WORKING FOR GOD NEVER takes the place of spending time with God. A hard lesson for me to learn, but healing is only found in His presence. It is easy to work hard for the Lord and stay busy working; it temporarily gets your mind off your problems and struggles. However when you stop working it’s just YOU- and you have not allowed the Holy Spirit to work in you to begin changing your mindset which in turn changes your thinking and eventually changes your character.
Scriptural history records that before Paul began his ministry, he spent approximately 3 years alone “not conferring with flesh and blood”, just seeking God and allowing the Lord to minister to him. I imagine Paul needed a lot of healing.
Think about it for a minute. Paul was a murderer of Christians. He terrorized the church and dragged men and women to prison, separating homes and families. Then the Lord showered Paul with His grace and mercy. Paul was blinded and then given his sight back. He found redemption in the One he was terrorizing. Most know the story of Paul’s road to Damascus.
“As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” Acts 9:3-5
Just a side note: it is interesting to me that Jesus tells Paul that the whole time Paul was terrorizing and persecuting the church, he was really persecuting Him. This should be a warning to all of us how we treat and talk about God’s holy church. I don’t have any respect for anyone who denigrates the church. Back to today’s word:
HEALING IS ONLY FOUND IN TOUCHING THE MASTER’S ROBE.
“And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.”
Matthew 9:20-22
“And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.” Matthew 14:35-36
Working for Him never takes the place of spending time with Him. Just ask the church in Ephesus. There is no amount of work that will completely take your mind away from your pain and struggle, it’s only in the perfect, peaceful presence of Jesus where you will be made whole. Yet some won’t sit still long enough. They run around like a chicken with their head cut off, running everywhere else instead of to the Master’s feet. Then you bleed on everyone else. Just touch the hem of His garment.
To be made whole, you need to spend time with the Master on a daily basis. “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” To be made whole you must renew your mind to His Word and believe what He says is true. You must appropriate the blood of Christ, including His grace and forgiveness. This is not always easy for those of us with a sordid past. Sit still. Otherwise, you will find yourself living in the land of yo-yo Christianity, you are up and down, in and out; never realizing the fullness of the cross and never being made perfectly well. You will be led by your emotions and not the Holy Spirit.
Paul would never have done great for the kingdom if he held onto his past. He put it under the blood and there he left it. All things, all trauma, all heartache, all brokenness can be overcome. But will you sit still long enough to be made whole?
To Learn More About Pastor Crystal please visit the Leadership Page
