help
Your delivery has arrived
Have you ever been waiting for a package delivery?
When ‘track-and-trace’ updates me it's time to check my mail box for an arrived package, I get excited, and when the delivery is on time, it's just the best!
However, sometimes delays happen that cause anxiety as to when I'll end up receiving the product I ordered and is expecting.
The same anxiety can show up in our spiritual and emotional waiting room of life whether the delivery is something we're about to be given (like a package), something we're about to give birth to physically or spiritually or we're waiting for something or someone to deliver us!
For me personally, I'm waiting for the delivery of our baby who is due tomorrow! However, I don't know when that delivery will happen exactly so this bible-dive into what the scriptures have to stay about delivery and deliverance is timely for myself.
What kind of delivery are you waiting for right now?
It could be that you're waiting for restoration in a relationship, a healing in your body or a promise/ dream in your heart to be delivered to you?
Whatever the type of "'Your delivery has arrived'- email" you're waiting for, I believe we can do three things in the meanwhile to stay in hopeful expectation!
Metaphorically speaking:
- We can check our package order request to see if it's correct
- We can check the email spam filter to make sure the right message is reaching us
- We can check the order confirmation and promise the store has given us.
Let's dig deeper below.
1.Check your order request
The first thing I do when my package delivery is late, is to check my order to see if I got the right memo about the date and if I ordered the product to the right address.
I believe we can do the same when we're waiting in expectation for God to deliver something to our lives. We are encouraged to make our requests known to God, so what have you requested of God? Or what do you need to request of Him you've only wished for this far?
"And all the time you don’t obtain what you want because you won’t ask God for it! And if you ask, you won’t receive it for you’re asking with corrupt motives, seeking only to fulfill your own selfish desires" James 4:2 TPT.
When we "check our order" metaphorically speaking, we can make sure we've actually asked God and not only wished for it. We can also give God access to search our hearts to make sure we requested a delivery to our lives with the right motive. Sometimes, we might also already have received what we asked for but we haven't had eyes to see it because the delivery arrived in a different package than we expected it to look like.
One thing is sure. God is always active in our lives as these scriptures reveal. He is sending out orders and working for our good:
"God sends angels with special orders to protect you wherever you go, defending you from all harm" Psalm 91:11 MSG.
"He sends out his orders throughout the world; his words run as swift messengers, bringing them to pass" Psalm 147:15 MSG.
"He established the cosmos to last forever, and he stands behind his commands so his orders will never be revoked" Psalm 148:6 MSG.
God is in the business of sending special orders out to protect us, and what He orders for our lives will be impossible to change.
2. Check your spam filter
One of the more frustrating messages to receive when trying to deliver an email is this one: "Delivery Status Notification (Failure) I learnt that one of the reasons for this delivery fail is because the email is landing in a spam filter!
I've been reminded of the importance of having an internal spam filter in this season of waiting to deliver my baby into the world. An internal spam filter is helpful in sorting out unhelpful comments from taking root in my heart and mind.
Whether the negative comments have been about bad birth experiences, comments on the belly or others simply projecting their fears on me, my internal spam filter has helped me let the good opinions, comments and remarks stay and the negative ones go.
We can't put our hope in people's words to deliver us: "Give us help against the adversary, For deliverance by man is in vain [a worthless hope]" Psalm 108:12.
When our spam filter is working, we set ourselves up for a win so only the authentic and real, honourable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind (Phil. 4:8 TPT) words gets to stay and get attention in the inbox of our hearts and minds.
Let your mental spam filter help sort what words to hold on to and which ones to let go of as you await in hopeful expectancy on your delivery.
Even when our own deliveries fail to be sent properly, we can rest knowing that God's deliveries to our lives never get lost in a spam filter. His deliveries are timely and we need open hands and hearts to receive the new He has for us:
"Is anything too difficult or too wonderful for the Lord? At the appointed time, when the season [for her delivery] comes, I will return to you and Sarah will have a son” Genesis 18:14 AMP.
