Sacrifice

If you haven’t picked up on it yet, I usually post a new blog after a gathering. Of course, this shifts from time to time and I post at a random point. BUT, you guessed it, we just came from a POWERFUL POWERFUL gathering. Honestly? It was definitely unique…at least for me. I’ve spent the past 6 years of my life running with this ministry, both on the platform and off the platform (for a period of time), and I feel like I am just not getting it…what God is doing. Now, don’t take that wrongly. That doesn’t mean I was faking it in the past or what not, but as I sat on the stage and watched youth groups pray for their cities, something truly gripped my heart. I kept going back to a sermon Damon preached YEARS ago about us being blacksmiths…people who were willingly to stay in a fiery, hot, dirty place to make weapons for warriors. Now, that’s intense language, I know. However, it’s fitting due to the state of things in the nation right now. It truly is a war. Our greatest weapon? Him. His blood. His cross. His Spirit. Him. I mean, what else compares to the God who says that He holds the stars in His hands and knows them each by name? I still think we need a revelation on how big God is. I..emphasize I, need a revelation.

So here we are, in a war. The thing about my generation? We love being apart of something that will bring about change, and we don’t want to do it alone. So for us, for me, the average, every day man who works a forty hour a week job, who has bills to pay, who tries to keep a social life (despite my awkwardness, haha), who really loves Jesus, how do I start this whole thing? YOU simply burn. YOU simply become a person given over the will, knife, and plan of God. The Lord has been speaking to me lately about Abraham having to sacrifice Isaac. It’s a pretty darn intense story when think about it. God asking a father to literally sacrifice his son. Can you imagine the psychological and emotional affects Abraham must have been enduring while walking with Isaac and his other guys? What in the world.

Anyways, here’s the thought, Abraham laid Isaac on the altar. But that wasn’t enough. It wasn’t until Abraham lifted up his knife, probably in anguish, despair, yet having faith in YHWH, that God saw, was pleased, and intervened with a ram. I think we’re pretty good at putting things on an altar in a moment. We go to conference, or even seek God in prayer, and in a moment we hear and know that Jesus has called us to cut away some things…..not to be mean, not to be domineering, but because He knows that it will eventually destroy unnecessary weights that hinder us from running with all our guts and fulfilling purpose. So we lay it down…and that’s it. However, I believe God is looking for a knife wielding people. Those who will lay it down publicly, but will do what it takes behind closed doors.

That’s what Abraham did. The story says, Genesis 22, that two servants came with Abraham. I’m pretty sure they weren’t dumb. Abraham was carrying everything necessary for a sacrifice. However, they PROBABLY didn’t know WHAT was being sacrificed. So you see, people may see that something is happening, but only you can truly kill it in a secret place. We’ve got to have the heart that says we will do whatever it takes. And you know where that comes from? Seeing Him. I believe that’s what made Abraham so obedient, the fact that He knew the One who was speaking to Him. When your eyes and ears are attuned, your face set like flint, you just do whatever it takes. I’ve been reading a book entitled The Imitation of Christ by a monk named Thomas a Kempis (he lived a LONG time ag0). He wrote something I loved. He said, “Who wages a stronger battle than he labors to overcome himself? And it should be our daily desire to overcome ourselves, so that we may be made stronger in spirit and go daily from better to better.”

So, one, I’m not telling to go engage in human sacrifice. However, you are both Abraham and Isaac. You are the wielder of the knife and the offering that is pleasing unto God. I, along with you, am simply asking for such a grace for faith and a heart of obedience….and just more revelation of Him that will lead me to do, lay do, witness to, pray for, fast for, etc. etc. whatever He wants.

Making HIM happy is the goal. Let’s do whatever it takes….

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