The Flow Part 2
In part one of this series, we learned about the flow of God when it comes to the "fast forward" and the "stopped dead" in the water seasons. In part two of this series, I want to explore the season when it seems, and may be in actuality, we're going backwards. It's those times when no matter what we do, we seem to be losing ground. Everything we touch fails...or at least seems to accomplish nothing. We pray, we fast, we complain, we grumble and still nothing happens; so why?
Why? I think if I knew the answer to that one question, I could become a zillionaire. The reasons while this takes place are so varied I don't think any one answer is a "fit all" for everyone. So while I can't answer this question with any amount of certainly, I may be able to offer you some things to explore to see why this is happening.
The first thing you probably want to take a serious look at is this...and it comes in the form of a question. "Are you still in God's flow?" Are you still operating on "what you know" and "the direction you've receive from God?" Somewhere along the journey, did the obstacles you faced detour you from the path you originally began? Did the road become too steep, too hard or too long, and you slowed down, took another direction or just stopped? If so, God's provision and protection are no longer there for you. So what do you do?
When you mess up...confess up!
It's that simple. If you've stopped somewhere along your journey, tell God you're sorry, you messed up and go back to the place where you stopped, took a detour or just quit. The great thing about God is, He gives second chances. And once you acknowledge that to God, He'll restore you, put you back on track, give you revelation of what's happening and give you the opportunity to once again accomplish your destiny
The second thing worth considering is; have you left the strength of God and are now operating in your own strength? Have you decided that you know a better way of doing it, moving it from the stuck position, or some other thing that no longer depends on doing it God's way? God requires us to always do it His way...in His strength...at His timing. The reason for that is your destiny always involves others to accomplish it. God never allows us to go it alone! If at some point, you move into your own strength, your own abilities...then God will take His hands off till you return to His plan for His purpose.
Do you remember the story of the prodigal son? He spent all his inheritance on riotous living and wound up feeding the swine. The Bible tells us, "he would have eaten the food the pigs were eating he was so hungry." Then an amazing thing happens. The Bible says "when he came to his senses..." Do you see it? He had to recover from his way of doing things and return to his father's way of doing things in order to be blessed! It's the same way with our heavenly Father. When we do it His way, His provision and blessings are upon it.
The third thing to look at is; did you get out of God's timing? God is very timing oriented. Because he's constantly orchestrating people, places and things, it requires a Devine timing to get everything together at the right place and tied with the right people. That's why the enemy constantly tries to push us ahead or slow us down from God's timing. If you remember he did that to Jesus over and over.After Jesus returned from the wilderness, the enemy was there. Then right before he went to the cross, the enemy was there. Each time he tried to get Jesus to move before the timing of His father. That's why at one point in His journey, He told His disciples, "I only do what I see the Father do...and only speak what the Father speaks.” When Peter rebuked Him regarding going to the cross, Jesus responded with; "get behind me satan." Jesus understood the "timing" of His Father and refused to get out of the flow of it.
My wife Helen and I have learned a valuable lesson over the years we've been in the ministry. There are two things we never do. One, we never make a decision under pressure. And two, we never make a decision based on money...either the abundance of it or the lack thereof.
When we feel pressure to make a decision, it never works out for our good. That pressure usually comes from the enemy to get us out of the flow. If we're being forced to make a decision under pressure, our answer is always "no!" Likewise, we also never make a decision based on money.All our decisions must always be based on God's direction, not the current resources available to us. God always supplies what He directs, so to make a decision based on money, only moves us out of the flow...and into our own abilities, knowledge and resources.
I pray that these two articles have helped you learn how to move into, and stay in the flow of God. For it's in the flow where the supernatural overpowers the natural, the resources of heaven are at our disposal and God gets all the glory for the great things He has done.