3. Check the promise
To stick with the package delivery-example, I do check the order confirmation whenever my delivery is delayed. I make sure that what I think has been promised from the store is actually what the order confirmation-email says I can expect.
I believe the exact same principle goes for our relationship with God. When we haven't received what we've been waiting for, it can be helpful to go back and check what God actually promised? Did he put a date on it? He rarely does as His ways are not our ways. If your journal entry does not recount what He has specifically promised you in the area you're waiting for a delivery on, go to the bible to see what He has promised in terms of deliverance.
When I did a word-study on "deliverance", I found that God is the ultimate deliverer! He delivers us from death (Psalm 30:1), God delivers nations (Isaiah 27:1), God delivers justice (Hebrews 10:30) and He has delivered us from the consequences of sin (Ephesians 4:30). This general, big perspective on deliverance helps me wait on the specific deliveries!
Costly deliveries
I must admit, I certainly have my favourite delivery service! That would be free, express delivery right to my door! No cost, short waiting time and no hassle to pick up the package is such a joy.
However, this is not always how our packages arrive, and it's not always how our other deliveries in life come. For example, I don't expect my birth delivery to be with no cost and with no waiting time. I'm prepared that there will be a painful cost to pay in birthing my daughter but I trust it will be absolutely worthwhile and beautiful anyways.
Even if your spiritual/soul/physical delivery might come with a cost, know that God's presence will go with you. He will battle for you. You just need to stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you (2 Chronicles 20:17 NIV).
If He has brought you to it, He'll enable you to go through it:
“Shall I bring to the moment of birth and not give delivery?” says the Lord. “Or shall I who gives delivery shut the womb?” says your God" Isaiah 66:9 AMP.
Surprise deliveries
Another favourite delivery service of mine would be surprise deliveries. People have been kind in this pregnancy journey to surprise us with deliveries of clothes and baby gear we didn't expect to receive.
Jesus himself came as a surprise delivery through a virgin birth and what He continually does in people's lives around the world are surprise deliveries - the exceedingly, abundantly above our wildest requests-kind of surprises. He has done these surprise deliverances since he entered the scene as the prophet Isaiah prophesied:
"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. For those who lived in a land of deep shadows— light! sunbursts of light! [...]The abuse of oppressors and cruelty of tyrants— all their whips and cudgels and curses— Is gone, done away with, a deliverance as surprising and sudden as Gideon’s old victory over Midian[...]For a child has been born—for us! the gift of a son—for us!" Isaiah 9:2 MSG.
I pray for the last three months of this year that you’ll receive surprise deliveries that would be the kind only God knows you're longing for; the kind that'll be infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination!
These kind of surprise deliveries energises us as we wait for full deliverance.
Full deliverance
While you wait on your delivery, know that the hope set before us as Christ-followers is not only the specific deliverance you're waiting for - it's the full deliverance of heaven in the not-yet kingdom where there will be no more tears and pain!
"All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it’s not only around us; it’s within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We’re also feeling the birth pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance.
That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don’t see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy" Romans 8:22 MSG.
Be encouraged! Deliverance is here already, deliverance is on it's way, and deliverance will come!
“Pay attention, my people. Listen to me, nations. Revelation flows from me. My decisions light up the world. My deliverance arrives on the run, my salvation right on time" Isaiah 51:4 MSG.
As you await your specific delivery, check out your order request, check your spam filter and check out God’s promise to you. He’ll provide for the costly deliveries, He loves to surprise you with His deliveries and He is a God who has secured your full deliverance through Jesus.
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Keys to receive a blueprint part 2
You can read part one on blueprints: "A blueprint for the new year" here.
In the last post, I unpacked how a blueprint is more than a vision. It is a plan on how to live it out. There are countless examples of this in the bible.
