In Life We Learn...

In life we learn: fear is not failure. Even the most successful people feel fear. Failure is not failure. Failure isn’t what you think. Failure is the step you take before you have success. Fear is what stops you from taking steps. The enemy is not fear. The enemy is not starting. The enemy is letting fear hold you back.

When fear holds you back you become angry, agitated and frustrated. Small things get under your skin, because you know you want to move forward but don’t seem to be able to. It feels to the one afraid, like others can do it but not us, as our fears appear to be brakes, squeezing our lives to a standstill. 

I heard it said once: When you have infirmity (illness, poverty, addiction, paralysing fears, etc.) it’s hard for you to do what others do easily. Having said that, this is not a green pass for you not to try. In life we need to ‘feel the fear and do it anyway,’ to use a phrase of the late Susan Jeffers.

The bible says: For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Tim 1:7) Now this is a fine verse to quote, but it won’t help you. It won’t help you, if you don’t believe it. Head knowledge is fine, but it’s of no use unless it goes down into your heart.

Let me give you an example.

Perhaps you were adopted and you may have been adopted by very loving people, however you might still feel rejected. Because you feel rejected, you think no one wants you, even though you were adopted by very loving people. 

Now you carry a chip on your shoulder and soon you see your friends rejecting you. As you grow into adulthood, you find relationships hard to maintain. You start to push people away, before they hurt you. Going into relationships, in the back of your mind, you’re already seeing the relationship fail. 

One day you hear the fault lies within your thinking. You’re a nice person, but you emit an aura of rejection. You expect rejection. You eventually come to the end of yourself and you turn to God. God tells you He loves you, but you don’t believe it. 

Finally, you come to the conclusion, God loves everyone – except me. That’s your rational thinking at work. You read your bible. Intellectually you know God loves everyone, but because you internally think no once cares about you, that’s what’s reflected back at you. Intellectually you know God loves you, but it hasn’t yet infiltrated deeply into your heart.

As you delve further into your bible, little things begin to happen. God’s blessings start to arrive at your door. You begin to make new friends. You start to think you can have relationships and eventually your head space changes. Little by little, you see yourself as worthy of friendships and healthy relationships and now the truth of God’s word is starting to pierce into the very fabric of your heart.

Distortional thinking comes in many forms. In the above instance, it’s about relationships. It could also be about finances, health, success, ability, even to the degree of gaining or losing weight. If what we think about is what we bring about, then how we view ourselves, is what’s reflected in our lives.

The power is in the tongue, so the bible says. For what you think about is what you talk about. If you find yourself saying you only have to look at a cake and you put weight on. Or I can eat anything and not put weight on, both are right, for both are going to be reflected in your life depending upon your view point. 

You will be overweight, or underweight, depending on what you tell yourself and those around you. You will be rich or poor, depending on what you tell yourself and those around you. You will have great relationships, or terrible, depending on what you tell yourself and those around you. 

Speak only good things about yourself and say these things to those around you and that’s what will be reflected in your life. This is the power the tongue holds. The bible tells us, the power is in the tongue. Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Such a little thing, but with large consequences.

The key to happiness is in our own hands, no one else’s. It’s in how we view things and what we say. We can’t rely on others, when it comes to happiness. The atmosphere around you changes, according to the atmosphere within you.

It’s not always easy to cultivate an atmosphere of wholesome mental growth. We can’t do it in our own strength and this is where bible study and a love of Jesus comes to the fore. God promises joy and favour on your life. God will show you favour, if you follow His Word, just as He showed it to me.

The bible explains that Mary was called ‘highly favoured’ by God. Why do you think that was?

Mary believed God, when He sent an angel to speak to her. 

Mary carried Jesus inside her.

Mary didn’t scoff or doubt, as Sarai and Abram did (Later, God changed their names to Sarah and Abraham – descendants to the lineage of Jesus), when God told them they would have a child in their old age.

Mary trusted Jesus and when trouble arose, Mary told the servants to; do whatever He (Jesus) tells you.

Mary knew shame! As a woman, pregnant out of wedlock, even though carrying God’s only Son, she knew many didn’t believe her story, the story of immaculate conception. 

Because Mary understood shame, Mary didn’t want the wedding hosts (Jesus performed His first miracle at this wedding, turning water into wine) to be shamed, by not having enough wine - a huge embarrassment, in that day and age.

Mary’s total trust in God, caused her to be highly favoured.

Mary also knew trouble. At one point her and Jesus’ brothers thought Jesus had lost his mind (Mark 3:21) and they went to get Him. She had to watch her Son die a criminal death, though He had done no wrong. She knew shame, knew that others didn’t believe her story of the immaculate conception. And yet God called her highly favoured. We all go through hardship, even the highly favoured of God.

