WHEN GOD ASKS THE HARD THING

John 6:60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying, who can understand it?”

“I want a Word from the Lord.” Deep inside all of us is a hunger to hear God “speak.”  We need to hear Him for guidance, direction, revelation or just to know that He is still there…We need a Word from the Lord.

God still speaks through Prophets; men and women that have a special call and through much communication with God have trained their ears and heart to hear His voice.  There are actual “schools” that “teach” you to hear from God and they all sit around just waiting for God to speak to them.  Many of these “Prophets” have a following of people that just hang around those waiting so they can hear a second-hand account of what God is speaking.

Now before you get all outraged and self-righteous, let me assure you I believe in Prophets and I believe that there are times God speaks a Word of encouragement, edification and even correction through called Men and Women.  BUT…I also believe that God speaks His Word to every Spirit-filled Man and Woman who is seeking His Presence.

When a trusted brother or sister comes with a Word from the Lord especially for us, we rejoice and our heart is filled with gladness when that Word assures us of God’s love, that we are exactly where God wants us to be and that He has “great plans” for us.  We love to hear promises of “we have a hope and a future,” “we are the head and not the tail,” and “we are about to be blessed in the city and in the field, BUT…what about the times that God asks the “HARD THING?” What about the times God doesn’t have a word that feeds our flesh because He is more concerned with feeding our spirit?

Matthew 19:22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

Matthew gives us the account of a rich young ruler that came seeking a “Word” from Jesus.  His question, “What good thing can I do to inherit eternal life?”  Jesus began to speak; the flesh of the young man rejoiced and his head expanded as he mentally checked the things Jesus was saying, off his list.  Keep the commandments…CHECK.  don’t murder…CHECK; don’t commit adultery…CHECK; don’t bear false witness…CHECK; honor your father and mother…CHECK; love your neighbor as yourself…CHECK AND CHECK!  “Feeling good, Jesus, I’ve done all that since my youth.” 

Then Jesus asks the “HARD THING”… “Sell all you have, give it to the poor and come follow me.”  WHOA….WAIT JUST A MINUTE!!!  What about the nice vacation I had planned?  Surely you didn’t mean my kid’s college fund.  I worked hard for this beautiful home and the car, well it is the envy of the neighborhood.  I’ve kept all the law, “religiously,” isn’t that enough?  The Bible tells us that when Jesus asked the “HARD THING,” the young man went away sorrowfully.

Are you still sure you want to hear a “WORD FROM THE LORD?”  Are you prepared to hear the “HARD THING” that God may ask of you?  It will not feed your flesh and sometimes may actually hurt your pride.  It will not elevate you in the eyes of man but it will bring Glory to God.  There WILL BE sacrifice and the reward may not be exactly what you expected…

But your spirit will soar as you reap the harvest God has sown through you.  Your faith will expand exponentially because the “HARD THINGS” will prove that “GOD IS ENOUGH.”  The anointing realized through the “HARD THINGS” will take you places you never envisioned.  You will speak words that are not of your own thinking and you will accomplish Kingdom work that only you could accomplish for Him.

When God asks the “HARD THING,” I want to submit…I want to trust….I want to say, “Here am I, send me.”  I desire a Word from the Lord.

GO ON A LITTLE FARTHER

Genesis 22:5 Stay here with the donkey, Abraham told the servants.  “The boy and I will travel A LITTLE FARTHER.  We will worship there, then we will come right back. (NLT)

Early this morning, I had a dream.  I cannot remember all the details of the dream but the words, “GO A LITTLE FARTHER,” were dropped into my spirit. 

Genesis 22 relays the story of Abraham’s trek up the mountain, with his son Isaac, to offer sacrifice.  It wasn’t unusual for Abraham to offer sacrifice; he was a man of great faith and worshipped often.  But this time it was different, the sacrifice was to be his “only” son, the son of promise.

How heavy his heart must have felt. Every step became more laborious than the next because every step brought him closer to obeying God’s command.  His thoughts were going crazy…“God I can’t do this.” “Not my will but yours.” “What will I tell Isaac?”  “Nevertheless, I will trust in You.”

Then Isaac asks the question…

Genesis 22:7 But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am my son.”  Then he said, “Look the fire and the wood, but WHERE IS THE LAMB for a burnt offering?” (NKJV)

There it was, the hard question…Abraham could have stopped right there and said, “You’re right, let’s go hunting.” But no, his next statement is not only prophetic but it was at that point Abraham PASSED THE TEST; it was at that point he WENT ON A LITTLE FARTHER.

