ARE YOU AFRAID OF CHANGES?
ARE YOU AFRAID OF CHANGES?
You must have noticed that this website has been in a process of changing and it still is. This has not been a process without problems. For some time you couldn’t find any new text. The English part was ready first and the Norwegian one is still in the process. I couldn’t do this by myself and was totally dependent on others for help. Different languages have also been involved and that has made it even more difficult. Some very serious technical problems arouse at one time and that has made it impossible for me to come with new text on the Norwegian part. I am very sorry about these problems, but I had no way of doing anything about them. I believe that this is typical for a change. There comes a time of transition and this phase can often be difficult and that may be one of many reasons for shrinking from changes. I am still not able to administrate the new page totally on my own. I did not look forward to do it the first time since it is a very different procedure from the old one. I thanked God for the person who helped me.
I think that the new website is much better than the old one and I hope that you agree.
I write about this in order to give you an explanation for the problems with the site and I am at the same time using this as an example of what might happen when you go through a process of change. The Lord had said that I should change, but I had to wait for proper help. The initiative came from the Lord, but the offer of helping came from people. It was connected with the book I wrote. I had to say yes to the changes and it also included willingness to invest money in it. I have to learn new things on the computer and I think that is frightening. Do I allow the fear to control my decisions? No.
The fact is that many people avoid doing the things they should since they are afraid. They might have a fear they know about and admit, but fear can also hide behind other masks and it might even seem to be religious. I attended a church where many good things took place, but the structure was very strict and everything that was planned had to take place. If anything spontaneous should happen it had to go through the pastor and that was only happening three or four times during the years I was there. I think fear is behind such a strict structure. One is afraid of losing control or opening for something coming from the wrong source. The tragic thing is that it also limits The Holy Spirit. God gave me a picture while I was attending a meeting in this church. He showed me a triangle with different layers. The Holy Spirit said: “ I am only allowed to fill the top layers of the triangle, but I want to fill the entire triangle.” The Holy Spirit was there, but there might be fear and other reasons standing in the way for filling the entire triangle or the entire church. I have been to other places where The Holy Spirit is free to do what He wants, but other spirits might also manifest then. There are places where leaders can handle these manifestations, but some think that all manifestations come from the Holy Spirit. It gets to be a mixture and a chaos. I believe that certain rules should be in order for The Holy Spirit to move. In order to allow the Holy Spirit to move, one needs to know the Holy Spirit and know what comes from the flesh and from other spirits.
I believe that newly born-again Christians need more structure than the
Mature ones. Small children need very clear borders in order to feel safe.
When God asks you to do something, how do you react? I can “hear” that some of you say: “But God doesn’t speak to me.” I have only heard the clear voice of God once in my life, but He speaks on the inside quite often. Are you quiet enough to listen? Are you close enough? Do you know what He says in His Word? He will never say anything that contradicts the Word, but the Word doesn’t always give you concrete instructions for just your life. It doesn’t say where you shall live or with whom you should get married. It doesn’t say which occupation you should have either. Mark 16 says something we all should do. It says that all believers should speak in new tongues, lay hands on the sick, drive out demons and if we drink poison, it shouldn’t hurt us. Many people avoid doing what our Father tells us to do. Some are rebellious and disobedient and others are afraid. Why are we afraid? Some might talk like this: “I have always lived in this area and attended this particular church. I know everything and everyone here and it is so safe. I want my children to experience the same safety that I have had myself.” I could have come with many counter arguments, but some are so afraid of leaving their comfort zone. I myself think this sounds boring and I am always ready to be sent to new places and to meet new people. The Lord can therefor send me wherever He wants. My fear arises when it comes to technical challenges. He must send me skilled people to teach me and I have to overcome the feeling of being stupid.
I believe that we will enter new times with great changes. I seriously believe that He wants to prepare us for lays ahead. How do we react when things get difficult? Do we get panicky or do we trust our Father to take care of us no matter circumstances? Many people cry and pray for revival, but are you prepared to take care of the new babies? Do you have a place where they can worship together with other believers? Do you have people who can teach them from the Word of God? Are you willing to stand with them in the process of sanctification? Do you drive out demons when necessary? It is easy to pray for people far away, but God wants many new children everywhere, also in our neighborhood. Some people say: “I do not know how to tell others about Jesus and I do not dare to tell anyone that they sin against the Word of God. I want to be loved by everyone.” If that’s the case, you have a problem and the Lord has a problem with you. You have a fear of rejection and a fear of men. You need both deliverance and healing and you need help to change.
I have several times heard about Christian men who were ready to get married and then fear overtook them and they cancelled the wedding. Some of them have done it several times. I am sure that women have done the same, but I have only heard about men. Some of them are afraid of being bound and lose their freedom, others are afraid of an intimate relationship. Some think that they will not become good husbands or good fathers. In other words: They are afraid of changes.
God is calling some people into situations where they do not have a secure income. They might have been asked to start a spiritual work before all the picture bricks are in place. If you are not used to walk by faith, this might seem frightening. We forget that the Lord will provide every day. Remember the Israelites when they were in the desert. They got manna every day from the Lord.
I believe that God wants us to trust Him for everything every day.
Some people are asked by God to move to other places or other countries. This sounds very frightening for some people. When one makes so drastic changes, one needs to be well prepared. Only extreme situations require quick actions. I have experienced the Hand of God also in such situations and also His protection, but He normally gives people a time of preparation.
Every day should really be a preparation for the next step. I do not want to be the same tomorrow as I am today. I want to have more of the Lord and less of me tomorrow.
I could have written about many more areas of changes and been more concrete, but I just wanted to make you aware of the fact that fear might be the reason for disobeying God or stopping you in your walk with Him
DO NOT ALLOW FEAR TO STOP GOD’S PLANS FOR YOUR LIFE!
Mother Else.