Over the past seven weeks, not by choice, I’ve been getting some remodeling done in the basement. The water heater broke and it completely took out my laundry room as well as the bathroom next to it.
It was a frustrating experience to say the least, but I could feel the Holy Spirit teaching me throughout the process by way of Matthew 23.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.”
As I was assessing the damages and going back and forth with insurance, I paused and went to analyze the situation. I had a water heater that keeps water, and it burst open. It affected not just one room, but the room next to it. In prayer, I could see how the Holy Spirit was showing me that the things that I keep inside—trauma, wounds and pain becomes toxic to me and to those around me.
The water heater couldn’t function correctly due to the amount that was kept inside. It wasn’t being drained because...well, I didn’t know it needed to be. When a plumber came to the house, he said the water heater had not been functioning properly for years—he was shocked that I did not recognize that. Meanwhile, I thought the water heater was functioning just fine. If I could have seen clearly with a lens that wasn't distorted, I would have seen that it needed to be changed.
So often we think that we’re fine and we just keep going about our days without taking a look at what is going on inside of us. We hold onto pain which becomes a hinderance to us being the light. And as a result, we eventually burst, break down, or get buried in the weight of it.
In these last couple weeks of 2023, I want to encourage us as the body of Christ to go deeper in prayer. To go higher in worship. Pray in the spirit longer. Cry out to God longer. Go low and let go of whatever you’re holding onto that has become toxic. Release pain and show mercy instead. Release trauma and forgive instead. Let go of the things that are plaguing your mind by putting on the mind of Christ. Work through what has happened to you with the Holy Spirit, and release every person who owes you from the wrongs they committed. Let go of ideologies that are contrary to the Word, and make them obey Christ. Repent of the decision you made that caused chaos, and change your direction. Forgive yourself. Forgive them.
Receive His forgiveness and fight for what is rightfully yours as a child of God.
Fight for the desire to be like the bride of Christ.
Fight for the healing of previous wounds.
Fight for everything that belongs to you, in Christ.
Fight for it.
No more laying down and taking what the enemy throws at you, or keeping it all bottled up until you break down. There is a whole world waiting for us to be the light! To love on them and preach the gospel. But we must let His light in first!
”For [even the whole] creation (all nature) waits expectantly and longs earnestly for God's sons to be made known [waits for the revealing, the disclosing of their sonship]."
It is possible to walk in love and true identity as a co-heir with Christ.
Today—as I look at the finished remodel, I can’t remember what it was like to be in the old bathroom with its dark walls and tight spaces. I believe as we lean further into Him, we will come out different. We will look more like the bride. It's time to move forward. Be intentional about cleansing the inside of the cup before the year is out. Please don't take more old into the new.
Release in prayer.
Release in the Word.
Release in worship.
Let's move forward family. There is work to be done!
It's time to get AGGRESSIVE with seeing FREEDOM as your portion! If you're unsure how to start this healing journey with the Lord, this workbook walks you through the foundations of healing. Consider doing it with a sister in Christ, or a small group. It’s so important we walk in fellowship with one another.
Do NOT DELAY another day in walking through the process of healing with the Lord. Let Him in the spaces and places you’ve had to guard yourself for so long that are now blocking you.