Genesis 22:8 And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.(NKJV)

God has asked you to do some of the “hard things.”  You’ve said, “Yes, Lord, here I am” but now you’ve come to the mountain.  You look around as you prepare to climb…Here’s the wood, you are carrying the fire, the knife is sharp and the sacrifice…The sacrifice…God really asks that of me?  Your thoughts run wild as you try to make sense of it all.  The mountain is tall and your legs are already weary. The tears flow as you take the first step.

How many times have we come to the “mountain” and we stop…the climb is too hard and the cost is too great. But this time, God says, “GO ON A LITTLE FARTHER.  It may seem that it is just you and Isaac climbing up this mountain but I am leading you into your promise.”  God knows you have what it takes to obey, now He wants to show you His Greatness; His faithfulness, but you have to “GO A LITTLE FARTHER.”

Don’t give up, yes the mountain is high; yes the task is great but GO ON A LITTLE FARTHER, God has a “lamb caught in the thicket.”

I'M WORN OUT

Daniel 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the Most High and shall WEAR OUT THE SAINTS of the Most High and think to change times and laws…

“I am so tired.” “I have no energy.” “Sometimes, life is such a struggle.”  “I just can’t face people today.”  Have you ever felt like this; ever said these words?  I have.  Sometimes life can be exhausting.

We returned home after a weekend conference, to which I wavered back and forth in even making the decision to go…I was tired, depressed….exhausted.  Of course, I am so thankful that I chose to go because the best antidote to exhaustion is spending time in the Presence of the Lord, hearing the Word of the Lord and fellowshipping with God’s people.

In the course of Friday night’s sermon, the preacher said, “he’s wearing out the saints.”  It spoke to my spirit, “You are not really exhausted, Satan is messing with your mind, your world and everything in it to WEAR YOU OUT! “

WE ARE IN A SPIRITUAL BATTLE LIKE NEVER BEFORE AND THE SAINTS ARE GROWING WEARY.

Remembering back to church as a child, I know life wasn’t easy for some of the people in the congregation but I felt their joy; I felt their faith.  I remember Old Brother Johnson, from Sweden.  He would stand to testify and usually it was the same testimony, in fact 50 years later, I can quote some of it.  As his heavily accented voice spoke, tears would run down his cheeks in gratitude to his Savior….I FELT HIS FAITH.

We didn’t have a Praise and Worship Team, we had Sister Frieda.  As her rich voice lead the church in a selection from the hymnal, the Spirit would fall.  I can still see her hands raised toward Heaven, her head thrown back, as she laughed for joy in the Spirit.  We didn’t need a band or lights or graphics on the screen, we had Sister Frieda and I FELT HER FAITH.

Today, we drag ourselves out of bed and into church because it is Sunday.  We sing a song or two, give an offering, hear a brief sermon and leave the same way we came, WORN OUT!  We are praying there is enough “gas in the tank” to last until the next Sunday because the reserves were depleted long ago. 

We had the latest Praise and Worship song on the screen, the music was just right, I paid my tithes, I heard some words, I checked this weekly obligation of my list, BUT….NO ONE FELT MY FAITH…because…I AM WORN OUT.

I NEED REVIVAL!!!  WHAT IS THE ANSWER?

Isaiah 28:11-12 For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people.  To whom He said, “THIS IS THE REST with which you may cause the weary to rest,” and THIS IS THE REFRESHING;” yet they would not hear.

LISTEN TO THE WORD OF THE LORD…THE ANSWER….THE SOLUTION TO YOUR DEPLETED RESERVES…THE REST YOU NEED IS A FILL UP OF THE HOLY GHOST.

The only way to fight spiritually is to use Spiritual Weapons…and the only way to keep your Spiritual Weapons in “fighting shape” is to spend time allowing the Holy Spirit to clean and sharpen them.

Take time today, RIGHT NOW, your spiritual life depends on it…spend the necessary time in the Presence of the Lord.  Let the Holy Spirit wash over you and fill you until it is overflowing into the reserves.  Don’t wait until Sunday, let the tears flow; throw back your head and let the joy spring forth in holy laughter. 

Take a 5 day dose of the Holy Ghost and I guarantee you that come Sunday Morning, the whole church will FEEL YOUR FAITH!!!