PLAYING ENOUGH?

Last summer in Savannah, GA I saw this tire swing with moss on it. The adage 'a rolling stone gathers no moss' reveals that only something neglected grows moss on it. Somebody quit playing on that swing.

I once heard John Arnot say that while being powerfully touched during the outpouring of the Spirit in the late 1980's-early 1990's he realized that God is playful. I have found the same to be true. He really loves to have fun. Even Jesus was anointed with the oil of gladness above His brethren (Hebrews 1:9), and actually endured the cross, despising the shame for the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus once said, 'whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it' (Mark 10:15). Childlike playfulness is a prerequisite for accessing the Kingdom!

Being playful is an attribute of many very successful people. Notice the following quote by B.C. Forbes, founder of the major business journal Forbes Magazine:

“Many of the most successful men I have known have never grown up. They have retained bubbling-over boyishness. They have relished wit. They have indulged humor. They have not allowed “dignity” to depress them into moroseness. Youthfulness of spirit is the twin brother of optimism, and optimism is the stuff of which American business success is fashioned. Resist growing up!”

According to the Bible joy is strength. Without it we will not persevere in the difficulties of spiritual things and the problems of life.

Do you play enough?

SEATED IN THE HEAVENS...How's your seat?

Dimitri from Switzerland asked me this question:

"My name is Dimitri, I'm 24 years old, recently moved to Switzerland, and I'm studying the phrase "seated in heavenly places" for quite a time now. Can you tell me more about your insights and experiences? I read your blog and you just mentioned it shortly."

My brief response:

Paul reports in Ephesians 2:4-6 that we were instantly seated in the heavenly places when we were given new life, born again, or saved (depending on your phraseology).

"But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,"

Being seated in the heavens is not a state we come to because we 'matured' into it but were born into it. That means every believer has access to the heavenly realm, the realm of power, blessing, benefit, etc. But functioning from that place of access is something you must learn how to do, which is an aspect of living by faith. Healing, power, miracles, provision, prophetic words, all of those kinds of things come from that heavenly place. (For example, when Jesus multiplied the loaves and fishes, where did the additional food come from? Heaven!)

Being born again, which means 'born from above or born from heaven', does not mean one instantly and successfully draws from that realm, but that one is eligible to do so. One must press into it, or become actively engaged in the realm of the heavens to experience it and draw from it. In Matthew 11:11-12 Jesus addressed this concept when he said the violent or the strong and forceful ones seize the kingdom by force:

"Assuredly, I am saying to you, There has not arisen among those born of women a greater one than John the Baptizer. However, the person of most humble station in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. Indeed, from the days of John the Baptizer until this moment, the kingdom of heaven is being taken by storm, and the strong and forceful ones claim it for themselves eagerly, for all the prophets and the law prophesied until John." (Wuest Translation)

A key understanding about functioning out of the kingdom of heaven or kingdom of God is that we must energetically lay hold of this realm that we have been given access to. One mistake many make is that since they have not been successful in living the supernatural life they assume they do not have access or that God has yet to do something necessary for them to do so. As a result many fall prey to common 'religous' snares such as legalism, and/or other perversions of our Christian faith in an attempt to move in power. Jesus gave this simple yet profound answer to this issue when asked how one continually does the works of God:

"Then they said to Him, What are we to do as a habit of life in order that we may continually be working the works of God? Answered Jesus and said to them, This is the work of God, that you continually be believing on Him whom that One sent off on a mission" (John 6:26, Wuest Translation).

You access the heavens by believing in Jesus, who He is, and particularly who He is in you. You believe, move in faith, and learn how to function in that wonderful realm.

Robin

EXITS

In Ezekiel 48 the prophet tells us about the city of God called "The Lord is There". He tells us that the city gates are named after the twelve sons of Jacob. He doesn't call the gates ENTRANCES, which is the perspective I normally have about gates. Instead he calls them EXITS. Have you ever wondered why? It's because Ezekiel has a heavenly perspective of life and GOD wants to get out of us.

He is inside every believer but many believers are yet to believe that the One they believe in is inside them. Unbelievable!

Many are crying 'Lord, come!' when the Lord is saying, 'He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water' (John 7:38). We are trying to get God inside us while He is inside us wanting us to let Him get out and help somebody, supernaturally.

Are you looking for a downpour or an outpour? I'm looking for the awakened church to have a corporate 'outpouring' of the Spirit of God. This difference of perspective and understanding determines your experience.

Are you looking up... or down? I recently wrote on my facebook site:

Things are looking down... When you are seated in heavenly places you are 'over' all your issues and problems and only then do you have an accurate view point!

Up or down? Which way are you looking? Remember. Your perspective will determine your experience.