I Know I've Been Changed

Praise the Lord!

In this last post of 2011 I must share my heart with you. Some of you have been so faithful down through the years to review and receive my messages of love and inspiration. Some of you have even been kind enough to write and affirm the impact of these messages upon your life. I so appreciate your kind feedback.

For all of us, in obeying God, we must walk by faith. Sometimes we never really understand the impact of our obedience. Yet we must understand by faith that the impact is far-reaching and real. God declares in Isaiah 55:11, " . . . My Word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." We have to trust that Word, believe that Word, and stand on that Word -- even when we do not see the impact in the way that our flesh, our heart, our spirit or even our ego might desire.

In my work as a Family Counselor I know that I am impacting vulnerable families in positive ways. Some have actually transformed right before my eyes within the limited time frame of our connection. But more often I see very little manifestation of the impact in my limited time of working with that family. Still, I am confident that the words and teaching that I plant will produce a harvest. It might take the next vessel / teacher / counselor / therapist / pastor / saint / neighbor, etc., to stir what I planted, or water it, or cultivate it, or fertilize it -- but it will produce! I have no doubt. God has even been gracious enough to let me observe the transforming manifestation by running into some of them later; seeing and hearing the testimonies of change.

Why am I particularly writing this to you in this last post of the year? Because I need for that person who is stuck, waiting to be affirmed -- focused on having some experience to make you believe who you are. I want you to accept God's Word about your life as Truth, and MOVE FORWARD!

Since being delivered from my deathbed experience this summer I can say truly I am not the same person. I would imagine Lazarus was a different man after seeing Jesus raise him up. Though I did not go as far into death as Lazarus, I do feel a kinship. And as a result of that experience, I am completely different. I can literally never be the person I was before that journey.

God has simply been dealing with me in ways that I never experienced before. He is speaking to me in ways that are blowing my mind. And what He is sharing with me is requiring me to let go of all that I knew; and to embrace Him as the God of His Word.

He is giving me revelation in His Word of who He really is and what He really does! Not what the Bishops and Pastors and Evangelists shaped Him into being in my mind through their teaching and preaching -- but Who He really is. What His mind, the mind of Christ really looks like -- and what having that mind REALLY is. It is not a religious, limited, false way of thinking. It is not a false humility many of us were taught. It is not a lot of what has been presented to me, for sure.

God has literally been peeling layers off my mind to enable me to go forward. Many will not understand; but the liberty that comes with understanding makes even that okay. This newness makes being misunderstood even less bothersome.

So then today my hope for God's leaders -- and just now I realize that I really am writing to leaders -- my hope is that you are able to also let go and come into greater liberty. I do not want anyone to have to go through what I went through to get here. I hope you can just believe the report.

I encourage you to stop trying to prove something to anyone. Stop waiting for some experience to affirm you so that their discounting of you can feel rectified. Stop letting their former or even current words of slander impact your ability to go forward. Yes, I know you might be preaching and teaching and evangelizing -- BUT ARE YOU FREE? Settle on proving nothing to man; just prove all to God by fulfilling your purpose and going FORWARD! Stop focusing on your reputation; let God take care of that.

I realized recently that I was still angry at some people who slandered me and my husband with lies. I THOUGHT I WAS OVER IT! I mean I really saw it as old business and behind me. Still God sat me down and showed me how I was STILL waiting for them to call; bring us over and publicly apologize for their lying slander. I was STILL waiting for them to publicly restore us. REALLY?  I was so shocked when the Lord showed it to me.

Though my words said I did not care and I was over it -- He showed me I was still inwardly waiting! He told me let it go -- forgive them -- seek no retribution -- seek no vengeance -- give it to Me. Then He had me do something that I know only He knew to challenge me to do. HE TOLD ME TO LISTEN TO THEIR PREACHING ONLINE! Yikes!

That's when I knew it was really God because I had been unable to listen to them say anything for YEARS. I inwardly felt what could they have to say about Jesus after what they did to me! LOL Well, I sat in bed with my laptop and listened to each message one by one until I could listen without criticism, without anger, without hurt. That God directed exercise set me free. I'm not angry anymore. Jesus told me do not carry it into 2012 because it would block something of what He has for me.

I encourage you to seek the Lord in these few days remaining in this year. Ask Him to show you yourself -- for real. Do not take any old heartache, anger, resentment, envy, strife, rage, bitterness, hatred . . . take none of this with you. 2012 will truly be phenomenal. 2011 was for many testing by fire. 2012 will be manifestation of the processed change. His glory will be revealed in our lives. Our beauty for ashes will manifest . . . if we are ready. Old weights will hinder our readiness. I will let nothing stop me from getting in 2012 what I paid for in suffering in 2011. I encourage you to let nothing stop you either!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

In Service for the Master,

Evangelist Lisa Y. Mitchell