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The Lord invites us to divine partnership with Him. He casts the vision and then asks His people to begin walking into it one step at a time. While He is a miracle worker, He gives us the privilege of partnering with Him bring His Kingdom and His will to the earth.

Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”

 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”

 So He said, “I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” Exodus 3:9-12

God had a plan to to bring out the children of Israel out of Egypt, but He chose Moses to become part of the solution. He told Moses to go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt. Moses did not see himself qualified for the job because he had to deal with a powerful pharaoh who was unwilling to let go of the Israelites. 

Moses reluctantly obeyed not knowing what was ahead. He found out that he had learn to rely on the Lord over and over again. The Lord had to send ten plagues before Pharaoh was willing to give them up. At every step of the way, Moses had a choice to either quit or to listen to the next instruction from the Lord. 

God chooses to partner with us as well. He is all powerful and is capable of changing a situation immediately. However, it is more important for Him to develop intimacy with His people, so He chooses to work with us through situations. 

Most of us desire to know God and understand His purpose for our lives. We have this idea that God will suddenly make everything clear to us. However, God speaks to us, and He waits for us to take a step of faith. For example, if we desire to see our finances restored, then we should begin by giving tithes from the firstfruits of our income. The Lord doesn’t need our tithes, but tithing allows us not to look to money for our security, and it invites the Lord to touch our finances. Then we continue to listen and read His instructions on how to manage our money and be faithful, and over time we will see a harvest of healing in our finances.

The divine partnership is a call of God to restoration, purpose, and healing. We do our part by taking small steps of faith, and God does His part by touching a situation, bringing restoration, and fulfilling His promises to us. 

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus told his disciples to watch and pray. He knew that their season was about to shift. The disciples needed to know the will of the Father in that hour to keep them from falling away. They were about to walk through the most difficult season of their lives, and they needed to be ready through prayer. However, the disciples did not take heed. They fell asleep just as most of us might snooze after a long day and a big meal. They did not recognize that their lives were about to change dramatically, and they needed to get ready for a tough season.

Some of you are experiencing the winds of change personally. Some families and churches may be going through a change of season. Our nation is experiencing rapid change currently.  This is the time that the people of God must rise up and take their place. The consequence of the current developments can be much greater than just an election or a Supreme court decision. We are called to be watchmen and intercede on behalf of our nation.

Peter was tempted and denied Jesus because he was taken by surprise by the arrest of Jesus. He had relied on himself more than relying on the Lord up to this point. When things go as planned, it is easy to rely on ourselves and think that we are still surrendered to God’s will. However, the times of uncertainty can challenge us to find a way out! What Jesus told His disciples holds true for us as well. We need to watch and pray!

Jesus called the church to be the light and salt of the world. The only way we can maintain our potency is by remaining in intimate relationship with the Lord and having an ear to hear His instructions. We are called to be watchmen, so when the enemy is approaching, we can sound the trumpet and alarm the people of God of the impending danger. Let’s be ready for God’s work in our land.

A prayer movement is happening this weekend in Washington DC (Oct 6-9) called Awaken the Dawn people from all 50 states will be represented and will pray for our nation. You can join in by spending some time in prayer and fasting during those three days. The following is the link to the event: http://www.thecall.com/riseup/.

Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. Mark 1:35

Prayer was a priority for Jesus. He took time away from the crowd and the disciples to pray to the Father in the early hours of the day. Jesus had a lifestyle of prayer.

We are called to make prayer a priority and to intercede on behalf of others. Prayer is our communication with the Lord. He desires to hear our hearts. If Jesus was continually in prayer before the Father, how much more do we need to be prayer regularly!?

If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2Chronicles 7:14

When we pray, God begins to change our hearts about people and situations. As watchmen, God aligns our hearts to His heart. He also reveals things that can help in providing insight for those who are in the midst of an issue.

As we look at the landscape of our country, the body of Christ as a whole has lost its value for intercession. We have replaced praying with complaining. Humility has given way to pride. God’s ways have been replaced with people’s preferences and opinions. Biblical righteousness has given way to self-righteousness. That’s a recipe for chaos and division.

This past Saturday, the intercessors from my church gathered at the Livermore City Hall at 6:30 am to pray for the city officials, police, schools, churches, businesses, families, and the homeless. In this hour, every church should be involved in praying for its community.