We need to remember, we carry Jesus inside us, just as Mary did. We have the ability to hear God speak to us, just as Mary did. We know people don’t always believe our story, just as Mary knew. We know we don’t want others to go through what we’ve been through, just like Mary didn’t want the hosts of the wedding feast to feel the shame she’d been through. We are Mary’s story! And in spite of this, our total trust in God and our righteousness, is counted as favour. So, just like Mary, we have the favour of God!

God desires to manifest His favour in our lives, every day. Psalm 145:8 The Lord is gracious; meaning the Lord is favourable. The favour of God produces success for God’s people. 

There’s a connection between declaring favour on your life and seeing it in your life.  I wrote recently, in some notes from a bible teaching, that we need to decree God’s promises, to see God’s promises. 

When you pray and get a promise and not an answer, then your role has shifted into co labourer, where you make prophetic decrees, where the angels can’t move until you speak the word God has given you. We need to partner with God in Heaven, so the angels can carry out God’s will in our life, through the promises of God. 

When you acknowledge God’s favour, you get more favour. Just as when you value a gift, the gift giver is pleased. So too is God pleased, when we value what He gives us. That goes for angels as well. We get more in life, of what we value. If we value the work the angels are doing in our sphere, more angels will come.

Jacob talks about angels coming and going, when he sees a vision. This vision is known as the story of "Jacob’s Ladder.”

In my writings at one point I asked God, if I’m doing anything wrong, what do I need to do right, in order to receive my blessing? I’d waited so long, for the work of my hands to prosper (another promise, God’s given to His people) that I thought I must be doing something wrong.

The story of Jacob and the ladder came to mind. I’d been reading about it earlier in the week; how he saw the ladder going to Heaven, with angels ascending and descending. How he recognized that this must be Holy ground, made an alter and went on his merry way, only to come back 20 years later, to the same place and there he wrestled with a Man all night. Some texts say The Man was the word of God, Jesus come in the flesh. Others say it was an angel of the Lord.

My understanding of this story, was that a battle that was going on in Jacob’s mind, as he was in a difficult position, returning home to his brother, and that the Man was Jesus (or as some say, an angel), who did at times come to Earth in a fleshly body. I believe he was wrestling in mind and body at this time. Then the Man/angel just touched Jacob’s hip and it became dislocated, showing Jacob just how powerful He is and how He could have inflicted much more damage at any time through the night, but He held off. 

Jesus/angel said; ‘let Me go, for it is nearly light.’ Even though Jacob was in great pain, he refused to let Him go, until He blessed him. As this story unfolded in my vision, a verse came to mind; Matt 11:12 From the days of John the Baptist, until now, the kingdom of Heaven has suffered violence and the violent take it by force. 

In looking that up, the word violence has two meanings, just as the lion can mean king, or ferocious beast, violence can mean to inflict pain on another, or fervent and impetuous zeal. We’re asked to press in and grasp with eagre pursuit, not letting go, until the promised blessing is imparted and received. 

The bent and temper of the mind, must be altered (renewed), so that we do not quit in our pursuit, do not quit on the grip of the promise, without receiving the blessing. 

Many people are ignorant (without knowledge and understanding) of this blessing and they quit, when they don’t feel their promises are coming to pass. They are ignorant, because they refuse to learn. In keeping on, keeping on, I have continued to learn, in spite of having to wait so long. I’ve been through my ‘wilderness’ experience and come out the other side. And I continue to pray that the work of my hands prospers, until I see the promised blessing. 

I’ve known for a long time, that there’s more. I kept thinking it will manifest, if I just keep in God’s word, stay in His presence. We all hear about relationship, about having a “relationship” with God. But really, most of us don’t know what that is, or how to get there, how to achieve it. 

I know there’s more to this journey and I’ve desired more, for a long time. I thought because I read my bible every day, that it would come, even if it did come in small increments. And that’s true, but what I didn’t know and what it’s taken, is time; spending time with God. Spending time in fervent and impetuous zeal. 

Not just a ten-minute bible read, or an hour on Sunday, but spending hours and hours with God, as we go about our every-day living. For what we give honour to, is what will manifest in our lives. The more time we give to God, the more we honour God, the more His hand works in our life. Are you willing to put that kind of time in? That’s what brings the “more,” the increase. 

In putting in this kind of time, in seeking God (Matt 6:33 but “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.’), we form a relationship with God and this is where practicing the principles, nurturing our relationships with God, helps the promises of God come to pass in our life. At the same time, we’re not to seek for all we can get, but to seek out what we can give. The rest will follow.

As we gain knowledge, understanding and discernment, we hear more from God, make better decisions with God and have that connection, of bringing Heaven to Earth. If you stick with God, and spend time with Him, you will hear from Him and know what direction to take, when making difficult decisions.

