Speaking From a Position of Solution

Have you ever been in the shower and the Lord spoke so clearly into your Spirit? I mean, He downloaded a Word that blessed your ENTIRE soul and gave you a whole new perspective on life? Have you ever had to rush out of the shower, barely having the time to dry off, because you needed to write down what was spoken before you forgot? How about not being able to find a pen or a piece of paper, so you just grabbed your phone and typed everything as fast as you could into the notepad? No, that's never happened to you? Well, that's EXACTLY what happened to me.

While showering God spoke a Word to me through the Holy Spirit that challenged the way I look at situations, speak about situations and approach situations. My prayer is that whoever stumbles upon this blog is blessed in the same way that I was blessed. I pray that the words God poured into my Spirit helps you to navigate the circumstances you encounter in life.

I heard as clear as day Speak Forward. Often when God speaks to me, He gives me a mental picture. The mental picture I had was of someone speaking, and their words were shooting forth out of their mouth in the form of arrows. I wish I was a talented artist so I could properly illustrate the vision in my head. It's important that you understand that these arrows were moving with a great force, and they were being shot into the air and going such a far distance that they disappeared.

Then I heard don't speak the issue, speak the solution. God started showing me different situations with my family and gave me a strategy on how to properly communicate. He told me instead of telling my husband what he doesn't do, I need to speak what I would like him to do. For example, instead of saying "you're not affectionate enough", I should say, "I really like when you do x, y, and z, to show me affection". Instead of telling my children to stop running through the house, I need to remind them that when we're in the house we need to walk. There are SO many situations in life where we could shift from a negative perspective to a positive one just by speaking the solution.

Then in my Spirit I heard that no matter the circumstance, speak hope and

speak into your future. I was reminded in that moment of something that my late pastor, Pastor McSwain would say, "Press Forward With Purpose". This idea of pressing forward with purpose comes from the scripture Philippians 3:13-14. In life we must be intentional about continuing to move forward no matter the situation. Yes, even in those difficult, heartbreaking, soul wrenching moments, we must PRESS FORWARD. We can't get so consumed by the past, that we allow it to hinder our future.

As I'm sitting here trying to type everything from my phone's notepad into this blog post, I'm praying for sensitive hearts that can receive hard truths. I know hearing "press forward no matter the circumstance "is a hard pill to swallow. It's even harder to be expected to speak hope and speak positivity when the situation is devastating. Hear me, God desires to give us strategy so that we could come out victorious is these rock and hard place situations.

God is a good father who's full of love, compassion and understanding. He is aware of every single trial that we face. God understands that sometimes we have to vent. It is actually healthy to release that pain and trauma. However, God spoke to me through the Holy Spirit and said, after we've vented and released our feelings, we need to come up with a plan to move forward. Now please understand that coming up with a plan does not have to be a grand thing. Simply getting up and taking one step forward is a good first step.

God desires for us to move forward and speak hope into our future, because there is a thin line between venting and murmuring. If we’re not careful, we could allow our venting to turn into chronic complaining. When we’re caught in a cycle of complaining we begin to poison everything around us. As it says in Proverbs 18:21, “life and death is in the power of the tongue”. God spoke to me through the Holy Spirit, that our words have the power to create and shape our lives. Our words have the ability to extinguish and snuff out fires. Our words and what we mediate on could have us depressed and feeling defeated.

So again, I want to express that while it is okay to vent, it is okay to cry out, it is EVEN okay to NOT be okay, it’s not okay to stay there!! After the weeping, there has to be a getting up. We have to remember that no matter the circumstance, we have to PRESS FORWARD and SPEAK HOPE INTO OUR FUTURE.

After God spoke these truths to me, He backed it up by His Word. He knew that I was having a hard time digesting it all, so He gave me examples of these truths from the Bible to help me to better understand. YES, believe or not, ALL of this was downloaded while standing in that shower. I'm just giving it to you, the same way the Lord gave it to me. It's mind-blowing to me how the Word seemed to be spoken so quickly but trying to get everything typed out is proving to be a timely process.

Again, I am praying for you to receive these truths. I am praying for you to continue to read until the end. I am praying that you go back and read these scriptures that the Lord gave me in their entirety.

The first person God showed me was David. God showed me how David responded in 2 Samuel 12, when Nathan the prophet came to him and told him that his son would die. At first David wouldn't accept this news, He begged God to spare his son. David wallowed, wept and laid on the floor without eating. However, after his son transitioned, David as the scriptures says, "arose from the ground, washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes, and he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped." (2 Samuel 12:20)

You might be wondering like David's servants, how did David shift from a position of wallowing to a position of moving forward? It's made clear in verses 22-23, that David had a perspective change. It was like a light switched on in David's head, and he realized that no amount of wallowing, weeping, or fasting would bring his son back to life. David understood that while it was heartbreaking and painful, eventually he would have to get up, wash his face and move forward.

The next person God showed me was Elijah. In 1 Kings 19, after Elijah was used by God in a mighty way, he found himself on the run because he feared he would be murdered. See, sometimes even when you're doing the right thing trouble finds you. The fear and the stress of the entire situation had Elijah suicidal. In 1 Kings 19:4, he prayed for God to take his life because he had had ENOUGH!! God heard his prayers, but instead of allowing Elijah to die in the wilderness, He sent his angel to care for Elijah in his moment of weakness. The angel of the Lord fed Elijah and gave his nourishment to sustain him on his journey.

God then showed me Hagar, who was in a devastating situation. Hagar was an Egyptian servant who was forced to sleep with and get pregnant by her mistress's husband. To add insult to injury, after her mistress found out she was pregnant, she treated her horrible and humiliated her. It was so bad that Hagar ran away. While in the wilderness God sent an angel to speak with Hagar. The angel of the Lord instructed Hagar to go back to her mistress. Yes, you heard that right!! She was told to go back. God did not take her out of her difficult situation, but He was with her in the midst of it.

