I Love the Holy Spirit

I Love how the Holy Spirit works. Yesterday, late afternoon, I started listening to Hillsong's Brian Houston, his sermon was entitled "My Salvation - Freedom from Shame" and then I watched the Hillsong's show that was entitled, "My Disappointment - My proving Ground, Pt. 1"

Both touched on a touchy subject with me - Shame.

I have been ashamed of myself because of my disability, both physically and mentally. So much so that I have allowed this shame to discourage me from doing what God has appointed me to do. So much so that I have grown to hate myself and think that I am so far gone, that nothing will get me back to where I am supposed to be, and unfortunately, so ashamed that I have grown ashamed of my walk with Christ. 

These sermons were directly from the God through The Holy Spirit Himself. I was sitting in my chair watching T.V. not really watching just had the picture on no sound. Then suddenly out of NOWHERE it seemed, the thought of going online to listen to Brian Houston entered my mind. 

I took some notes down on Shame. One thing I learned is that Jeremiah was shamed Chapter 20 tells of his story. Pashhur hit Jeremiah, put him in stocks and Jeremiah became a laughing stock to everyone around. Chapter 20: 7- 10 records how mad he was at God:

7 

You deceived me, Lord, and I was deceived;

    you overpowered me and prevailed.

I am ridiculed all day long;

    everyone mocks me.

8 

Whenever I speak, I cry out

    proclaiming violence and destruction.

So the word of the Lord has brought me

    insult and reproach all day long.

9 

But if I say, “I will not mention his word

    or speak anymore in his name,”

his word is in my heart like a fire,

    a fire shut up in my bones.

I am weary of holding it in;

    indeed, I cannot.

10 

I hear many whispering,

    “Terror on every side!

    Denounce him! Let’s denounce him!”

All my friends

    are waiting for me to slip, saying,

“Perhaps he will be deceived;

    then we will prevail over him

    and take our revenge on him.”

He let his situation block his mind from thinking on what is more important, and that is what God had appointed Jeremiah to do. (Which can be read in Jeremiah 1:4-5) As soon as God told that he was appointed a prophets to the nations Jeremiah tried to DISappoint himself to what God created him to be, found in the following verses:

6 “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”

7 But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

I thought that is me over and over again in my life. I have DISappointed myself from what God purposed for me. 

Brian Houston made appoint in the weekly program “My Disappointments – My proving ground, Pt. 1” to point out this “Dis” is a prefix, which means to go in the opposite direction. Are you going to be led by disappointment, or are you going to be led by God-given appointment? God never ever disappoints us!” (From the synopsis on podcast addict app) so that is why I have emboldened the “DIS” in this blog.

I have let my physical health and my mental health hinder me, and it’s got to stop. I have to look forward not backward. The scripture that came to mind is the one verse I used to go to a lot in my younger adult days:

James 4: 7 submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

The three points of what to do is:

1. Submit yourself - Luke 9:23 Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." We must put down our desires, DISappointments, fears and hindrances and pick up that cross that job that ministry that God has appointed us to and Follow God.
2. Resist the Devil - 1 Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." The devil and his minions would love nothing more than to see a Christian fall from grace, God is our Savior from death because of sin. That is one reason why He sent the Holy Spirit to us who has repented and turned from sin. To help us in temptation.
3. Come Near to God - Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." We can recall any of our sin that is a recurrent sin and replace money with it. We cannot serve our sinful desire and serve God at the same time. When we get tempted we must be close to God so we will see and hear the path away from the sin. How? James tells us, "...Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

• clean yourself of what causes you to sin
• Get yourself right- ask forgiveness of sin
• grieve and mourn over your sin see it for what it is--EVIL--
• See sin as God does, not something you can be wishy-washy over, but as a wall to your ultimate end.
• Be humble in life let His word, as Jeremiah wrote in Chapter 20, be a fire within your heart, as fire shut up in your bones. To the point that you must speak His word in all you do.
• When you view sin the correct way God will lift you out of the pit and miry clay of sin.

In these bitter DISappointments I have lived through and still am living through, even though I have not yet been delivered from them God has promised:

• to be for me (Romans 8:31)
• to be my avenger (Deuteronomy 32:35
• to be my vindicator (Deuteronomy 32:36
• to be my rescuer (Jeremiah 1:8; 1:19; 15:15; 15:20
• to keep us from Shame (Jeremiah 17:18)

(The above came from www.biblehub.com on Jeremiah 20 notes)

Don’t let shame cripple you when problems come. Don't let yourself DISappoint you from God’s plan for your life. Live from the inside out, let God’s word build you up in your spirit and soul so it will shine through in all you do. Let God’s word be a beacon of hope to continue you on your path that God has set before you. Remember God is with you in what he has purposed you to do.