The Process 

Hay friend!

On this episode of the plannter, Lets talk about processes!!

But God.. Why?

In order for us to really understand the wonders of God. We must first understand how he operates. God is the best surgeon we know, he’s been operating on mankind since the beginning of time. I’m not referring to only health, but more a spiritual to physical surgery. As humans, something in us (our flesh) causes us to always want the opposite of what God wants from and for us. Our flesh, usually puts us in predicaments that can cause us not to gain the gifts God has promised each and everyone one of us, or, allows the enemy to take something from us, that belonged to us in the first place. Our flesh would allow us to succumb to anything. If not trained, it would trample over our spirit and allow us to live lives that are held down by baggage, hurt, pain etc. Romans 8:6-8 says

⁶ The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. ⁷ The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. ⁸ Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

Therefore, it’s important to know that God is only concerned with matters of the spirit. In order for the flesh to be tamed, the spirit must rise up.

He Will Do What “I” Say He Should Do

Being people of God, we are aware of this, however, we still fall short. We pray and pray, oh Lord, deliver me from what holds me, Oh lord, I have done wrong. Cleanse my spirit. Make me new. Take away things in me that are not of you. HELP ME (Kevin heart voice). I’m positive most of us have said prayers along these lines, I have said these prayers many, many times! . Or even, oh Lord, help me to be more patient. Oh lord, help me to be more like you. Oh lord, help me to have a mind like you. Again, all me! But I know I’m not the only one.

I’m going to let you in on a secret… If you didn’t know, God hears EVERY WORD. EVERY SINGLE WORD YOU PRAY. EVERY REQUEST. You know what he does with it?  Holds up his end of the bargain, and develops that deliverance, that freedom, the patience we so earnestly are seeking and that he wants to provide. But there is work to be done, from your part.

This is Uncomfortable

So you put out the request, great! Let the games begin! (as God sits down watching from heaven with popcorn) You prayed for deliverance for the things that held you back from God. Example: Ok, maybe your flesh wanted to hang out with people who were more world like, that did things that God just wasn’t down for. God does not beg you to leave them alone once you’ve heard the order. He asks a simple question? What are you going to do with the word I’ve given you? (Hence the popcorn)Lets say you are obedient to what he told you. Then, Those people (close friends, family members, boyfriend, girlfriends etc.) begin to turn on you, talk badly about you, and laugh at you behind your back. Reject you. Speak ill on your life. Curse you.  At this point, you are feeling lonely. You know the lonely I’m talking about, the one in which you are so desperate for the same people, you feel empty, you keep looking at your phone to see if someone texted you. You feel as if, you have no one to trust, no one to turn to..

You cry out to God, help me, I can’t do this! I’m lonely, why is this happening? But he whispers back, this is the process. Jeremiah 30:10-11 says:

“So do not be afraid, Jacob my servant;
do not be dismayed, Israel,’
declares the Lord.
‘I will surely save you out of a distant place,
your descendants from the land of their exile.
Jacob will again have peace and security,
and no one will make him afraid.
¹¹ I am with you and will save you,’
declares the Lord.
‘Though I completely destroy all the nations
among which I scatter you,
I will not completely destroy you.
I will discipline you but only in due measure;
I will not let you go entirely unpunished.’

I’m cleansing you of those negative spirits that were holding you back from seeing my glory. That kept you bound to the things of this world. I’m purging you of people and things that I did not send you. Don’t be afraid, I am still with you in this process of your restoration.

What about those of us who pray for the gifts of the spirit? Sometimes, work has to be put in. You say, Lord, I want to be patient. OK great. Example: Now, your family starts acting funny. Family members seem to be getting on your nerves like, all day everyday. You want to snap on everyone. But I tell you, be careful. Look with your spiritual eye. Do you respond with the same old hot temper you have always had. You prayed for patience remember? So, do as the spirit instructs. Respond with kindness and love, so you build endurance to deal with situations that require patience.

But Dammy, hold up! You don’t know them! You don’t know my (family, coworkers, partner)! If you heard the things they tell me, you would snap to!! Before you jump down my throat, I feel you 100%. I talk about these experiences because I have and still am going through them. I’m not too patient, but God has been putting in me in situations, which require it!  God has a very interesting way of birthing gifts in us. He allows negative situations to test us, day in and day out, in order to sculpt our spirit and ultimately lay down the flesh for the spirit to rise. God operate fully in the spirit, so this makes sense.

The Perfect Process

Perfect example of a process, was Jesus’s whole life. If you didn’t realize, Jesus would not allow anyone to give him glory without giving glory to his father first. Even thought he knew who he was. He was out casted, like many of us are, in his hometown and various cities. He was talked about, challenged, made fun of in public, ridiculed, served ungrateful people nonstop. He too, was tested in the wilderness by Satan; like many of us are daily.

His process was not over until he was laid on the cross, took his last breath and fulfilled all the benchmarks placed in front of him. This is why we can refer to him as our Lord and Savior. He met the requirement set in place, in order for him to sit at the right hand of God. Also, in order for him to be the best savior the universe and all creation has known. King of kings, lord of lords. He would not have gotten those names and title unless he went through a process. He had some training to do. Would we want an unequipped Savior to overcome death and take all the powers from the principalities that roam the earth? Na. Well, I don’t.

Ask Yourself Something

If we say we follow the life of Jesus and pray to be more like him, don’t you think you are going to go through some things in order to get the blessing God has in store for you? Just like him? So, where are you running to? What process is God putting you in that you are so desperately trying to run from? What have you prayed for? and what ugly situations keep popping up that you may feel you never get past? Do you feel like you’re at square one with the things you have asked for, or are you seeing growth within your spirit?  If you feel like you are growing, that’s amazing! You are being obedient and still (a process I too am learning) If you feel, you haven’t gotten past level one, God isn’t done with you, so SIT DOWN and stop running. Where are you going to go? He’s everywhere. We should aim to ask for the spirit of stillness and obedience and be keen to the process in which God has placed in front of us.

All of these are heart check questions that I am learning to ask myself. I am not exempt from anything here. The holy spirit has convicted me of this many times, through various sermons, prayer time, friends (you know who you are) in regards to PATIENCE, compassion and love more specifically. So, we are on this journey together. God never said following him would be easy by no means. No one said it would be easy and don’t think this blog is saying this either. But I guarantee, you, the process is worth it. Just hang in there, God has you. Until next time!

By Friend!