The Power to Respond

In wake of such formidable times, many times we can be left impotent and unmotivated in fulfilling our assignments. However, we must learn to stay focused and strong.  Christendom has lost yet another well-known pastor, Dr. Zachary Tims of New Destiny Christian Center.  You can find an array of talks on the NET swinging far left and right– and everything in between with reasons why this happened.  I think it is important to learn from the walk of others (good and bad); but, how much responsibility do we have in responding to what we feel was good or bad? 

The easiest road to take when we see a failure is to criticize without offering any help to make things better.  Moreover, it is just as easy to sit back and judge to see if someone will succeed or fail.  When success happens, we can easily, comfortably and with little effort, support.  Why is it human nature to support successes after the success?  It is just as the parent that as  the child performs or behaves poorly, we say, “that’s your child.”  When they do something we feel worthy of praise, we say, “That’s my child.” 

This is not to paint a picture one way or the other concerning the death of Dr. Tims. However, I feel the Church must practice how to proactively respond before tragedy rather than to wait until after something happens.  This is the lowest level of care, concern or compassion.  Even more so, it is the lowest level of strategy to be reactive than proactive.

Listening to the inner voice of God is very pertinent in this hour if we are to be in sync with the move of God.  Religion is NOT relationship.  Many people are stuck in places, positions, groups, and communities because of the opinions of men and wonder why their lives are full of despair, delusion and confusion.  We must wake up and not forget our reason for being.  A life without purpose is a ship without a sail.

How can we practice responding appropriately?  How can we do our part NOT just in words of criticism but through intercession?  How can we practice responding with pure intentions of concern to make things better? The Church mustn’t take the position of the world and simply celebrate each other when we do well and trample each other when there is substandard fruit.  A true response in agape is not one of rejection but one of restoration. 

The acid test of spiritual maturity is to offer a solution in your conversation and not just the rehearsal of the facts.  This is a work in progress.  We can always continue to develop our beliefs in order to properly respond and to be better equipped to handle storms of life.  Let’s us confess to one another (in covenant) and pray for each other that we may be healed (James 5:16).  This is the highest response.

 

The Purpose Behind the Process

Why is there the need of a “process” when obtaining your dream and fulfilling your destiny? Why do you have to go the lengthy route when you can see your dream right at your fingertips?  Why does the process seemingly demote you rather that empower you?  How can the process on one hand distract yet on the other hand bring you focus? The process does the following:

1) Unveils the REAL You
2) Imparts Experience that fortifies your faith
3) Sanctifies your internal and external path

The process I’m referring to is life’s situations that seemingly are antagonistic and adverse to our success. It would be those types of storms and adversity that propel the eagle in you to fly.

1) Unveils the REAL You

Why does the process unveil the “Real You?” It unveils the real you by preaching another gospel to you than what you have declared. What does this mean?  The process OR negative situations in life come against your dream. They fight against your belief OR what you say believe. The reason I say, “What you say you believe”, because often times we say things that we have yet to qualify for. We speak things we don’t really believe. How?  For where there is no preparation, there is NO expectation. If you expect the breakthrough, then you must prepare for it.

When you make a faith declaration, the adversary of your faith comes immediately to steal the word (Mark 4:15). Situations happen to contradict what you believe and expect; attempting to spook you back into mediocrity. However, if you have developed/matured in your soul (mind, will and emotions– I Thess 5:23) to demand, command and stand for the vision you have placed in your heart, you turn the storms (the process) to work in your favor.

2) Imparts Experience that fortifies your faith

When you go through negative situations and respond to them by holding to your faith, you develop experience and a testimony that builds your character.  Just like David in the bible who gained experience defeating the lion and the bear, Goliath was no match to his faith (1 Sam 17:32-37). When you continue to develop experience going through your process in victory, you are building up for a greater reward.

3) Sanctifies your internal and external path

The process can be sanctifying and purifying because the heat from the fire many times pushes us to be sober. It tends to be human nature not to give 100 percent until we are pushed to do so. To be sanctified is to be set apart and clearly defined. This can happen within (internally) as well as within our relationships. Many times we feel folks are for us, with us and should be forever be by us. Moreover, some relationships would even boast such a claim until– yes, you’ve guessed it, “the process” hits.  The process purifies you inside and out. It exposes true covenants and false ones. False covenants are those with hidden motives and intentions. When this happens, it is just a matter of time before the hidden motives surface and true intentions will push some relationships into other paths that they deem more comfortable (away from the fire).  Likewise, you are forced to wake up with the fire of your process is turned up.

So, yes there is purpose in your pain. There is meaning to your process. Developing the right perspective will help you gain all that your process has to offer enabling you to pass the test. Repeat circumstances many times mean there is something you have yet to see, understand or acknowledge.

~ekb