I find myself in a season of revision where I felt directed by the Holy Spirit to re-read some books I read in previous seasons, to bring before the Healer some wounds that tore open during the strain of seeking breakthrough to the more of God and to cement some truths I discovered in seasons past.
Holy Spirit has been reminding me of prophetic words spoken over my life that I still have to contend for; of victories I have won and of breakthroughs successfully negotiated. During this time of seeking the Lord and waiting patiently upon Him I have a very strong impression that many of God’s children already know what they are called to do…now we have to wait on Him to tell us how to go about the tasks at hand. We need divine strategy to negotiate the next season well and the only way we will find what we are looking for is as we spend time in His presence. We can no longer rely on our old, tried and trusted strategies. If we want the “greater” and the “more”, we are going to need to change tactics.
As I am meditating upon these insights and thoughts I am reminded of my own school days and I see a spiritual truth emerge as I look on the process of progression through my school years. I know the process in schools look a little different these days and that I am seriously giving my age away.
Being born again is like going to school for the very first time. The environment is strange, the people are strange, everything is new and exciting and you learn so much, so quickly. You progress and before you know it enough progress have been made for you to be in a grade where you are required to pass exams or tests.
Again a process has to take place. You arrive with some knowledge, yet you find yourself somewhere you have never been before. A new teacher is presenting new, more challenging material for you to absorb. You arrive, still on a high from being successful the year before, only to discover very quickly that you know less than you thought you knew. So you allow yourself to be taken down a peg, you learn, time passes and then it’s there – exam time rolls around.
Before any exam every good teacher will lead students into a time of revision where you cover everything from the beginning, making sure you have your facts straight. Then the dreaded exam, an emotionally charged, exhausting and draining time at best. After the exam you are graded and again a good teacher will not only reveal the results, but will walk students through the paper itself. There is as much learning taking place then as there was before the exam took place in the first place. Students are shown the correct answer to each question and are helped to discover where they went wrong in their thinking. If you made the grade – promotion to the next grade, if not, revision and a second exam for you! Only if students still did not apply themselves again where they required to re-do the whole year.
Right now I am at the “Teacher is revising the exam paper with me” phase. This is where I have the opportunity to revisit some of the truths and concepts I learned in the previous seasons and where I make some adjustments in order to negotiate the next season successfully. It is important for each one of us to identify where we are in this process and to yield to the Teacher as it is appropriate.
Many people have had new seasons prophesied over them, some are already on the brink of this new season and some are steadily making progress towards it. They have passed some major tests and are ready for promotion. The question is how do we negotiate the new season?
The first and most important thing is that we have not been here before. Yes, we arrive with much knowledge and experience, but we have much to learn. We need to humble ourselves, recognise that we have much to learn and submit ourselves to the teachers and leaders appointed by the Lord to take us into this season. There are apostles, prophets and teachers the Lord has prepared for us – our job is to recognise them with the help of Holy Spirit and to learn from them.
It takes much humility and trust to learn from other people. Pride says “the Holy Spirit can teach me”, forgetting that God has always chosen people to speak for Him. Even the Word of God, our Holy Bible was scribed by people working under inspiration of Holy Spirit. God is the same today – He still use people to speak through and our job is to recognise His voice, regardless of the vessel He chooses to use.
Why trust? Because Insecurity says “I am a teacher myself, I am called to teach so I do not need to learn from other people” or “I am called to minister, not to sit at someone else’s feet”. Sadly, before you can be a great teacher you have to be a great student. We have much to distrust. We have been hurt, we’ve been let down, disappointed and abused in some cases, yet we place our trust in the Lord, not in man and believe Him when He says He plans for us a great future.
We have another choice though. We can stay where we are and become an expert on that level – even teach many great truths right there – but we will forever see people arrive, learn from us, make the grade and go on to surpass us to the “greater” and the “more”. Fear and pride will keep us stuck and self-delusion will tell us that it’s the Lord’s will for us. Not so.
Jesus says these words to His disciples to encourage them as He prepares to leave:
Do not let your hearts be troubled (distressed, agitated). You believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely on God; believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely also on Me. (John 14: 1 AMP)
Right there is where we put our trust – in Jesus Christ. He goes on to say this:
Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in Me? What I am telling you I do not say on My own authority and of My own accord; but the Father Who lives continually in Me does the (His) works (His own miracles, deeds of power).
Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me; or else believe Me for the sake of the [very] works themselves. [If you cannot trust Me, at least let these works that I do in My Father’s name convince you.]
I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father.
And I will do [I Myself will grant] whatever you ask in My Name [as presenting all that I Am], so that the Father may be glorified and extolled in (through) the Son.
[Yes] I will grant [I Myself will do for you] whatever you shall ask in My Name [as presenting all that I Am].
If you [really] love Me, you will keep (obey) My commands.
And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever—
The Spirit of Truth, Whom the world cannot receive (welcome, take to its heart), because it does not see Him or know and recognize Him. But you know and recognize Him, for He lives with you [constantly] and will be in you.
I will not leave you as orphans [comfortless, desolate, bereaved, forlorn, helpless]; I will come [back] to you. (John 14: 10 – 18 AMP)
And also:
Jesus answered, If a person [really] loves Me, he will keep My word [obey My teaching]; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home (abode, special dwelling place) with him.
Anyone who does not [really] love Me does not observe and obey My teaching. And the teaching which you hear and heed is not Mine, but [comes] from the Father Who sent Me. I have told you these things while I am still with you. But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you. (John 14: 23 – 26)
Let us therefore make up our minds that we will submit ourselves to learn, to be taught and to heed the word of the Lord, whichever way He presents it to us. Let us be diligent students of the Word and thankful for the teachers who will come to us…for when the student is ready, the teacher will come.