Praise the Lord, Chosen Women!
This morning I awoke to the gentle tugging of the Lord to commune with Him. He began to minister to me through a simple phrase – “I am in the midst of you.” It began to play like a song in my head and my soul was blessed to know and to feel His presence. He told me to remind His people that He is in the midst of us. What a comforting thought. We are not alone – God is ever present even when we do not feel His presence.
I found myself reflecting on the Word of God as I opened my heart to hear what the Spirit of God was saying this morning. I was reminded of the many things that God did while in the midst of His people, and even how God addressed things that He saw in the midst of His people. Things that were hindrances and roadblocks to their blessings.
I found myself perusing a few of the Holy Scriptures – seeking some greater understanding from the Lord. I started in the beginning with Genesis and was reminded of how the tree of life was in the midst of the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve visited. But the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was also in the midst. This description reminded me that good and bad; right and wrong; permissible and impermissible are always both present. The Lord ministered to me about personal responsibility in the life of the believer.
In recent years the world, especially within the legal system, places less and less responsibility for actions on the part of the individual. We in the body of Christ are acting more and more like the world in this way -- not wanting to take responsibility for our choices, actions and behaviors. However if we have the Greater One in us, God is looking for us to choose ye this day Whom we will serve. He is saying “Choose Me and My ways. Choose Life and all that I provide.” No more excuses saints – let us just do what Dad has told us to do with our lives. Gospel music duo Mary Mary has a fairly current song entitled, “Get Up!” I love that song because it challenges us to go forward and to live our lives. I think I am going to post it on the site this month – listen to the words. It’s time to do what we were created to do. Why? Because He is in the midst, observing and ready to strengthen us if we move forward and take just one step.
Start your business – start your ministry – finish your schooling – take more interest in your children’s education and upbringing – live holy – get rid of that boyfriend who’s been stringing you along for years – stop shacking – stop crying – let it go . . . you know what your own moving forward means.
I went a tiny bit further in the scriptures and was reminded of how God blessed His children, Israel, in the midst of their enemy and slave masters. God wants you to know this day that you need not worry if He has you posted up in a strange place among strange people. Some soldier in the army of the living God has been stationed someplace that he or she does not want to be. You are not around people that love your God, and it gets hard for you. This morning the Lord wants me to tell you, “Remember, I am in your midst.” God said to tell you that He is going to bless you right in the presence of those folks, and is also going to raise you up and bless you at the appointed time. When he brings you out, they will have to bless you abundantly. But, more than that, they will know that your God is real if you continue to represent Him well. Do not become weary in well doing – it’s almost due season. Now who was THAT for?
Well, I have an ‘in the midst of you’ for someone else. The Lord reminded me of a time when He declared He would not go in the midst of His people. He restrained Himself from them because He said, “you are a stiff necked people; lest I consume you.” (Exodus 33) With all that God had done for His people at that time – after the exodus from slavery and bondage, they continued to go after things that were forbidden and rebelled against God’s plan. Yet they continually sought the hand of God – wanting His stuff.
My heart is heavy as I write to you that God said someone reading this blog is in the same state. You are mad that God has not brought you out of your situation and given you things that you want from Him. Yet, He has told you to get rid of some things and to do some things and you have not. He said to tell you, “I am restraining myself from your midst right now – bring your house in order.” My sister, I admonish you to hear the Word of the Lord.
In that text, the people could only be restored through the relationship of God to Moses – the one whom He called friend. God said to tell you that as one housing His very Spirit He, too, calls you friend. You do not have to go through a mediator to resolve your matter – He said just cry out to Him and repent. He said tell her this is how she will know that I am talking to her – she is inwardly angry at Me for not moving on her behalf. Tell her that I am also restrained by her unforgiveness. He said you are harboring unforgiveness – and that restrains Him from moving forward with you.
Also, you have not done something that He told you. He said that He resists the proud, and that you are stiff necked. He professes love for you and a desire to restore – but you have to come in line. Thank you Jesus for your Word. To my sister(s) to whom this applies, I pray that you be strengthened to obey the Word of the Lord, and then receive your restoration and blessing.
My God, I feel the presence of the Lord as I write to you, dear saints of God. I can write to you all day . . . it is like water for my soul. Even if for some they find correction in the words, that is a blessing. The Lord could just leave us where we are – but we serve a loving Master. Maybe I should start writing to you more than once a month so these blogs are not so long. I am finding more and more to tell you as God is restoring me and giving me a hunger to minister encouragement to His people again.
I will just give you one more thing to remember as you meditate on ‘in the midst of you.’ I am reminded of the book of Joshua where an accursed thing was brought into the saint’s camp. It was revealed to leadership that something forbidden had been brought amongst God’s people. Well, I thought I was going to give you another type of ‘in the midst’ but the Lord is having His own way this morning through these typing fingers!
I hear the Lord saying it is time to check out your camp! Make sure that nothing accursed has been brought in or snuck in unaware. My husband and I have been reading Left Behind. He is also on the website www.raptureready.com every day. I am feeling Christ so near as I look at my national and international news shows – Jesus is soon to come saints. He is coming for a ready church, while the world is distracted. If you are of the bride, get ready, The Bridegroom is coming!
It is time to take stock and to make sure that you are living all that God has ordained for you to live – NOW is the time. Pursue holiness and go after all the ‘occupying til He comes’ pursuits that the Lord has called for in your life. Whatever Dad told you to do, go ahead and do it – time is surely winding down.
Have a phenomenal month in Jesus. If you can make it out to the March United Women in Christ (Inland Empire) Fellowship Breakfast I would love to see you. I will be ministering at that event on March 28th in Rialto, CA. We’ll get the flyer on the website in the few days with all of the details. God bless you all!
In Service for the Master,
Evangelist Lisa Y. Mitchell
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