Divine Reset

I love this verse.

To talk about Divine Reset, lets look at this verse. God was talking to Joshua, but this is a good reminder for you too!

Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV
The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

 
It’s hard not to be afraid when everything around you feels so dark (Dark sickness, Dark loneliness, Dark uncertainty).

What do you do when it’s dark?

How do we navigate through all this uncertainty?
I sorta feel like I did one time when I went duck hunting with my son, Jason. He was going duck hunting; I was going to experience the adventure.  What I didn’t know is that in order to get to the duck blind, we would have to walk about a mile trail up and down some pretty step hills and we would have to do it in the dark.

He knew it would be dark, so it brought one of those flashlights that straps to his head so he could carry his gear instead of worrying about a flashlight. But I didn’t know I would need a light so I stumbled along behind him, trying my best to keep up. I could see a faint shadowy outline from his flashlight, but it wasn’t much.

I could hear the sound of a stream running beside us as we climbed a steep hill that gradual descended and then rose again. The sound of water tumbling and crashing over rocks is something I love, but not that morning. It sounded too close for comfort; I didn’t want to go swimming on that cold, cold day.

I could feel sweetgum seed balls under my feet and knew the hazard they posed as I hurried to keep up with Jason. If you’ve ever walked through the woods in North Carolina in Fall you know what that’s like. Sorta like trying to walk on marbles…OK not that bad, but bad enough. It funny how heightened your senses and your emotions are when you can’t see where you are going. Jason was on a mission; arrive at the duck blind before daylight so when the ducks flew out for breakfast, he would be in position to bag a trophy.

My mission was to follow him.

I hurried behind, trying to talk to him so I could follow not only the shadow that loomed farther and farther away, but his voice.
We do the very same thing when we are facing dark, dark problems and changes, when it’s dark you follow the light that you have and His voice. What promises from God’s Word are gripping? (I had to check my spelling gripping and griping are so similar, but produce opposite results!) What has God said to you in the past?

But I get it…honestly, I totally understand how scary it can be to not know what to do when it feels like everything has suddenly changed… but hold on… look up! When everything is dark look up and see the stars.

Or can you?
 

If you have street lights you might not see much in the sky. All the bright lights from big cities streets and buildings, businesses, porches, arenas and have caused light pollution. It’s a problem, a big distraction for astronauts, astronomers and anyone wanting to see the stars inside cities! You can’t see the stars for all the other lights.
The National Park Service has established 60 reserves as places that people can come and see the stars at their best. Dark places. Often quiet places away from the hustle and bustle. Dark places where lifted faces can absorb heaven’s beauty. It’s calming to do that; try it for yourself tonight.

Even better than basking in the beauty of the stars is the reality of experiencing the Star—Jesus in your life.

Light pollution affects us in the dark too.

Are you distracted?

Distracting lights, competing super stars in our culture want to give you their opinion, their advice…sports stars, movie stars, politician, powerful people with money, fame and position that want to shine their opinion on how you need to live and love and who or what you will serve. The light of their influence can keep you  from seeing Truth. Revelation calls Him the bright and shining star…
The reality is when it’s really dark you need to see more than the stars…you need to see the STAR. The creator of this planet and everything you see.

Psalm 8:3,4 NIV When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?

Come aside…come to Jesus in a deeper way than ever before. Bask in His presence.
The Almighty God. Beautiful…more beautiful than the most dazzling star-studded constellation. His glorious right hand is mighty to save.

He can not and will not lie. He is the stability of our times, because He never changes. The Almighty God is truth and love…perfect, complete, uncompromising love. He is Holy and He cares about you. He is with you.

Coronavirus

 When the Coronavirus became serious business in the US I did what I always do when trouble comes I began to pray and seek God’s wisdom. His presence was real, but I didn’t hear much. As Wayne and I talked Wayne told me again and again, “I’m hearing the word “reset.” I believe God wants to do a “Divine Reset.” So I leaned in to listen. Over and over again as I prayed over people with the Corona virus and I asked, “Lord, what do you mean reset?”

Divine Reset

It’s not that I don’t know what a reset is…I’ve heard Wayne say it dozens and dozens of times. Every time my phone is acting crazy, Wayne will ask me, “Have you reset your phone?”
I’m sure you’ve done it too. You shut it down, then reboot it and viola everything is fixed.

I understood the principle, but what is God saying to me?

As I listened and contemplated how I would fill my time in isolation all sorts of ideas flooded me: take some training courses, Spring Clean, write, do some major marketing, watch movies or maybe read. I kept feeling like God was drawing me to His heart. I felt like it was time for me to lay my head on His chest so I could hear His heartbeat. It was time to come closer so I would be ready for the next season.