God then showed me how Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, lied on by Potiphar's wife, jailed for a crime that he did not commit, forgotten about when there was a promise he would be remembered, and no matter the circumstance, it doesn't say that he complained. Throughout Genesis when it speaks about Joseph, it speaks about how God was with him, and that no matter the situation he was pleasing to those around him. Which means that Joseph didn't walk around with a woe is me attitude. On 3 separate occasions, in Potiphar's house, in prison and with Pharaoh, Joseph was given a promotion. I could only imagine the pain that Joseph experienced during this season in his life, but he didn't allow his pain to hinder his progress or promotion. In Genesis 45, Joseph forgave his brother's for selling him into slavery. He could have been bitter and held a grudge, but instead he saw how God worked the entire thing for his good (Genesis 45:7-8). God can work the tough situations in our lives for good as well.

Lastly, God showed me Jesus on the cross. Jesus on the cross speaks for itself!! Jesus was an innocent man who took the sins of the world upon Himself. He was betrayed, beaten and killed for people who wouldn't even accept Him. YET, He did not complain. In Luke 22:42-44, it shows how Jesus was in agony to the point that sweat fell from His face like great drops of blood. He didn't throw a fit and tell God how unfair His situation was, instead He prayed. Angels from heaven came to strengthen Jesus, and He was able to move forward to accomplish the will of His Father.

There are so many examples found in God's Word of how to respond during tough situations. There is a way that God would have us to respond, and there is a way the enemy would have us to respond. We've briefly covered the proper way, now let's look at the ways NOT to respond.

The children of Israel after being delivered from Egypt was the first example. I know we're all familiar with this story, if not I encourage you to go read Exodus. After God performed many signs and wonders and freed them from bondage, they complained the ENTIRE time. I mean nothing was ever good enough for them. God provided them with food daily, but it wasn't the food they wanted. God sent them a leader to guide them, but they complained about his instructions. God was with them as a cloud by day and a fire by night, but they made a false god out of gold to worship.

Each step of their journey they complained and desired to go back to Egypt. They desired to go back to the same placed they begged God to deliver them from in the first place. They were not solution based at all and their perspectives were negative. Even though God was right there in the midst of them, they were too blind to see it. They found themselves wandering in the wilderness and missing out on the promises of God because they were so focused on complaining and looking backwards instead of pressing forward.

Saul was another person God showed me, he was Israel's first king. Saul was what you would call fine FINE, it says in 1 Samuel 9:2, that Saul was the most handsome man in Israel, head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land. However, Saul wasn't the "chosen" king for long because as God spoke into my Spirit, "he lost his job because he wasn't listening to the boss". Saul wasn't loyal and he refused to obey God, so God rejected him and anointed David to be king instead. After Saul was rejected in 1 Samuel 15, you could see him spiraling until his death in 1 Samuel 31. Saul became a "hater" and literally tried to kill David. He was so lost in his mind that it drove him insane and caused him to be hunted by evil spirits. He would chase David all around the desert, hiding out in caves trying to kill him. Saul didn't turn to God during his time of despair. He didn't allow God room to heal his hurt, bitterness and jealousy. Saul wasted his life because he refused to move forward.

When we find ourselves in tough situations, it's about our state of mind. How we think and speak about the situation determines the outcome. It says in scripture that we should think of things that are lovely (Philippians 4:8). So instead of focusing on the problem, instead of focusing on what you don't have, focus on the blessings. Focus on creating a play to move forward. It says how we need to take our thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:5). Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are able to overcome. So, when negative thoughts start to come into our mind we have to pray and ask God to be with us in this situation. We have to bind up those thoughts and release them to the Lord.

I know a lot of people say it's easier said than done. You are absolutely right!! It is hard, it downright sucks, but you could do it. When you're in a defeated place, when your mind is telling you to QUIT, to STOP, to LAY DOWN, THAT IS THE VOICE OF THE ENEMY. He's attacking your mind and it eventually it starts to attack your body. He starts to attack how you're moving and operating and eventually you've let years go by and you're not walking in purpose. You've let years go by and you've made no progress. You find yourself caught up in a cycle. You're angry and bitter and forfeited what God has for you. I encourage you, as I encourage myself. WE CAN'T STOP!!! We can't let the enemy win!!!

Take a break, rest, wallow a little, if you must. Allow yourself to feel your pain, your disappointment and your anger. Feel it and acknowledge it, because it is REAL!! HOWEVER, eventually you're going to have to do like David did, you're going to have to get up, wash your face and walk in your purpose. You're going to have to dry your tears and pick up your cross like Jesus did. Sometimes the very thing that we thought would kill us; the nails that were beaten in our hands by disappointment, the lashes on our back from this cruel world, is what makes us stronger. The trials we endure purifies our faith, like fire purifies gold (1 Peter 1:7). Out of our pain our purpose is birthed, and we're being made into new creatures.

I know it sound super cliché, but as a child of God we ALWAYS win!! No matter the circumstances we face in life, we can press forward and speak hope into our future, because in the end, we will always come out victorious. God says in Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future".

So, if you find yourself in a tough situation today, trust God to shift you from a position of wallowing to a position of moving forward like He did with David. Trust God to sustain you like He did with Elijah. Trust God to be with you in the midst of your trouble like He did with Hagar. Trust God to promote in the middle of a painful situation like He did with Joseph. Trust God to send His Angels to strengthen you so you could walk in His will like Jesus!!

God loves you and He is working ALL THINGS for your good. I know it hurts, but you can't stay in that dry place. God is calling YOU to do more!! Don't allow yourself to die in the wilderness, God has called you to the promised land.