Carpe Diem! Enjoy, Make use of the day. This Day!
As a prophetic person, one weakness that I've had to strive to overcome is being overly focused on what I've seen the Lord is going to do (in the next season) but not yet manifested in the natural. When becoming overly focused on the future, that tends to prevent me from being able to enjoy or stay focused on the here and now because of the excitement and anticipation of the future blessings I've seen and desire.
Yes, it's true that the Lord delights in revealing to His people what He is going to do in the future, for the purpose of building hope, declaration, intercession and/or direction, and also, simply for the sharing of His heart as a friend to His people. There's good in knowing pieces of what's ahead. At the same time, God is always about balance. He delights in sharing His plan with us but He also is well aware that we live in the here and now and also delights in our enjoyment and contentment in dwelling in the blessings of TODAY.
Today holds just as much of a purpose and plan as what the 'yet to come' has for us. Possibly, "today" holds the plan and step which leads us into the future hope and promise we've been shown. In fact, at one time, "today" was the next season that was revealed to us beforehand that we were eagerly anticipated it's arrival! Therefore, we should not allow our 'today's' to be wasted or despised. This may sound a bit corny, but there's truth in it; without today, what would tomorrow be? Nonexistent! Therefore, today holds a key to tomorrow. What we do with that key may possibly be more important than we realize. What if we could see supernaturally into today and see that the praises we lift up, or vocalize are keys to opening greater blessings and more opportunities for tomorrow?
If we could supernaturally see into a day to discover what all of our words and actions might possibly lock up or, better yet, unlock for us, what then would we do with the today we have access to?
Years ago when my children were actually children rather than adults, I had several experiences that were similar to one another, as the Lord was teaching me a valuable lesson in how to walk in the prophetic gift and keep it in balance as He would have me to. (I'm still learning this same lesson from time to time, by the way.)
Several different times while out with my children within a group of friends, as we were walking about among the crowd, I would occasionally take a head count of my children's whereabouts just to make sure they were within a distance from me of which I was comfortable with. After several instances of scanning the area and vocalizing, "Where is _______? I can't see him/her!", I felt a bit foolish when the person next to me had pointed out that the particular child I was in search of was in fact standing right in front of me. All along I had been looking over and above their head in search of them. After a period of this occurring with such frequency, I then decided it was time to ask the Lord what in the world was going on with me! . How could I not see them when all along they were literally right in front of my face? He told me, it was a lesson for me to learn about becoming too focused on the prophetic promises-yet to come- and allowing them to be more dominant in my life than the blessings that were right in front of me at the time. I needed to learn how to be excited and expectant about what He had shown is in the future for me, while also being able to live fully present and enjoying all the blessings and fullness of the day and season that I was actually in.
The present is the gift of today. The past is all used up, it no longer exists, and the future has not yet arrived within our grasp. Trying to keep the past as if it still exists is like trying to stay filled up from a meal you ate last week. In the same way, refusing to eat today's meal because you know that next week an even more scrumptious meal will be prepared for you, surely does not do anything for your appetite and nourishment being filled this week. Wisdom is in eating each meal within the day it was prepared for. Isn't that the lesson of the manna we read about in Exodus 16? Be excited and expectant of what the Lord is moving us into, while still rejoicing and living fully in the blessings of today!
I'd like to point out a balance in discerning when to look over and above and when not to. When we are living our life that the Lord has gifted us with, it is His good pleasure that we are grateful in what we've been given and enjoy each moment of everyday, as well as the people He's placed us with throughout each season of our life. That's living in the fullness of everyday and making the most of everything we have with a grateful heart. It's not a bad thing obviously, to be excited about what we perceive is ahead for us, in fact within balance, it's very good! He wants us to be hopeful about the future He's bringing to us. In the same manner, He doesn't want us to continuously be focused on something ahead of us, that we cannot keep focus on the treasures of the present season. Over-focusing on the future can oftentimes tempt us to resent where we are in this present time, which in turn results in us ceasing to give thanks for today's blessings.