We need to invite the peace of God in our communities. We ask Him to heal our land, and we make ourselves available to be part of the answer. We ask, seek, and knock until His Kingdom comes and His will is done on earth as it is in heaven.

In Biblical times, watchmen were supposed to protect the city walls from the invasion of the enemy. That meant that they had to remain alert during the time they were in their post, discern foes from friends, and sound the alarm when necessary.

Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: Ezekiel 3:17

God told Ezekiel that he had set him as a watchman over the house of Israel. He was supposed to listen to the words of the Lord and warn the Israelites when God instructed him. Ezekiel was the prophet of God and was appointed by God for this task. In this case, he was a spiritual watchman for the house of Israel.

I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem;They shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent, And give Him no rest till He establishes And till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth. Isaiah 62: 6-7

The Lord sets watchmen over His people to intercede on their behalf and be attentive to His voice. The watchmen are intercessors. These are individuals who have a burden to pray for people, churches, communities, and nations, and they listen to hear God on behalf of them.

Has the Lord called you to be an intercessor? If you have a tendency to worry about people’s lives, your church, or your country, you may have a burden to pray by warring in the spirit on behalf of God’s people. You are called to release your worry and become a warrior for God!

Our nation and our communities need our prayers. Many people are quick to share their opinions about anything and everything that is going on in the culture, but it is more powerful when people of God look to the Lord and intercede on behalf of the people. We need the Lord to intervene in the affairs of man and for Him to give us wisdom on how to handle various situations. 

Do you have a burden to pray for regularly? Does God share words of encouragement to share with those you pray for? Does your church hold prayer meetings that you can pray with other intercessors corporately? If you don’t have regular prayer meetings, who is interceding for your church and your community? 

If you have been reading my last few devotionals, you have found how people handle life differently due to past rejections. The unresolved root of rejection causes them to incur more pain and more rejection in life. However, not every bad choice is due to past root of rejection. 

Self-Made Rejection

Sometimes the rejection experienced is self-made, and it is not due to past rejections. Ultimately, every person has a choice to do either what is right or rebel against the established system. Adam & Eve in their perfect state were never rejected.  Their disobedience was not due to the root of rejection, but they exercised their choice by disobeying God. Once they sinned, God did reject them by placing a curse on them and driving them out of the Garden. Their disobedience led them to rejection. 

And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.

So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” Genesis 4: 3-7

Cain was another example of self-made rejection. The Lord did not approve of Cain’s sacrifice but told him that he would be accepted when he does right. God did not reject Cain, but He corrected him. In addition, God gave him a warning. He told him that if Cain does not do what is right, sin is right around the corner to rule over him.

Sometimes, we don’t like the rules or the parameters established, so we do it our way. We think by doing it our own way, we are making a statement that the person setting the rules is unreasonable and it’s unnecessary to follow them. However, this opens to sin ruling over us and keeping us in its grip. 

The Lord told Cain that when he chose to disobey God’s expectation, sin was at the door trying to take control of his life. Cain thought he could do it his own way, but when God wasn’t pleased, it made him angry.

Cain’s behavior wasn’t due to injustice, and neither God’s correction was unjust. Cain had to be willing to see the consequences of his actions and desire to change them. Cain still had the opportunity to correct his mistake. Unfortunately, he chose not to deal with the condition of his own heart and took out his anger on his brother by killing Abel.

And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.” Genesis 3: 10-12

I doubt the day Cain chose to offer a sacrifice unacceptable to God, he thought this would lead him someday to murdering his brother, but his actions began a process that took him down the path of anger, rejection, and bondage to sin. Cain incurred God’s rejection because of his own choices and became a vagabond in his life. 

Are there certain people or systems that you have been ignoring or fighting against?  Rejection does not have to be the story of your life. The situation is not about them. It is about you and the condition of your heart before God. Stop arguing with God and listen to His instructions. Take responsibility for your part and make it your goal to do what is right. Doing right frees you from the enemy having a legal right to rule over your soul and ultimately over your actions.

In the last two devotionals, I have been sharing about the root of rejection and how people manifest it differently in the manner they operate. Some set out to compete and beat the system. Others feel victimized and give in to the system, and the third group reject the system by rebelling against it. Today’s devotional  is about the those who rebel against the system.