God revealed to Noah how exactly the ark was to be built to carry out God’s rescue plan from the flood for the righteous: "This is how you are to make it: The ark will be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high..." (Gen. 6,15 CSB) David received the exact blueprints from God to pass on to Solomon to build the temple of God: "The plans contained everything he had in mind for the courts of the Lord's house, all the surrounding chambers, the treasuries of God's house, and the treasuries for what is dedicated" 1 Chronicles 28:11 CSB.
And on and on the instructions go.
Like Noah and David, we can position ourselves to receive a blueprint for an assignment we've been given so we can partner with God and not only fulfill our assignment, but fulfill it in His loving, wise ways.
For you, God might want to give you a blueprint for the vision He has given you for 2019 whether it be for a certain project, a blueprint for your team structure, or your family's rhythms for example.
What were Noah, David and Jesus' blueprint for?
Noah's blueprint was for building an ark that could rescue the righteous from the flood God had sent to wipe away the wicked from the earth. The purpose was to partner with God for a reset on earth that would serve the future generations.
David's blueprint was for rebuilding the temple of God. After the Israelites had resettled in Jerusalem after the exile, they needed to reconnect with their identity as the people of God. The temple should direct them back to God's presence in their midst. The temple would later remind many Christians of the importance of the presence of God.
Jesus' blueprint on how to pray in Luke 11 served the purpose of intimacy with the Father and it showed the way for other people to connect to God.
In all three examples (the reset on earth, the rebuilding of the temple and the model of prayer), the blueprints helped serve other people, the future generations and forge relationship with God. 🔑
Let's look on some other keys in scripture that unlocked a blueprint from heaven:
- Ask 🔑
"He was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray..." Luke 11:1 CSB.
A new testament example on a blueprint is Jesus teaching us a model for prayer in Luke 11. Before Jesus prayed, "Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come..", he was asked by one of his disciples to be trained on the 'how to'.
Where do you need to ask God on the 'how' to carry out a certain assignment, face a challenge, or maybe reconcile a broken-down relationship?
2. Walking consistently with God 🔑
"Noah walked with God" Genesis 6:9 CSB.
Noah is described as a man walking with God and David's faithful heart towards God is also evident many places in scripture. When we walk consistently with God, He can align our hearts with His, and He can speak to us about the specifics on how to carry out His heart in a timely manner on the earth.
A blueprint is not about getting a plan and then moving on with the job without God. No, God shares His secrets with friends who consistently abide in Him.
3. Failure does not disqualify 🔑
"Then David prayed, “I have sinned badly in what I have just done, substituting statistics for trust; forgive my sin—I’ve been really stupid.” 1 Chronicles 21:8 MSG.
Before David received His blueprint he had just been seduced by the enemy to make a prideful leadership decision in counting his warriors.
The key is David’s hearts after his failure. He repents for his lack of trust in counting his warriors and in obedience he builds an altar to worship to God. Like Noah, He is walking with God, not perfect though, but with a repentant heart, willing to bear the consequences of his stupid choice. After David repented, he did not cut corners in building God an altar (1 Chronicles 21:18)
Failure does not have to qualify in partnering with God when we repent and in obedience goes forward with what He has called us to do, now done in His way without cutting corners.
4. A grateful attitude 🔑
In David's prayer (1 Chronicles 29:10 CSB), we see David go public with his honor to God: "Then David blessed the Lord in the sight of all the assembly" and we see David explain how they had received provision from God to carry out the blueprint of the temple: "Lord, our God, all this wealth that we've provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from your hand..."
When we do receive a blueprint from heaven, we can learn from David's example of telling his testimony publicly and recognising where the provision for the blueprint came from. A grateful attitude is pleasing to God.
Promises attached to the blueprint
1 Chron 28:19 tells how God not only gives David the blueprint on how to build the temple, but also the understanding on how to then carry it out: "By the Lord's hand on me, he enabled me to understand everything in writing all the detail of the plan."