On the other hand, when speaking about trials and the attacks from the enemy we all encounter from time to time; THOSE are the times that call for looking over and above our present situation and having vision to see the victory ahead. We can then allow the future promises to take hold of our vision to strengthen us with hope and faith. Therefore, we then have the ability to rejoice through the face of our trial, giving thanks for what is yet to be as if we are living in the full manifestation of it already.
So where's the balance? Be joyful, hopeful and full of expectations of all what God is bringing to you in the future, while still fully seeing and living in the blessings of the present day. Knowing that every trial and battle is merely temporary.
I've been hearing over and over the Lord speak into my spirit, "Behold, I make all things new. (Revelation 21:5) It's a new day, a new beginning, old things are gone and the new has come!"
The Lord spoke to me about this shift many of us are sensing in a very real way within our spirit is likened as if we are being birthed once again. Birthed into a newness of life, as if He's personally giving us a"makeover" (the act or process of making changes to improve the appearance or effectiveness of someone or something.) He indeed is giving us a makeover! A makeover in our lives, in our ministries, in the ways we go about our daily business, in our gifts and talents, in our finances; in such a way that it may feel to many of us that we've been born again into a whole new, wonderful life in the natural, as well as our spiritual walk with the Holy Spirit.
Earlier this week as the Lord was speaking to me about this, He instructed me to clear everything off of my website - every teaching, every prophetic word! I have to admit, there was a moment of nervousness. There had been alot of time, both in years of receiving these things, as well as hours of posting them onto the website. As I pressed into Him more-so and proceeded to do as He instructed, I found that it actually wasn't as difficult of an emotional task to do as what I thought it might have been. In fact, it became exciting as He assured me, this season we are entering into is so much better than what we are leaving behind.
In order to receive the new, we must allow Him to empty out what is old and no longer anointed for this season we are now entering into.
"No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. Nor do they put new wine into old wine skins, or else the wine skins break, the wine is spilled, and the wine skins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wine skins, and both are preserved." Matthew 9:16-17
There is no need to strive or stretch to look above and beyond this present day. This newness, this clean slate, this makeover is upon us. It is happening by His spirit, not by our own might and exertions. Yes, we must be obedient as He instructs us to move or act upon an opportunity, or to make changes to an already existing routine perhaps, but our portion in this makeover is to keep our focus on Him as we should always do, and to rejoice in the day and blessings at hand. Rest in Him and let our joy overflow in the blessings of the here and now. Just as if we are seated in the chair of a professional make-up artist, allowing the artist to do their artistic talent upon us, needing only to turn to the right or the left as instructed. It is at this time, much the same with allowing the Father to do His creativity in our lives. Be seated in His chair and rest in His ability. Our Father will do it! In fact, He is doing it!
It's a new day....a new beginning.....a new opportunity.........a new perspective.......new hope........a new season.......a new chance to; ~~~ love more deeply, forgive much faster, appreciate the moments in life with more gratefulness, recognize the blessings at hand before us, live life more abundantly, and praise more outrageously than ever before about what the Lord is doing in this day - in us; through us; for us!
'This' is THE DAY the Lord has made - FOR US! A true gift indeed - a gift of another day of life! Enjoy it to the fullest and make the best of every moment! Be blessed and be a blessing ~ even if it's simply with a smile to someone who needs it.
"This is the very day God brought about, let's celebrate and be festive!" Psalm 118:24
What are we waiting for? Are we spending life waiting for that 'someday' to come around? Today IS someday! Today IS the day....TODAY we are alive....today is the day the Lord has given to us to seize and enjoy!
The word tells us that living a life of joy is not only a testimony to those around us but it's also healthy for us. Jesus came to give us abundant life, in eternity and here on earth as well. It's ours for the taking, but we must be intentionally seeking it out every day. LET'S LIVE EVERYDAY LIKE WE'RE FULLY ALIVE!
Don't be afraid to let loose of whatever it may be that the Lord is asking you to. He will not leave you empty handed, when you let it go, He will replace whatever it was with something better and more fulfilling and tailor-made for you at this time in your life.
Lord, let us be made ready - as new wine skins, emptied out, ready to receive and be filled with the new wine of Your choosing!
Amen!
RSS Feed