Rebelling against the system

Some people choose to rebel as a reaction to rejection. Their pain is translated into insubordination against the established system and dishonoring what is right and appropriate. The consequence of their rebellion affects their walk with the Lord, creates destruction in relationships, undermines their future, and harms others. Consequently, their behavior creates more rejection by others leading to anger and frustration and developing a cycle of rebellion.

Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him. Genesis 37:3 

So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan.  But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. Genesis 37:17b-18

Joseph’s brothers felt rejected by their father, and they were jealous of the attention Joseph was receiving. Their hatred led them to plot to kill their own brother. Ruben, one of the brothers, intervened, and instead, they sold Joseph into slavery (See Genesis 37). Not only their actions caused great pain for everyone involved, but they also had to live with the guilt of selling their brother and lying to their father. 

On the other hand, Joesph, who was deeply rejected by his brothers, did not allow their actions to define his identity. He remained faithful and steadfast in spite of hard times. Because he kept a pure heart, he was able to bless his family when he finally encountered them.

Injustice can cause great pain in the hearts of people, but we each have to take responsibility for the condition of our hearts. If we allow others’ bad behavior to cause bitterness and resentment to grow in our hearts, we will distrust everyone and will continue to fight against the established system. Rebellion may offer a fictitious feeling of power, but, in reality, it takes the person down a path of deeper of bondage. 

If we choose to forgive those who have rejected us, we allow God to heal our hearts and reestablish our identity.  Bitterness equals bondage! Forgiveness equals freedom! 

The root of rejection manifests itself in different ways. As I shared in the last devotional, some choose to try to beat the system, others give in to the system, and some rebel against the system.  Today’s devotional is about those who give in to the system. 

Give In to the System

Some people deal with rejection by giving in to the system. This group does not fight or compete but just gives up trying to achieve. They quit what they start. They have a victim mentality and an excuse for things not working out. They complain about their problems, hold grudges, and grow bitter. They want more in life,  but they don’t see themselves capable of moving forward. Or they think the system is unjust and too powerful for them to overcome it. They lose motivation in life and become lazy, bitter, or depressed. This kind of behavior becomes a self fulfilling prophecy, and it reenforces the lie they have believed.

And the people complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” Exodus 15:24

How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against Me? I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against Me. Number 14:27

The Israelites were in slavery in Egypt for 400 years. The generation that left with Moses grew up in slavery. Up to that point, they had lived their entire lives at the mercy of others making decisions for them. Whenever things didn’t go right, they just complained because they saw themselves victims of circumstances.

God used Moses to rescue the Israelites, but in their hearts they were still victims. They had to believe that God was going to change their lives, but they also had to cooperate with the new season to see the fruit of that change. Unfortunately, the generation rescued from slavery believed the lies and rejected God’s truth. The Lord desired to get them to the Promise Land, but they forfeit that privilege. From those that left Egypt, only Joshua and Caleb saw the Promised Land because they believed God and released their past identity. 

I grew up in a culture that did not value women and this impacted our family. Sometimes it was very oppressive, and it felt impossible to overcome. Over the years, I learned to forgive again and again when the feelings of rejection came. I have also learned not to interpret others’ bad behavior as not valuing a woman. There were years that I battled the voice of rejection, but I have chosen not to feed it. Instead, I always ask the Lord, “What do you say about this?” I have greater sensitivity for those who don’t have a voice because they are a woman.

We all may have felt victims of certain situations or were victimized by some people. If we desire not to live with the pain of that rejection, we need to forgive those who have sinned against us. We have to break that cycle of rejection by renouncing the lie and coming into agreement with what God says about us. The Lord defines our true identity.  Unlike the rest of their generation, Joshua and Caleb survived the desert. They chose to believe God and came out of agreement with their victimized past and took on their real identity. Choose to believe the Lord this week!

I don’t think there is anyone on the face of this earth who has not experienced rejection. Rejection entered our world when Adam and Eve decided to sin.  The fear of punishment and rejection came upon them because they rebelled against God.  Up to this point, Adam walked with God and he had a close relationship with the Lord. However, after the fall things changed. Adam and Eve hid themselves from God. They were ashamed of being naked. Adam rejected God’s design and blamed Eve’s defectiveness for his wrongdoing, and God cursed Adam and Eve and drove them out from the Garden, so they would not eat from the Tree of Life (See Genesis 3). 

Definition of Reject according to Strong’s Concordance:

(Hebrew 3998): refuse and despise.

