I came across this information the other day about the two Seas of Israel, and was inspired from it because it spoke so much of where I was at in my life. The analogy was a perfect description.
There are two Seas of Israel: the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. Both bodies of water are fed from the same source, the Jordan River, yet one sea is dead and the other is full of life. Why? The sea that is dead, The Dead Sea, has no outlet. The water lays stagnant.
This is such a good analogy of some Christians' lives. And sometimes it's not their fault. But many of us sit and learn and the Word continually flows within us, but our lives are stagnant because we are not given the outlet to share, to be used.
God has given us gifts to be used for His Kingdom. We all have a purpose in the Body of Christ. We all must be fitly assembled together, for Body Ministry. God gives you a gift, He gives you knowledge for the purpose of sharing to help edify and minister to someone else.
If you have spent years just sitting and receiving, begin to Pray for God to provide an outlet for you to be used so that you can be full of life, not being stagnant and dead spiritually.
Here is a video that you can watch about the Two Seas:
Don and I read this book called Faith To Raise The Dead, written by Dennis Callen. We highly recommend it. We are learning so much! It takes me back to years ago when a friend from Bible College spoke over Don and I with a Scripture explaining our ministry. I do believe that through the years we have lost sight of that, because of hurts and pains of the past. But through knowledge from this man, who wrote this book and God's Word, we are slowly being delivered and redirected to His will for our life.
If God has called you into the Deliverance Ministry, take a look at the Scripture prayed over us years ago is Isaiah 61:1 (also in Luke 4:18):
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me, to preach the Gospel to the poor; He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed."
The problem today is some go around "casting out demons" but they return, because you see, the demon is not the problem. The demon is there BECAUSE of the problem. It's only after the brokenhearted is healed, can He "proclaim liberty to the captive". Jesus never sought to deliver anyone. They had to seek Him out for deliverance.
Whether it be a need to repent, harboring unforgiveness, rejection, hurts and disappointments, low self esteem, etc....what ever the problem is that has caused one to be heart broken, it must be healed first, then deliverance becomes easy and permanent.
You know, I haven't even thought of that moment our friend prayed that Scripture over us, in a long time. Isn't it amazing how far we can stray from our actual calling because of hurts and betrayal? But I praise God that we are finally learning and beginning
to see where we belong.
Throughout most of our walk with God, we always felt like we didn't fit it. But why try to fit in if God is wanting us to stand out? I have learned that it's not about what state you live in, or what church you're attending, but
it's about where we belong in God's Kingdom. The Kingdom of God is within us.
I was sent a little story one day through email that told about a little girl who came running to her daddy crying, saying that some of the other kids were calling her stupid. Her daddy picked her up and sat her on his lap and looked her in the eyes and asked, "Well, are you stupid?" The little girl quickly answered, "No."
"Well, see then," the father replied, "You know what the others are saying is not true about you because you know you're not stupid."
The little girl smiled and said, "Yea. Thanks Daddy." She hugged her daddy and ran off to play again.
What a short, sweet and simple lesson to be learned in this story. If we are taught early in life who we truly are in Christ - nothing can ever bother us what others may say or do to hurt us.
We must know that our self worth can only be found in Christ and that through His love and His Word, we learn who we truly are and know that nothing can separate us from the Love of God.
Have you ever experienced a time when you open the Bible and when you began to read, you could hear God's Voice leaping from the pages as He began speaking to you? It's like He is right there! This has happened to me quite a few times and every time was such a close encounter with God that can never be forgotten. These times change me.
I remember a time where I became very frustrated over a matter and I allowed it to consume me instead of giving all my cares over to God. I was in tears. Exhausted, I plopped myself down at the table and opened my Bible. It was then that the Lord began to speak to me. I had opened my Bible to the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10. Coincidence? I don't think so. The Lord began speaking to me, Not Martha. "Connie, Connie, you are troubled about many things.... But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." I sat there and cried as He overwhelmed me with His Love.
Not long ago, I was reading in Psalms and came across a Scripture that was very powerful to me.
Psalm 61:2 "From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I."
WHEN MY HEART IS OVERWHELMED: LEAD ME TO THE ROCK THAT IS HIGHER THAN I!!!
I began to pray and study this portion of Scripture:
Earth - wilderness
Cry - call out, address by name
Rock - immovable, concealment, cleft, refuge
Heart is overwhelmed - covered over with darkness or distress (feelings, understanding)
Higher - out of reach of danger
Lead - guide, transport
This was such a perfect time finding this Scripture, because I had been in a wilderness season for a long time and had just come out.
After my study, here is what the Lord spoke to me:
"You are nearing the end of your wilderness. Call out to me! You feel overwhelmed, and your understanding has been darkened. I will guide you, transport you to that place of concealment, a refuge, a place of safety, where you will be solid and immovable. I will keep you out of reach of danger, raising you to heights that you are incapable of reaching on your own.
Bottomline is, when your heart is overwhelmed and you are troubled about many things, choose the rightful thing. Sit at the feet of Jesus. He will take you into that place of rest with Him!
