The Broken Place

The Broken Place

Have you ever seen a Western film where the cowboy is given the task of taming the wild stallion?  The stallion is majestic, fit, energetic, it stands tall and strong, its outward appearance is beautiful, alluring but as soon as it’s approached it runs wild, it stomps, neighs and given the chance, will run away causing destruction along the way.  Its real personality comes out and the beauty that once was so attractive now becomes the thing that scares the cowboy.  The cowboy has to take control, he has to become the master of the stallion, lead it, guide it and tame the bucking bronco until it's broken in.  Eventually the stallion learns that it’s pointless to try and run, to fight, or retaliate and very soon it begins to succumb to the direction and ways of the cowboy.  The cowboy who once represented something scary, something harsh and unnecessary has now become a loving owner, a tender trainer, a carer and guide and the horse receives and enjoys the benefits of a good home where it’s fed, watered, cleaned and taken care of.  All its needs are met by its master and it becomes a champion at its craft.

Sometimes as humans we are like that.  We are admired for our beauty, our stature, our outward attributes but dig just beneath the surface and we are unusable.  Our packaging is attractive and we look fit for purpose but beneath our beauty we are wild and out of control.  We go through life with no real purpose or direction, living day to day making do with the here and now and not really achieving anything, not making a difference or putting to use the skills we were born with.  We have no idea who we are and whose we are. But God has a purpose for every one of us (Ephesians 2:10). We belong to Him. We are made the way we are with all our outward attributes for a reason but our outward beauty has to be aligned with our inward beauty.  We need to harness the two and bring them into union.  We all need to be broken in and disciplined in order to fulfil our purpose.  Without direction we walk around aimlessly.

Most times even a pair of shoes gets broken in before being used for the purpose for which it was purchased.  We will take it home and walk through the house with it before venturing outside wearing it.  We will try on clothes before purchasing it making sure it is fit for the purpose it’s being purchased for.  Many times we hear children being referred to as wild and out of control. They have no direction or discipline and so they “act out”.  We hear of the terrible twos and threes but a child that has been guided, directed and disciplined by their parents often follows that direction.  We often hear of guide dogs being taken to training school in order for it to fulfil its purpose. The spirit of waywardness has to be killed for our true nature to be utilised, for our outward and inner beauty and strength to align.

When I was younger, I was wayward, I did things I wanted to do but without any real purpose.  I lived a life directed by the world.  My outward and inward appeal did not align.  Today, I am still Carl but God took control of my life and harnessed me.  He brought me in alignment with His purpose for my life.  He had to break me in.  I was broken, went down into the valley, lost some habits, lost some of my old ways, had to let go of some people and possessions but like the phoenix rising from the ashes He brought me through and raised me up.  Like the lamb whose leg Jesus had to break, He had to break me in order to carry me.  Sometimes we will have to be brought to our knees, to be in a broken place, lost and alone but that’s when God says, lean on me, rest on my everlasting arm, cast your burdens onto me and I will carry you.  I will wash you anew, I will renew your mind, I will give you your purpose, I will break you in and harness you and you will be made whole.  When you’re in a broken place He is waiting on you to call on Him, to say Lord HELP!

Broken places are necessary.  Even Christians get broken.  Even Christians goes through the valley but God always puts us back together and along the way He strengthens us and makes us fit for purpose.  Whatever your brokenness is, wherever it lies, whether it is financially, emotionally, physically or spiritually, He can put it back together again.  He will use your brokenness to harness you.  Your broken place is your breaking in process. Brokenness is something we can’t avoid but it’s important to look for the reason for it, look beyond your place of brokenness and see the breaking in, see the harnessing, see Gods hand at work. 

Your broken place is your scrap yard. It’s where you’re put back together.  When a car gets written off, it’s taken to the scrap yard not because it can’t be used again but because it can be used again.  All its various parts can be used in different ways for different reasons, it gets put back together one way or the other and is used again. Often times when it’s rebuilt it is worth much more than before, it is more valuable.  That’s what God wants to do and will do with you if you will call on Him.  He will restore and replenish you (1 Peter 5:10).  He is the Creator and He will create in you a new mind, heart and purpose. 

Your broken place is where God is waiting on you.  Look for Him, call on Him and let go and let Him.  He wants to feed you, to take care of you, to guide, guard and protect you.  His plan for you is to prosper you....don’t be afraid, don’t run away.  The process may hurt but it won’t hurt you.

You’re in your broken place for your breaking in

The Pirate Is After Your Cargo

The Pirate Is After Your Cargo

Gods word brings life into dead situations. There's none bigger, stronger or more powerful than He is and when you are in a relationship with Him, He dwells in you and you in Him. You have the power and strength through Him to walk on serpents and scorpions (Luke 10:19); to crush the enemy. He places something in you that's very valuable. He places His Word and Spirit. You become a vessel carrying very valuable cargo. What you carry as a Christian is powerful enough to lift up men, women and children to be who God wants them to be so that they can be where He wants them to be but just like the pirates out at sea, the enemy sees and knows how valuable your cargo is, he notices your power, so he will go all out to steal it from you.

