Settling in the Spirit

Learning to live by faith is a journey. It is a process. You do not become a believer and heart and soul lover of Jesus and poof...become spiritually mature. You also don't JUST attend church and...poof find yourself full of faith. Learning to live in faith is like navigating in your home when it is completely dark. The first time you took a step in your new home, in the dark, you were very tentative. You took small steps and eased through and around obstacles. Sometimes you avoided the obstacle and sometimes you broke your toe. Another night comes, you wake up, and you have a choice. You can just stay in bed (and probably be miserable because the whole reason you are awake is because you need to pee), or you can get up and do what you are feeling led to do. After several late night ventures, you can probably walk around your home in the dark at a normal pace. Eventually, it does not matter if it is day or night, you are so familiar in your surroundings and trusting of where the obstacles are and how to avoid them, you can move around just as well in the night as you do in the day.

Faith is the same way. In the beginning of your journey, you receive a lot of information in your head...who Jesus is, how He lived, why He died. That info, because it came to you from God's Word, begins to seep into your heart and change you. As the change begins, the Holy Spirit, the one Jesus left behind to be our helper, begins to lead. At first, you are careful...unsure...wanting to believe but not sure someone hasn't moved an end table on you. But God is faithful, true, loving, and patient. He gives you signs. He affirms your faith steps. He gives you results that are answers and assurances and proof that He is here...right here...right now.

As your faith grows and you begin to be comfortable in your walk, you settle in the Spirit. Questions are replaced by acceptance and thinking is replaced by believing. You can be content, be joyful, be full of praise and worship to the Father because He is present...oh so present. He is our loving Father who created us and gave us a way to relationship with Him. He gave us Jesus to walk in truth in a form we can see and relate to. He left us the Holy Spirit to fill us with peace, love, mercy, grace, and be the guide we need.

The key to settling in the Spirit is His Word. You can own your dream car...shiny,polished,and with an engine that purrs. But it won't do anything without the key. Same thing with your life of faith. It begins when the Word comes alive in You. As the verses wrap themselves around your very DNA, your faith engine begins. Have faith. Stay the course of the Word. It will lead to the ride of your life. Along the way you will settle, cruise, steer with one finger. The Spirit is..can be...behind the wheel. Settle in. Enjoy the ride!

Living in Faith

God is...well how do we describe God? God is a higher power, a force, the unseen, grace, mercy...God is love.

To really live in faith you have to get out of your head and live from your heart and soul. Your mind, while powerful and fascinating, is all about limits. Your mind is your pause and rewind button, but real living doesn't come from shutting down or living in yesterday.

What does living in faith really mean? It means that you believe (and live as you believe) God can alter your world...your life. Living in faith is all about knowing that the chain, or should I say crash, of events that is called free will can be changed by the hand of God. Have you ever forgiven? Have you ever loved? Have you ever been delievered? Have you ever been healed? Have you ever been rescued? Have you ever been saved? Have you ever seen a situation turn around? If you are living in faith, well you have said yes to these questions.

Oh, we say God is good and He has plans to prosper us, but do we live like it? In the face of trouble, do we take a deep breath, kick back and relax and say, "This one's all on you God"? God moves on behalf of HIS people...notice I didn't say people...I said His people...those of us who are walking with Him in obedience. Now keep in mind anyone can have that personal relationship with God, but some reject it. God knows those who truly love Him and live for Him, and God will absolutely move mountains for you, friend.

I never really understood the mustard seed verse until I started to understand faith (and I'm at the tip of the mountain {pardon the pun LOL} when it comes to faith). I always read that passage and thought Jesus was telling them they didn't have enough belief {head/mind} to unleash the kind of super-natural power it takes to move mountains. Sometimes I even wondered if the "move mountains" was not just a figure of  speech.

No. no, no. Having faith to move mountains comes straight from the heart and soul. If I am living for God...if I am living to love Him and love others, if I am living out of the same love and example Jesus set...you better believe God is going to move every mountain in my way. When I say every mountain, I mean every mountain...struggles, hardships, hangups, people, and the Himalayas if they are in my way to becoming more mature in faith. I have a message for God, from God, and He will change life to let me express it. He'll change life because He loves us.

Now I want you to really think and pray abount faith, because as you get some holy revelation, it ought to change how you're living life. Fear and anxiety? No need. Despair? No way. That I can't do it mentality? God never wanted you to...He wants to do it through you.

What are you believing God for? I don't mean...what are you praying for, holding your breath, and then letting your mind come up with Plan B. I mean what do you want in life that will allow you to live with the blessings God wanted for you all along? Ask it. Believe it. Start living your life like you will receive it.

Nowhere does it say Christianity is boring or quiet. Yes, we do have heaven to look forward to. But, I'm going to live for some of my blessings right now...today...right in the middle of this crazy world I'm going to have a holy party.

Sound lovely? It is!