The measure of Presence we hold, lies with us. If we truly want it, we’ll go after it with unabated passion.

I want to make a difference in my life and in the lives of those around me. We need to remember, life’s not in the big moments, but in all the little moments, which add up over time. It’s building block upon block, until the full image becomes apparent. 

One day, I put a photo on Facebook, with a little word - When your too small to do big things, try to do small things, with a big heart. My hope was it would inspire someone to action. If we all did one small thing to make a difference, how much better will the world be!

Each of us holds the key to happiness in our own hands. We can’t rely on others, when it comes to happiness. (Perhaps that too, should go on a photo.) The atmosphere around you changes, according to the atmosphere within you. 

Whether you’re depressed or happy, there’s an aura around you reflecting it. You may have heard it said, “You could cut the air with a knife, it was so thick.” That’s atmosphere. Possibly depression, or anger. A depressed person repels people, if it’s a heavy depression. Angry people repel people. After all, who wants to be around an angry person? A person with joyous atmosphere tends to have a lot of friends, because they bring a lightness into the world and that draws people to them. 

When we help inspire others, or lend a helping hand and do it with a smile, it not only helps the person, but it brings us joy – regardless of our own personal circumstances. If you’re not happy, try taking your mind off your own problems and help someone else with theirs. It becomes a soothing salve, when we do this. It brings a personal joy that we otherwise wouldn’t have. 

What we could do, if we’re depressed, is bring Heaven to Earth; asking God what He wants, ministering to God, just as Melchizedek did. (Melchizedek - priest of God Most High. Gen: 14-18) When we take our eyes off our own needs and minister to God, that’s what forms a relationship with Him. When you have that relationship, your needs are automatically met.

When you have a purpose, such as that of bringing Heaven to Earth, you’re emitting a light in the darkness. But any good purpose is good for souls. Visiting the sick, mowing the lawn of the elderly neighbour, perhaps minding someone’s child, who you feel needs a break. 

What you give out in the world, you get back, perhaps not in the same way, but in some measure. So you’re doing yourself a favour, when you help another. And occasionally, you just need to remind yourself, that it’s all going to be ok. Whatever you’re going through will end, it will get better. Sometimes, it just takes time, but eventually you will be on the other side of your concern. 

Reading my bible (and companion books) every day, I learned about the baptism of water, spirit, and fire. In water baptism, we have salvation; deliverance, restoration and liberation. The baptism of spirit, brings sanctification; blessings, anointing and ordination. And fire baptism, which is exhortation; encouragement, coaxing, and motivation.

Each step draws us closer to God. Each step is a spiritual battle, where we have to fight and push to keep going, but the rewards are well worth the effort. By the time we’ve gone through the fire, we’ve faced severe obstacles to our faith. It’s an intense heat, which burns off the chaff; where God is removing the dross, that we shall come forth as gold (Job 10: When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold). 

I know I’ve been through all three, the third being the most exciting (and frightening), for me anyway. In the baptism of fire, once one has gone through, it’s expected one is able to perform all duties effectively having demonstrated the mental, physical and emotional strength to survive. I feel the battle is now over, and I can move forward in life, with a greater anointing.

The Father is glorified, when we live with fulfilled dreams. The Father wants to illustrate His nature, through our dreams. He wants all the people of the world to see that He blesses His chosen people, in all that they undertake. For it’s in our blessings that other people see and want what we have and then they ask about our faith. As we answer their questions and speak about God, the Father is glorified. 

You, having your dreams fulfilled, glorifies the Father. But to get there, we need to seek first the kingdom. You dial into what’s on God’s heart and He’ll dial into what’s on yours. Fulfilled dreams are just a start, there’s much more to come and I’m so looking forward to seeing where the next step leads. 

Walk with Jesus all the time and the Holy Spirit will teach you all things. Pray in tongues, worship, read His word, go to church, listen to Christian messages, read Christian books and you will grow in favour. It will happen naturally and without effort. 

Jesus is the vine and you’re the branch. A vine has the living water. There’s no cut off, as in a tap. Even a small branch on a vine has life. Even a small branch will grow in time. Like a growing branch, which needs nothing more than water and sunshine, life will just flow. Abundant life! Isn’t that what we all want, abundant life? 

 

*Biblical quotes from the Holy Bible NKJV

Alexandra Grose - A photojournalist and author for over twenty years. Writing is her passion and her dream and helping others achieve their dreams, through her written work, is Alexandra's greatest aspiration. 

 

 

#Integrity; truthfulness, honesty and reliability, in all things.

I believe one should....be truthful in everything you say and do. Keep all relationships open and honest. Be reliable, punctual and organised and if you say you'll do it - do it. 

If you want to soar like an eagle, make an effort, not an excuse. 

 

alexandragrose@amazon.com