Brothers and sisters, Christians, are you aware of what you're carrying? Are you aware of how valuable your cargo is? The enemy is!!!  You are carrying Gods love and your testimony.  Don't be ashamed of it; it's the Gospel (2 Timothy 1:8).  Don't let the pirate capture you.  The enemy will come after you like a pirate at sea but use Gods word - your power and strength - and let him know that what you're carrying is not for him, it's for defeating him.  Let him know that your cargo is much to valuable and powerful for him and you won't give in or give it up. Stand up and fight. Be a warrior for God. You've got His armour so wear it (Ephesians 6:10-18) and deliver your cargo to its destination.

Being a Christian, a man/woman of God, a Pastor, a Preacher is a massive feat but hold on and don't let anyone steal your standing with God from you; it's a blessing; it's your joy. You are equipped to make change.  Anyone you speak to you will change their thought process and destination. Gods purpose for them will be fulfilled in their new destination. Gods word changes minds and destinations.  It brings to fruition His purpose for your life and along the way He will use what He's placed in you to change the lives of others.  

The pirate is after you so hold on tightly to your cargo. You may have to change direction or be delayed but God makes no mistakes because He has a purpose for what He's placed in you and if you will only listen to His voice and be obedient to His voice (Deuteronomy 4:1) you will defeat the pirate. 

I had an encounter recently where I was getting ready to go to the gym before going to work but I was delayed because I felt the need to read Gods word before leaving the house. Eventually I left but on the way there I realised there had been quite a nasty accident on the route I had to take to get to the gym.  I realised that if I had left my usual time, I would have been caught up in that accident.  Immediately I recognised Gods work and how He saved me from the attempts of the enemy. The night before, the Spirit of God had heavily visited me and had given me a message to deliver (Fight For Your Name). I had not yet put it out there but I knew someone somewhere needed to hear that message and so the enemy was after me but I serve a God who is greater than the enemy (1 John 4:4).  A God who had placed something in me and because of my relationship with Him and obedience to His voice the pirate did not capture me and I delivered my cargo.

As Christians we are always in a race against the enemy.  The enemy knows how powerful the prize at the end of the race is and he doesn't want you to get to it because it will deplete him.  He will be the winner if you let him overtake you. Like the drivers in F1, they are racing to get to the finish line because the prize is waiting there for the winner.  The trophy is theirs if they make it to the finish line first and they will get there at all cost, overtaking, ducking and diving but at all times protecting what will get them to the finish line first (their car).  We are runners in a race and at the finish line is Gods glory and His kingdom (1 Corinthians 9:24 & Philippians 3:14).
What you have is very valuable so you will be noticed. 

What you have will raise you up and out of mediocrity to notoriety.  You will have to be on your guard at all times but your fight will be made easier as you continue to strengthen your relationship with the Lord. You will hear His voice above all else, He will guide, guard and direct you.  He will shield you.  He will take on your battles (2 Chronicles 20:15).  Like David when he went after Goliath, you will be armed with the Spirit of the Lord. Be strong and be courageous (Joshua1:9). Your cargo, the word of God must be delivered.  It will reach it's destination -Gods people - and you will overpower the pirate.

Fight For Your Name

Fight For Your Name

Are you in a place of waiting? Are you waiting on God to bless you? Are you in a fight that seems never ending? Have you lost your comfort? Does it seem like God is not talking to you anymore? Is your world crashing in on you? Are you in a ditch? Hold on, don’t give up, keep your faith and fight...a new day is dawning and your new name is coming. 

Abraham had to be taken out of his comfort and away from all he knew to be blessed and to fulfil his purpose. Sometimes you have to brake and change position to receive what God has for you. He lost all he had but held onto his faith. He was raised in a lap of luxury. He had every material thing he needed and more but God had a plan for him. His plan was to make him a father of many nations and his descendants as plentiful as the sand on the sea shore (Romans 4:17) but He had to make sure Abraham was capable of handling the blessing so God removed him from where he was and took him on a journey..on a process; He needed to strengthen and rename him. Abraham forsook all he knew and was made righteous by the depth of his faith and obedience. He had to live in the wilderness but he kept his faith. He believed God and God blessed him (Genesis 15:6). God renamed him and made him a father of many nations (Genesis 17:5).

