It is Pesach... Easter time, and for us as children of the King it is a time to be so thankful!
Yeshua overcame the tomb that was locked and sealed, as He walked through the sealed doors of death to talk to his disciples. They were downcast and full of fear after His crucifixion, just as discouraged as many of you are today. Walking through the locked doors of our hopeless situations may look impossible to us – but we serve the one and only God of Miracles. He wants to lift up His children, teach them to trust and obey, and give new vision in their hearts. He is walking through the impossibilities of your life, and commanding those locked doors to be opened. He will reveal Himself to you as the God makes a dry path through the sea this “Passover”.
See Jesus walking though those seemingly locked doors of your situation and saying: “Lift up your head, My beloved child. Forget the past, everything bad that happened to you, all your struggles, all your guilt... Come, put it down, and start trusting Me wholeheartedly. I came to give you life – choose life now so that you can live! (Deut 30:19, 20)
“All the negative thoughts, words and deeds can be nullified and replaced by My accomplished work on the cross.
“Why do you live like I did not pay the full price? It is done - all is done! This shows you My steadfast love and faithfulness. Don’t fear man – no, fear God! This life is only temporary, but My word will last forever!
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Matt. 10:28).
“Stand up now in My truth, and live your life according to My words. Forgive each other the same way that I forgave you. Stretch out your hand, and help the one struggling to stand up next to you. Don’t feel left out or forgotten, because I am alive! I want to bring you into a new life – and this new life will be life-giving to those around you.”
So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, "He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.” But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved. (Hebrews 10:35-39).
When we only focus on our situation, we become soulish and in that realm we are greatly exposed to the enemy’s attacks. Live in the spirit and not in the flesh (soul). Rather stay out of the save zone, and move into the faith zone, keeping your eyes fixed on the cross and the King - staying in His word and standing on His promises. Why is it that we all are so quick to look to the natural and to forget about what will last forever?
In the faith zone we learn from our Master and King to serve each other and to love each other. We can learn how to love from His example – the same way He loves us – unconditionally!
In die save zone, it is all about me, myself and I. Our motivation will always be about self in the end. James 3: 13-18 so clearly tells us that selfish ambitions is demonic!
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness (James 3:13-18)
Don’t look around and become anxious. The enemy has been divided and overcome; we just need to lead a righteous life in Christ. The enemy tries to hurt us, but if we keep holding on to Jesus, nothing can separate us from Him. All the enemy’s attacks will fade because he will have no grip on the anointing. Even if he tries and keeps on trying, we must just hold on, and keep on holding to Jesus – Who did a perfect work on the cross.
For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”(Heb. 13:5)
“It is a new season. A season of healing, restoration, freedom, and peace – shalom peace for My beloved! In your everyday life you will experience My peace and My love more than ever. Just trust Me and obey.
“Don’t look back on all the past mistakes and past disappointments. The enemy wants to bind you with your past – look in My eyes and see your redeemed future. There you will see the blood and the cross. Always go to the cross if you are lost.
“Remember that the only way to the FATHER is through Me, Jesus - the Messiah (John 14:6). And the only way to Me is through the Cross, and the only way to the Cross is if you deny yourself.”
Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it (Luke 9:23-24).
Now is the time to rid yourself from your old way of thinking, your old mindsets and your old attitudes. Especially your old ways of thinking about yourself – the way you see yourself, and in what things you find your identity. It is time to start living an abundant life, no more half measures! Take off that old bandage that you are trying to heal your hurts with! Receive what Christ did for you on the cross. You are healed body, soul, and spirit by the wounds that Jesus bore for you. Now take it, believe it, and profess it!
You cannot have it, without opening your heart to Jesus and receiving Him. Receive a new image of Christ as your identity – therein lies the heart of a true overcomer!
As you abide in His love, you will receive a new image of who you were created to be – an overcomer through Christ who strengthens you!
God gave us the promise that if we remain in Him, He remains in us; and in Him we will be able to overcome whatever storms we face in life. That is the only, and I mean only, way we will be able to stand in the midst of all these tests and trails.
The past is over and done with, don’t go back – choose today to trust and obey Jesus Christ our Messiah.
“What if I still see no change in my situation?” No, the change starts with you. Your attitude, your words, your deeds, your confessions. Faith starts with your words, and the rest Jesus will do for you. Remember, a small mustard seed can grow into a king among trees.
As a family we are still standing in faith and believing for Jesus to walk through the locked doors of our difficult situation any moment. The blood of the Lam is “reconstructing” all parts of your life. He will take care of us - for all the things we trust Him for. Remember, it is our faith that moves God, not our needs.
Every day we plant the Cross and the Blood of the Lamb between Aldo and his injury. I hold on so tightly to the blood of Jesus. That is all I have. Aldo woke up the other night and asked me, (still very confused after the operation), “Can you please give me communion, Mom?” I then realized again that the blood is what Jesus will offer to all his children in any situation. Do you receive His gift, His provision? Do you stand upon it? Boldly proclaim the goodness of God and what He has done for you, regardless of the situation you find yourself in, and that will strengthen your faith.
Most importantly – we need to trust in the fact that GOD will finish what He has started; He will fulfil all His promises to those who love Him. Remember:
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).
The challenge is not to look at the situation, but to shift our vision higher – to the Cross and the Blood, because there we will find our beloved Jesus Messiah.
I choose to trust in this faithful God, and because I know His heart I can obey Him without hesitation. God is God, and He will come through for His loved ones.
Through this process, I see how we as a family die to ourselves more and more every day, and through all this dying to self, I see something beautiful being formed. I see how we learn how to laugh through our tears, how we appreciate every ray of sunlight on our cheeks, how every moment spent together is precious. Together we learn with Aldo of all the “everyday things” of ordinary life that he still needs to adapt to. He is growing up so alone, separated from the outside world.
Aldo is busy recovering from the brain surgery he had last week to fix the malfunction with his shunt, so he is still a bit confused and off-balance at the moment. Being a bit unsteady on his feet, we helped him to a booth in a restaurant and on his way to his seat he saw a young boy and his girlfriend with their parents sitting at table close by. The boy was kissing and clinging to the girl, and Aldo kept on staring at them. All of us tried to distract his attention away from them, but the next moment he yelled to the boy: “You are completely too young to be on honeymoon yet!” Needles to say, they all stared at him, and all we could do was laugh, because Aldo doesn’t realize that it is not strange anymore to see young boys and girls kiss and cling to each other in public. We are still busy teaching him about “honeymoon”.
I am sure Abba is laughing with us, and I know Aldo is being kept set aside for the purpose and plan God has for him. No matter how difficult it sometime is for him to be so isolated from the world, I know God has a greater plan for all of us. We need to be a holy and acceptable sacrifice to the King.
May our King bless you in this Passover, with His love – pure love.
May you experience His love through this mantle of “grace” that He hangs over you.
Retha and the family.