, take me to new
places…change doesn’t scare me into paralysis but rather I am excited about
what you are doing God and I will confess that you are doing a good thing
regardless of what it looks like in the natural!!
So maybe
today you are on the edge of the shore and Jesus is saying come on we have
somewhere we need to go, get in the boat or maybe you are in the boat and the storm is raging, and Jesus
is saying will you trust me
right now in the midst of this or are you going to scream out in doubt and fear
or maybe He is giving you fresh revelation right now….
The bottom line is He doesn’t want us
to play it safe in the multitude, Jesus doesn’t want us to settle for “just
enough” like the Israelites…..He wants us to launch out in hope…to overcome the storm and be
overcomers…to pass the test so that it can become our testimony….to allow
ourselves to be repositioned for greatness…this is our time to change our
world.
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| Isn't it so funny that I wrote that in 2012 and my whole life is different now. Are you laughing, you should be...joy is meant to be contagious. |
Love you my precious tribe! This is just the beginning of something so stunning, of a turning of all things to good, of a tsunami of hope and a well spring of grace. Soon and very soon I will share more. Until then, thanks for joining me on this journey and loving all the bits and pieces of me.
