Warriors Arise: October 19, 2020
John 21:20 (NKJV) Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?”
We do this all the time with God. Not just with God but with people as well. Things can get too deep or we do not want to answer a question we have been asked so we change the subject. Peter asks this off-the-wall question. Who even knows what he is talking about. Jesus is reaching out to Peter, removing the chains of bondage from his denial, restoring Peter to his calling to feed the lambs, tend the sheep, and feed the sheep, and then commands Peter to "Follow Me," Peter responded with this question: "Lord, who is the one who betrays You?" What kind of a question is that?
It is a question to defect. Things had gotten pretty intense with Jesus. He was having what I would call now-a-days, a God moment. Jesus was speaking to Peter, confronting Peter's sin, walking him through redemption, freeing him from the enemy's attack of guilt and shame, and restoring him to his God-given calling. This process of a God moment is intense, calling us to a life-change. At that moment, God created an opportunity for something that has been holding us back to be cut away from us and He pulls us up out of the muck and mire, sets our feet on the solid Rock of our destiny. It is like going through a spiritual surgery. God has come to give us a consultation on the sin that is causing us harm and keeping us from our destiny. As soon as we agree with our sin, choosing to confess it to God He will begin surgery removing our sin from within. With God we do not have to wait for a date to have surgery, at the consultation we can have the surgery if we can handle the heat.
Sometimes when God shows up for the consultation our the guilt, shame, and control of our sin begins to dig a little deeper into us. It tries to hold on tighter, like a hawks talons it will dig deeper into you the more you try to wiggle free. Guilt, shame, and sin want to hold on to you, control you, and clench life from you. When God shows up for a consultation, you have a choice.
First, God showing up for your consultation means He knows you are ready to be free from the sin you embraced and the guilt and shame you have entertained. Since God says you are ready, the best thing you can do is sit down and listen during your consultation. God will lead you through what you need in order for you to experience freedom from your sin, guilt and shame. Listening is the most difficult part.
While you are listening, your sin buries itself deep. You might even deny that you sinned, deny that it really was sin (i.e. "It was only a white lie." A lie is a lie no matter what color it was or how small it was), or we enter the blame game (i.e. "I wouldn't have done that if they hadn't said that.").
We can miss our moment of freedom:
We do not want to admit we sinned; therefore we do not think we need to hear God. Ultimately, we are calling God a liar, "How dare You convict me?" No one would ever say that to God. But when He is revealing our sin and we refuse to acknowledge it, we are calling Him a liar.
We will not silence guilt and shame so we can hear God. We wallow in our guilt and shame, sometimes even embracing it because we refuse to believe God has placed value on us. We allow the guilt and shame to tell us what a wretch we are, that we will never be who God says we will be, we will never accomplish what God has said we could accomplish; therefore, why even try. Again, this positions us to call God a liar. You have a choice to make. Who will you believe? God or the devil. If God, then get rid of the guilt and shame and be who God says you are. You may have to tell the enemy to go every day. You may have to tell guilt, "Shut up" and shame "Not another word."
We think we can get rid of our sin without repentance; therefore, we see God's presence and consultation as options. His way as one way to get rid of the sin in our life but we miss seeing His way is the only way to get rid of sin in our life. Just because you stop sinning doesn't mean that you are forgiven, your relationship with God is still out of line until you repent for your sin. Yes, you can stop sinning on your own, but until you repent your relationship with God is not in sync.
It is easy to feel the presence of God ministering to us. Things get quiet. The consultation begins. We have a decision to make when God asks, "Are you ready for surgery? Are you ready to remove the affects of the sin in your life?" Keep in mind when you repent your sin is gone but the affects of your sin still remain. This is why some do not understand why they do not feel completely whole after repenting. They still struggle with guilt and shame. They hold on to the fact that they sinned. Repenting removed the sin but how long have you been denying that you sinned? How long have you been blaming others for your sin? How long have you been trying to get rid of the sin with out repenting to God? The length of time determine the depth of the affects.
Peter's sin had been hanging on him for about two weeks. They get to the need of the surgery and Peter breaks his God-moment with Jesus when he turns around to look to see who is following them, watching them, hearing what they are saying. This distraction breaks the God-moment he and Jesus are having. Most of us in a God-moment, like Peter, do not want anyone else to watch us or hear what God is saying to us. What God says is personal. It is intimate. We are vulnerable at that moment. If the enemy can't see us from going through with the surgery he will try to sabotage it with our concerns of who might be watching or hearing what God is saying to us. Peter turns around to look. This distraction, concern with who others will think, is a battle we all must conquer in order to be free from our sin.
Peter doesn't just look away from Jesus, avoid answering the command Jesus had given him but he asks an over-the-wall question. Have you ever changed the subject when someone else comes around? You were sharing something vulnerable with someone and another person shows up. You don't want them to know what you were talking about so you ask an over-the-wall question or change the topic. Peter was not ready for anyone to know what he and Jesus were talking about. He needed to commit to Jesus' command, "Follow Me." So close but when he looked away, he didn't answer the call.
Father, I ask for You to come. I am seeking to meet with You. It is time for my consultation. I place myself before You. I have repented of my sins, but I am not sure that I have allowed You to complete surgery, removing the affects of my sin. Guilt and shame continue to dig their talons into me. I want to live in the freedom Jesus died to give me. When the surgery begins I ask that I not be distracted in any way. I want my focus to be on You. I want to get rid of the affects of my sin. I pray for the people in America who have aligned themselves with the lies of the enemy. I pray for each one to know the truth and be set free. I pray for healing, emotionally, physically, and spiritually for those who have had an abortion. I ask for You to extend Your kindness to them, wrap them in You love and remove the guilt and shame of their decision. I pray for each doctor, nurse and administrator who was involved in any type of abortion to know Your kindness which leads them to repentance. We can put in to law for no more abortions to be legal, but that doesn't mean people will stop having them or taking the lives of the unborn. We need You to pour your kindness over each one, which leads to repentance. We need each one to see You and Your purpose for the babies conceived. I am asking for each one to not only stop aborting babies, but to turn their lives over to You. I pray they will turn completely around, share with others and lead others to be free. I pray they will put their abilities into saving lives of the unborn. I pray they will put their effort into investing in children, the establishment of two parent homes, and the well-being of the children. I am asking for a miracle. Just as Jonah preached the destruction of Neneviah and the people turned from their wickedness, I am asking for those who are involved on every level of aborting babies to hear the word of the Lord and turn from their wicked ways in Jesus' name amen.
A Warrior in the Lord’s Army,
Veridee Joy
My hope is for Believers in Jesus Christ to join together each day to pray, to push back the enemy as we release God’s power here on earth against the coronavirus, riots, and lies. The prayers will be listed each day as Warriors Arise. I will put a date with it so we can keep them straight. If you have any questions please feel free to make a comment or private message me. If you would like this to come to your email directly please go to verideehand.com and subscribe.
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