An Intense Season of Growth

God has had me in an intense season of growth over the last month or so. It has been a time of refinement through trial that started the moment I began praying for God to work absolute surrender in me. And though life has been a bit more difficult lately, I have been blessed greatly during this time by the presence of God and by an outpouring of truths He has spoken over me.

Last week, I began compiling a list of all God has spoken over me during this season, and as I did, I felt compelled to share the list with you. Some of you may have learned these truths already; others may be learning these truths along with me. But either way, I believe these truths are powerful. So, no matter where you find yourself, I ask that you take these truths in and contemplate them. Pray for God to allow you to see them with fresh eyes, and let them renew your mind.

What God Has Been Teaching Me

• Surrender is chosen by us but is accomplished by God and His grace. God is faithful to bring us to a place of absolute surrender. God takes what we offer, accepts it, and works surrender in us.
• We must yield ourselves, offering whatever we can in surrender and trust God to work complete surrender in us.
• We are told, "deny yourself," but we can never accomplish this by "trying harder." Trying harder will only result in more focus upon "ME." Denying self is only possible when we take our eyes off of self and become occupied with Jesus.
• Likewise, we cannot keep God's commandments by focusing on our behavior since that will only direct our attention inward. But when our focus shifts from inward to upward––when our thoughts are consumed by God––obedience to God's commandments will simply flow out of our closeness to God.
• By faith, we must choose to receive God and all the gifts He has given us. A gift must be received. Just because God has given it to you does not mean you have received it.
• We receive by faith with believing hearts.
• We have already been given all spiritual blessings, we simply need to receive them. We have been given the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control); therefore, we must receive and walk in these fruits.
• God is our God. He love us. We must remain in His love. Stay in His love. Abide in His love. We must stop looking at what surrounds us and keep our eyes on GOD, leaning into His love. Jude 1:21 says, "Keep yourselves in the love of God"––I love that!
• When you feel anxious or when you're thinking too much about your circumstances, redirect your attention to God, praying "God, thank you that I don't need to carry this––I cast my burden on You."
• Satan is defeated by focusing on God, not by focusing on the attack.
• God's wonder is all around us. Slow down, look around, and see it!!! Likewise, recognize God's grace poured out upon you––count these gifts, write them down, and receive them with joy and thanksgiving.
• Worship, thanksgiving, and praise ALWAYS precede the miracle!!
• Biblical fasting is a valuable spiritual discipline that focuses our attention on God, strengthens our prayers, and builds self-control.
• We must reclaim the sabbath. Reject the desire to run on the perpetual treadmill endorsed by our fast-paced American society and find a healthy rhythm for your life. When it's time to work, work diligently (though not in anxious toil––Psalm 127:2). And when it's time to rest, rest with assurance that while you rest, God is sustaining all things.
• We are equipped with all we need, so that we can do that which God calls us to do.
• Our weakness is our strength. Weakness requires us press into God for His strength.
• Believe God! Not just in Him, but believe Him.
• God can and will accomplish the impossible regardless of what the "natural" tells us.
• Waiting on God is active and requires faith and trust. God is good to those who wait.

Though I have been acquainted with some of these truths for quite some time, the depth of my understanding has grown to the extent that I can now say I am not only "acquainted" with these truths, but I know them. Yet, what amazes me about our God is that even when we think we know something, we have only just begun to understand––we have only scratched the surface. For, knowledge of God's truths are inexhaustible. There's always more to learn, always greater depths to discover. And what an adventure that is!

Over the coming weeks, I will be writing on some of these topics. I hope you will join me as I explore these truths and share the insights I have been graced with recently. In response, I invite you to join in the discussion and share the insights you've been given in these areas as well through commenting on the posts.

I'd love to get a discussion going. After all, we're all in this together, right? What a blessing it is to learn from one another!

Any thoughts? Share in the comments section on LaurieCoombs.org.