That's a comforting fact. We can in the same way believe God not only to give us a blueprint but also to give us the understanding to carry it out.
Let's learn from Noah, David and Jesus and...
- Ask for a blueprint,
- Walk consistently with our Father
- Remember failure does not qualify when we repent
- Carry a grateful attitude
Bless you,
Sandra.
Retreat to advance
Have you ever felt stressed with the thought of Christmas approaching?
I think most of us have! I know I need heart and soul-prep for me to step into the lead-up to Christmas with a healthy mindset amidst the busy. I need small spaces for my soul to breathe. I need to retreat in order to advance. The definition of advance is to move forward in a purposeful way. That's what I want; purpose in my every step.
The challenge to tackle is, Christmas has been the time of year with most ministry activity and outpouring the last five years for me. For three years, it looked like December night shifts and Christmas dinners for women working in the sex industry. The last couple of years, it has been through leading our social justice department of church, Citycare, and setting the Christmas table for vulnerable people in our backyard.
Through trial and error, I've experienced how it can be a season not overwhelmed with the schedule, but overwhelmed with Jesus!
If you have the same experience of Christmas being an intense season of outpouring for others, this might help you:
Firstly, devote yourself
Have you settled in your heart that you are devoted to this season of your life? Have you counted the cost and the pain and discomfort that comes with sacrificing your own comfort momentarily so that others can be comforted?
As my pastor Thomas Hansen so wisely says, it is easy to find excuses for why it's not worth it. For me, a few obvious excuses not to make it a season about others would be that it's exam season, it's "hygge" season, I just want to focus on my own family etc. However, that's not how I want to live my life, 'cause there would then always be an excuse to find.
Therefore, it's important to settle your personal why before stepping into a new season of intentional, increased outpouring, whatever that looks like for you. What's your personal revelation of your why? Count the cost.
Each one on our Citycare team has their personal why. Our collective why this year is our belief that we are paving the way for generations to come to be part of a healthy church that have a natural overflow of love and care for others in our cities. Our collective belief is that our 'yes' will shape church history and set an example of church that's about rising up and daring to care for our backyard.
That kind of faith and vision is something worth devoting ourselves to.
Jesus modelled ultimate devotion when he went on the cross for the vision of being in unhindered relationship with YOU. He suffered great momentary pain on the cross, and volunteered to do it! Mind-blowing. Therefore, I know I want to follow His example and volunteer myself and sign up for helping others this Christmas despite the excuses that are easy to find. I can give up my comfort momentarily to comfort others this Christmas ❤
Secondly, put on the armour of light
Be prepared spiritually and practically for the warfare that comes with advancing and going forward. Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ and put on the armour of light! (Romans 13:12 NIV)
What weekly routines are you planning to make the Christmas season good? Is it a weekly one hour walk, daily journaling, a morning smoothie, getting your sleep in, remembering a Sabbath day? What does your prep look like?
Part of being prepared spiritually is protecting unity if you're part of a team you're serving with.
We recently gathered together as a Citycare key team, knowing that unity is key to what we're trying to accomplish at this time of year, and any time of year really. God commands a blessing where there is unity, and we need His blessing. Knowing we've been put together for such a time as this to serve the lost, hurting and broken and put the love of God on display through our kindness in action, we also know ahead of time the enemy will try to come against our common pursuit. When we are aware of his schemes, we can navigate through the small foxes that tries to spoil our bond of peace. We can do what's in our power to not give the enemy a foothold by quickly clearing out misunderstanding and offenses amongst the team, and we can fiercely protect unity by praying over one another.
My prayer our own team & yours is that we will not entertain what compromises our choice to:
"Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing our labour is not in vain." 1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV.
My prayer is that we all think about: "What can I personally do to contribute to a sense of unity where I'm planted?"