Stronger. Wiser. Prepared. Equipped.

I’m a worker, I know I’ll be sharing more about that in another podcast, I love buzzing around getting things accomplished, so getting quiet isn’t easy for me! Especially getting quiet enough to hear a heartbeat.
I didn’t hear much at first, so I typed what I heard onto my computer.
Shut it down, so I can restore you… I want you rest, refresh and renew.

Basically God gave me 5 words…:

Reset:

Repent

Refocus

Replace

Rejoice

On Sunday I listened to Dr. Tony Evans, how I’ve prayed for that dear man in the loss of his precious wife so recently. His sermon Divine Disruptions https://youtu.be/fZYSxs5pS0M was the edge pieces of the puzzle that the 5 words God had given me had been for me. After I listened to the sermon and returned to God’s presence I was able to unpack the power of the words God had given me. Please do yourself a favor and listen to that message.

Listen closely to his powerful insight from that sermon.
“Everything that is visual and physical is preceded by that which is invisible and spiritual so if you want to address that which is visible and physical you must identify the cause and the cure to what is invisible and spiritual or to put it another way If all you see is what you see you do not see all there is to be seen.

I am convinced we need a reset because there’s more to see but we will only see the real root of things when we dare to see into the unseen realm. To do that we must see through the eyes of God, of divine revelation to see into the spiritual realm.

Reset- Be intentional…

Make some time to spend with God. Listen, listen, listen to preaching and teaching. Read God’s Word.  Ask God to direct your reading and listening. Listen to God. Write down what He says…even if it’s a single word.

Refocus.

Stop looking through your natural eyes and see through the lens of Scripture and faith in Jesus.
What are your real priorities?
Let me say the obvious God and Your family is a priority!
Are you living out that priority? What is happening in your home? Is it peaceful?

Is there jealousy, rebellion, anger or unrest in your home?

How is the emotional and physical health of your family?

Do your children feel loved?
I didn’t say are they loved; I said do they feel loved? What about your husband/wife, do they feel valued and loved? Is there mutual respect in your home?

Is there a spiritual root that needs to be dealt with in your home? This is the time to zero in on what God is saying to you.
The weapons of your warfare are mighty through God. Learn how to use those weapons and then use them.

You don’t kill flies with a shotgun…a fly swatter will do the job. What is the tools you need for this season in your home? What needs to be addressed and what needs to be broken on your knees? Are there boundaries you need to establish?

What needs to change?

What is God’s wisdom and strategy for your family right now?

Ask Him. Seek Him. Listen to Him and then obey.
Look in the mirror of God’s Word. It is the divine plumb line.

Line up your
Attitudes.
Actions
Beliefs
 Repent 

Believe what God has shown you enough to act on it.

Repent

Repent means recognizing truth, changing your mind, changing what you believe to conform your belief with God’s Word. It is turning away from your old way to God.

Repentance does for your soul what Spring Cleaning does for your house.

Restore.

  God is going to replace some of the old things with some new things. Psalms 23:3 says He restores your soul. Restore means bring back to it’s original beauty, refurbish, rebuild repair. This is a picture of Sozo nothing broken nothing missing.

Rejoice.

Philippians 3:1 NLT “Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith.

Listen this is so important…so important. Be wise. Don’t ignore health warnings, but don’t focus on the news. If you keep your eyes on your problem it will stress you, make you anxious and open the door for a spirit of fear. This is no time for that.

Turn every worry into prayer and while you pray rejoice in God.
I’m not saying the situation isn’t horrible. I am saying in the middle of the situation God is still good. He is faithful and God is right there with you.

You are in a battle. That’s right whether we want to fight or not that’s where we are. It’s a battle that you and God together can win, but you won’t win if you don’t fight.
You need strength to fight this battle.
Strength comes in different ways.
God’s Word.
God’s Spirit.
Determination to win.
Joy.

What an unexpected place for strength to come from…right?

It’s a safeguard.

Nehemiah 8:10 tells us that the joy of the Lord is your strength. Philippians 3:1 the last part of the verse says “I do it to safeguard your faith.”

Satan wants to defeat you, but rejoicing in God safeguards your faith and produces strength in us.

You know that when victory comes you are going to do the happy dance. It’s easy to do the happy dance when you have the victory and you won’t need the strength that comes from rejoicing AFTER you win the victory.

You need the strength when you are fighting the battle. So dear friend whatever you are struggling with right now begin to rejoice in the Lord. He is with you. He is mighty to save. And, He is your victory.