Jacob had to wrestle all night long with man and God but he kept his Faith, he did not give up (Genesis 32:22-26). He knew that God would bless and prosper him if he held on. He was battered and bruised during the fight, suffered a broken hip but did not give up. He fought for his blessing and God favoured him; He gave him a new name Israel (Genesis 32:27-30). You may be wrestling with past and present struggles but hold on to God because in the morning of your struggles breakthrough will come. You will get your new name.

Job was a very rich man. He was a faithful servant and God blessed and prospered him with many riches but God had more for him. He was blameless in the sight of God but God allowed him to be tested and all he had was taken away from him, he lost everything; his riches, his children, his health but he held on to his faith. When everyone around him advised him to curse God, he held on to God, he kept hold of his faith and love for God and he was rewarded double for his trouble. God restored all he had and doubled it. His faith earned him the blessing of God (Book of Job).

These three great men of the Bible are examples of struggles, wilderness, loss, sinful past but great faith and love for the Lord. Abraham and Jacob were sinners but God forgave and rewarded them for their faith and love for Him. Abraham lied about his wife (Genesis 20:1-2); Jacob stole his brother’s birth right (Genesis 27).  There is no sin too big that God will not forgive. Job was blameless and loved the Lord but his faith was tested (book of Job).

This message is not for the proud and upright, but for those who feel bent over in pain. Those of you who are out of your comfort zone, in a place of wilderness and losing some stuff along the highway, you’re growing weary of wrestling with the challenges of just doing life.

God does not look at you through the eyes of man (1 Samuel 16:7).  He does not see you in your circumstances but sees you past your circumstances. He is a God of order and process. You will have to go through changes, lose some things, be processed, be separated from people, be uncomfortable but hold on, keep fighting, keep praising Him (1 Thessalonians 5:18).  God looked at Jacob and Abraham through His eyes, not the eyes of the people around them. He does not see you as people see you. He will change who and where you are to whom and where He wants you to be by the renewing and transformation in your spirit. He will change your mind, your thoughts, and your destination.  You may have to wrestle and release stuff but hold on to God. Your destination is not where you are now; you are on a journey to the promise of a better future and the enemy will fight you every step of the way.

When God shows up in your life He will show you your future but you will have to go through some stuff to get it. You need to want to have it above all else. When God revealed himself to me I did not understand it but I knew I had to have more of whatever he was offering. You have to trust him in the areas where you can’t trace him. When I was a child I thought like a child. When I became a man I put away childish things (1 Corinthians 13:11). The word of God will put the kid to sleep and awake the king in you.

Trust the Lord to deliver what he’s shown you. When I was deep in the world fighting to get the things of the world, I never gave up until I got what I wanted.  If I wanted it I was going to have it. Then change came. Greater is He that lives in me than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). When God came into my life I knew He had a plan and purpose for me, something that the world could not provide. Like Jacob I wanted what He showed me but to get it I had to have Him first and He would have to have me. He took me from where I was and I lost all I had but I held on. I was taken from my comfort, from all I knew; I had to fight situations, my finances, my relationships. I was broken, lonely and uncomfortable but I was not going to give up until He blessed me; until I got what He had for me and He blessed and prospered me. He renamed me. I had to have the sense and determination of Jacob; the faith of Job and the courage of Abraham. I am still holding on because He’s not finished blessing me. 

Abraham, Jacob and Job’s journeys are for the people who are wrestling; the people who are in the wilderness; those who have lost and are uncomfortable; those who are in ditches; those who are broken; those who are in a fight.  Hold on, don’t give up; your morning is coming and you will be rewarded.  When God shows up in your life you will never be poor or broke again; you will never lack again. He will give you something more valuable and powerful than money. He gives you His Word and it dwells in you. It can cut through any situation. It can give life to dead bones (Ezekiel 37:1-14). If you are in a ditch, don’t just lie down and give up...fight.  If He’s allowed you to fall in a ditch He can take you out. Don’t stop wrestling until He gets you out. You are a celebrity....His celebrity so get out of there; wrestle yourself out of there!!!  Stand on His Word and fight. His Word is not proud of any situation; it’s not too proud of your situation so use His Word; It’s a double edged sword and is capable of cutting through ALL things (Hebrews 4:12), us it and fight for your blessing. His Word is for the breaking of strong holds and proud arguments (2 Corinthians 4:5). God can start and stop any situation. 

Have you seen what God has for you? Have you smelt it, tasted it? Do you want it? Job, Abraham and Jacob did and they wanted it. I did and I wanted it. We all had to fight for it. We had to wrestle for it. Had to give up some things, lose some things, become uncomfortable; go down into the ditch, walk through the valleys but we never gave up. The enemy will always tempt you to give up. He will play on your pain, your loss, your discomfort but don’t let him steal your faith. Stand on God’s Word, His promise and say “Devil, don’t come near my faith because I will fight you for it...you can take everything but you’re not having my faith!!”

Fight your way out of the jungle.  Hold on till morning and claim your new name