My prayer is that we will endeavour to see the individual through the eyes of Jesus, and knowing our sacrifice, when done in obedience, and placed in the hands of Jesus, will be worth it:
We will not grow weary in doing good 'cause in due time, we will reap a harvest if we don't faint (Galatians 6:9 NIV).
Let's be these prudent people Passion translation describes:
"A prudent person with insight foresees danger coming and prepares himself for it. But the senseless rush blindly forward and suffer the consequences.
Laying your life down in tender surrender before the Lord will bring life, prosperity, and honor as your reward" Proverbs 22:3-5 TPT.
In the commentary to these verses, it says wise people solve problems before they happen. Let that be our endeavour. There are beautiful promises attached to and unlocked with our surrender to what lies before us in the steps ordered by the Lord - life, prosperity and honour as our reward.
Your labour is not in vain, dear one. Be encouraged! Jesus paved the way for you and I. Let's pave it forward with Him this Christmas.
Let's devote ourselves, put on the armour of light & let's keep on running 'till we get that victor's prize. When we retreat, we can prepare to advance rightly with purpose in every step.
His steadfast grace will keep us firm and fixed.
Amen,
Sandra.
Time to unpack
I want to enter the new year light. I want to enter the new year NEW. Therefore, it is time to unpack.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2. Cor.5,17 NIV)
When I started dating my boyfriend, this verse was pivotal in how we wanted to build and shape our relationship. We were aware that we both had baggage we brought into each other's lives and we knew this truth was something we wanted to cling to. The old has gone, the new is here.
We do not want any of us to be defined by our pasts. BUT in reality there is stuff of emotional baggage to unpack before the new can enter and be enjoyed to the full. This becomes so obvious in a relationship!
What we personally experience is that the conflicts arising in our relationship rarely has much to do with the real situation in front of us. It makes sense with these facts I've heard that normally a conflict is only 10 % about the current situation. 90 % of the conflict arises because of past emotions and fears in a similar situation.
The past can easily have power over us if we do not intentionally help each other unpack it.
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A suitcase that needs unpacking was lately revealed to me. It was a suitcase I dragged along that caused recurring conflict in our relationship.
Thankfully, God helped me see differently. Clearly. So that I do not keep punishing the one in front of me for the mistakes made by the one behind me.
Holy Spirit showed me how I am still carrying a suitcase of emotional baggage because of past betrayal. A betrayal that led to hurt, pain, fear, anger, jealousy, doubt & distrust.
Ugly, I know.
I know too though that I’m not alone in this.
Everyone comes with baggage.
Therefore, we resolved early on in our relationship to be courageous and to not fear the shadowy side of the past that every one of us carries.
A part of being courageous is to own our own journey and the wounds it has caused. Another part of being courageous is to be willing to “feel it to heal it.”
It takes courage to do so but it is necessary if we want to live and stand firm in the new life that has already been purchased for us. It is necessary to be courageous in these ways when we want to refuse to let shadows of our past hold our futures hostage.
Do yourself a favor and read Graham Cooke’s stuff full of revelation!! I love this quote from ”Provision & Partnership”:
"The place of struggle is always the place of your breakthrough, but the first thing that has to be broken through in a struggle is you.
It's your mindset, it's your willingness to trust, your willingness to believe the Lord, and your willingness to step into a miracle."
Yes. Struggle - past - present - future - can become birthing ground for miracles when we choose not to let our past define, destroy, deter or defeat us. We can let it refine us and move on and leave it behind us.
Our baggage isn't too heavy for Jesus! With him our past does not have to make us bitter. It can make us better.
New days, new beginnings & new chances await us. New new new. Our Father makes ALL things new.
Jesus is with us. Love goes before us. Therefore, I'll choose trust for the new year! To not trust will just make me miserable anyway!
Let’s pack light for 2016 and keep pressing forward. (Phil 3,13)
Future, I’m so ready for ya.
"Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new.
The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it!
All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other." (2 Cor 5,17 MSG)
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