Moving from the familiar to the spectacular!

Heaven wants to move us from the familiar to the spectacular!

The Holy Spirit wants to lead us, grow us and equip us with courage so that we can learn to live outside the boat! We are living in an age that’s preparing for the return of the Lord.

^‘Dear children, the last hour is here.’ 1John 2:18

 In Matthew 24:4-14 Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many.  And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world.  But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.

Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other.  And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold.  But the one who endures to the end will be saved.  And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come."

God’s giving us a heads up, so that we won’t be frightened, or taken by surprise.

Our house, [self] won’t stand if it’s built on the traditions of man or the lies that the enemy would have us believe about ourselves! Our foundations must be rooted in the word of God!

"The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.” Isaiah 40:8   

Jesus spoke these words in Matthew 7:24-27 “These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit—but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock.

“But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards.”

We can all desire to be comfortable and stay in the safety of what we know or our church experience. Staying in the safety of the boat rather than walking on the water. The familiar is somehow comfortable and safe!

The familiar can also destroy you! What’s familiar to me will probably be totally different to yours.

Familiarisation: dictionary definition - "Is the process or act of making oneself or someone else acquainted, conversant, or well-informed with a particular subject, environment, or skill. It involves learning, adapting, or undergoing training to gain knowledge and comfort with new information, policies, or equipment."  We are so good at this in the natural realm. Studying for an exam, learning a new skill, hobby, etc.

In a biblical context, "familiarisation" (or familiarity) is generally understood in two contrasting ways: as a deep, intimate knowledge of God and His Word, or as a dangerous complacency that leads to spiritual blindness. 

What is familiar to you? Or what are you being tempted to believe about yourself?

Negative thoughts about yourself? Maybe you see yourself through God’s eyes, great.

Condemnation, sickness, doubts, fear, anxiety, worry, self-hatred, insecurity, unforgiveness, stress, your past! You might have overcome some of those area’s but doubt that you have an anointing, doubt that you have anything to offer, get tongue tied, disqualify yourself etc.

The devil wants to destabilise the church, that’s me and you. If he captures our attention and keeps it on what’s happening in the news, You Tube, for example, or keeps us captive to our past and undermines how we see ourselves we can lose our confidence and boldness and feel uncertain and open the door to doubt and unbelief.

For some the Holy Spirit wants to restore your boldness and confidence and for others to increase it. Sometimes we forget who we are in Jesus! We need to be reminded of truth.  

“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32

Psalm 139 shows us how amazingly wonderful we are. It reinforces Genesis 1:26

It’s still plan A!

He knows every movement of your heart and soul,

He understands your every thought before it even enters your mind.

He is intimately aware of you.

He reads your heart like an open book.

He’s gone into your future to prepare the way.

He follows behind you to spare you harm from your past.

His understanding of you brings you wonder and strength.

He will guide you wherever you go.

His strength will empower you.

He formed your innermost being.

He made you so mysteriously complex!

He thoroughly knows you.

He shaped you from nothing to something.

He saw who he created you to be before you became you!

He thinks about you every single moment.

He constantly cherishes you.

He constantly thinks about you.

His desire toward you are more than the grains of sand on every shore!

He is with you when you awake each morning.

Will we allow his invitation to search and gaze into our hearts. To examine us through and through; to find out everything that may be hidden within us. To put us to the test and sift through all our anxious cares. To see if there is any path of pain we are walking on, and then to lead us back to His glorious, everlasting way— the path that brings us back to Him.”

If some of truths of this psalm are bouncing off your heart, then the lie or lies you’re believing has roots in wounding from probably your childhood!

Fruit to root! There will be a pattern of behaviour.

We can all be nervous or anxious starting something new; however, I’m talking about a pattern of behaviour, you know it’s illogical and unbiblical, but you fall into it every time.

There will be pockets in all our hearts that will surface at some point. When they do, I know that God is revealing to us, that they are ripe for healing. His timing is perfect.

We don’t have to go digging into our hearts. As they rise to the surface, we can trust the Holy Spirit that this is the fulfilment of, him following behind you to spare you harm from your past!

God wants us to have a prosperous soul. The moment we become born again, our spirit is made new, our soul must be renewed so our bodies can be healthy!

‘May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together—spirit, soul, and body—and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ. The One who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he’ll do it!’ 1Thessalonians 5:3 Message

Chris Finn