This is the season that we celebrate Resurrection Sunday; the time when we celebrate the true hope that is found only in the Risen Savior. It is a specific time of year that marks the change of a season. Unfortunately, most only use this holiday to herald the entrance of spring. They use Easter Sunday as the indicator of when it is OK to wear certain colors and styles. It is a time for retailers to cash in on our finest clothes, and a time when kids go Easter egg hunting. Yet the fact remains, Easter represents the greatest change any individual could ever en- counter.
We have all recounted the story as we remember the account of the crucifixion in the Bible, or when we watch it on the big screen. We have witnessed great musical productions and cantatas to remind us of what exactly happened over the course of those three days.
The Roman Empire thought they had silenced the one who disrupted their economy and challenged the religious para- digm of that day. They watched as He suffered, bled and eventually died on the cross, and they celebrated as His follow- ers placed him in a borrowed tomb. When they rolled the stone across the entrance to the tomb, they were convinced all of their troubles had ended. Little did they know that the story was only just about to begin to unfold, and would continue to challenge the paradigms of society for over 2,000 years. They did not understand that a stone covered tomb could not silence that which is eternal.
The enemy of your soul operates under this same deception. He thinks that if he can simply place you behind of a tomb- stone, he can silence your message and the impact you have upon others within your realm of influence. Therefore, he does everything he can to steal from you, kill you and to destroy your influence. Remember, John Maxwell says that Lead- ership is Influence….nothing more, nothing less. Satan desires to silence you and kill your influence. He will try to get you fired so you have no influence with your co-workers. He will try to make you sick so you spend all your days battling sick- ness and never realizing the impact you have on others who know you. For many, he seemingly is being successful as many succumb to sickness, disease or depression. But often the attack is much more subtle.
As I shared with you in last month’s blog, I had an epiphany moment while sitting at the piano. During that encounter with the Lord, I heard Him say that many are still being held captive behind the stone. Perhaps the stone is not sickness and death. It is not a stone that can be rolled across the entrance of a tomb. Rather, it is a metamorphosis that takes place within the heart of a man.
I have often heard the scripture found in Ezekiel 36:26 taught where God says, “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.”
It was during this Kairos moment with God that I received the revelation on this scripture.
The heart of flesh is one that God can prick with the power of the Holy Spirit. It is one that is sensitive to the things of God; one that is quick to receive the word of the Lord and do what the word of the Lord instructs us to do. It is one that has great sensitivity and discernment and one that is also quick to obey the word of the Lord.
It is this type of heart that is in the cross-hairs of Satan’s scope for your life. Therefore, he uses every weapon possible to injure, cut and stress the heart.
Why? Because when the heart is cut, it will heal with a scar. Over time, that scar tissue causes this heart of flesh to be- come a stony heart; one that is no longer sensitive to the move of God, it does not respond quickly to the stirring of the Holy Spirit, it leaves questions rather than obedience; it is slow to discern and grows weary in well doing.
In my time with the Lord at the piano, He simply said that we need to allow Him the opportunity to pour forth the Healing Balm of Gilead into the wounds of our heart. It is that healing salve poured forth that will cause the wounds to heal leaving no scar tissue, and therefore allows us to maintain a heart of flesh rather than forming a cold/hard heart.
This is God’s plan for you and me. He does not want us to suffer from a heart of stone resulting from past disappointments and discouragements and let downs. He wants us to allow Him to pour forth that oil that produces healing, leaving no evi- dence of a wound. And as we encounter that healing balm of Gilead, He desires us to share and impart this message to others. That is what it means when we become messengers of the good news of Jesus Christ.
I am reminded of the old spiritual that was recorded by some of the gospel greats, “It is no Secret What God Can Do”. The lyrics continue, “What He’s done for others, He’ll do for you. With arms wide open, He’ll pardon you. It is no secret, what God can do.”
Perhaps you identify with what I am sharing today. As you read this, you are silently shouting, “I know that’s right!” You may even be saddened as you have an epiphany as God is right now speaking to your heart showing how you have allowed past wounds and hurts and disappointments to form that scar tissue causing your heart to become cold and callas. Today, I want to encourage you to allow the Balm of Gilead to be poured for upon you and change that heart of stone into a heart of flesh; a heart that God can speak to and one that will cause you to listen to His instructions. This does not mean that you may necessarily understand why you may be going through something. But there are two things to keep in mind during this process:
1. When going through something, remember you are going through it….this too shall pass.
2. As long as you continue moving forward toward the call of God upon your life, you will pass through what you are going through, and not be captured and contained in your present circumstances.
One Final Thought
God never called and expected us to understand or figure things out. He simply calls and expects us to obey. There is no qualifying balance sheet of pros and cons that we have the luxury of weighing out. Although that can happen, just realize that there are times when He tells us to do things that simply cannot be rationalized. When He called Peter out of the boat, that did not have any reason or logic; yet Peter was able to defy a natural law of gravity and walked upon the water….simply because he obeyed.
My prayer for you today is that as you become relentlessly obedient to answering HIS CALL upon your life, He is fully capable to enable you to defy the odds and physical limitations known to man. He is the Supernatural. I heard someone say it this way: “When God places His hand upon the natural, it becomes SuperNatural!”
Today, let us decide to allow the Holy Spirit to roll away the stone from our heart. Let us allow Him to place His hand upon us as we operate in the natural, yet giving us a Super-Natural impact.
Roll Away the Stone, and begin to walk in the new season that God is releasing upon your life and ministry!
In His Service! Keith & Michele Duncan
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