Greek (G114) to do away with, to set aside, disregard, to thwart the efficacy of anything, nullify, make void, frustrate.

Rejection comes from different sources. Most of the time, our rejection has come from family members and friends. Those who are supposed to love and accept us can create the most damage. At times, we reject ourselves because of what we have done or our character flaws. Sometimes, we may feel abandoned by God because we turned away from Him or those in authority over us misrepresented Him. 

According to Dr. Neil Anderson (from his book Victory Over the Darkness), we react to rejection by: beating the system, giving in to the system, or rebelling against the system. Each of those approaches bring about more rejection, and we continue the cycle of rejection until we become aware of our behavior.

Beat the System

So Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, “Indeed I heard your father speak to Esau your brother, saying,  ‘Bring me game and make savory food for me, that I may eat it and bless you in the presence of the Lord before my death.’  Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to what I command you.  Go now to the flock and bring me from there two choice kids of the goats, and I will make savory food from them for your father, such as he loves.  Then you shall take it to your father, that he may eat it,and that he may bless you before his death.” Genesis 26:6-10

Those who beat the system develop a very competitive nature, and they try to control and manipulate people to get their way. Jacob was an example of someone who continually beat the system.  Jacob’s mother already had a prophecy that the older was going to serve the younger (See Genesis 25:22-23), but that did not stop Rebecca.  She and Jacob plotted to deceive Isaac to ensure that Jacob was going to get the blessings of Esau. 

Those who want to beat the system focus on reaching their goal with no regard to how they achieve it.  Their achievement makes them feel significant and honorable. However, when their lies and manipulation are exposed, they feel fearful and ashamed. This begins the cycle of more deceit and manipulation, so they can regain the respect and acceptance of others. This kind of behavior brings about great rejection from family, friends, and coworkers because no one likes to be cheated or deceived by others. 

If we desire not to be rejected, we have to do the hard work of recovery. We have to say no in desiring to impress others or striving to gain their attention. Once we recognize that we have believed a lie, we must renounce the lie.  We need to ask the Lord for forgiveness for trying to create false acceptance through competition, backbiting, manipulation, or control. He is faithful to forgive us and give us new chances.  God’s acceptance of us is far more valuable than any sense of identity we receive in trying to beat the system or impressing others.

The Lord has work for us to do, and it gives us joy in doing it as unto Him.  Paul’s ministry was full of ups and downs, but in all circumstances, he was joyful in doing his work and desired to continue to build the Kingdom.

For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you. 2Corinthians 1:12

But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. Acts 20:24

Paul had the privilege of ministering to multitudes and was instrumental in establishing many churches for the glory of God. However, he had many adversaries in every corner who were trying to kill him or block his work. Paul was able to keep his joy in the midst of trying circumstances because his did his ministry with simplicity and godly sincerity. He had no ulterior motives. He wasn’t looking to make a big name for himself or develop a following. He did everything as unto the Lord.

Paul knew that God had designed a specific course for him to finish. This caused him not to be shaken by various difficulties. While running his race, Paul continued to look to Jesus who was waiting for him at the finish line.  Paul was joyful because he always kept an eternal perspective while pouring his life into helping others. 

What work has the Lord given you to do? Are you serving the Lord with a joyful heart? Or do you allow people or circumstances to steal your joy? Thank Him for the opportunity to serve Him today and do it with a glad heart. 

I recently came across this short video of a busy and joyful 100 year old lady. It’s inspiring to see this very old woman serving her Lord with joy. Click on the link below to watch it and be blessed.

101-year-old Seamstress Makes Dresses to Pack in Shoebox Gifts

The Lord is joyful, and He desires to bless us and share His joy with us. He also has provided avenues for us to increase and maximize our joy. We can be Joyful when we have answered prayers, live at peace with others, and give of ourselves to others.

Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. John 16: 24

In Jesus’ final teachings, He told His disciples that they can begin asking for the things they need in His name. Up to this point, they had seen Jesus pray to the Father, but they may not have found much need for prayer since Jesus walked with them. Now that Jesus was about to leave, He showed them how to communicate with God and receive what they needed. Their answered prayers would add to their joy reminding them of God’s love and care towards them.

We have a tendency to have a long list of prayer requests that hardly diminishes, and we ritualistically pray about them. This takes away the opportunity for us to be thankful for answered prayers. There are many prayers that God has already answered in our lives. We should praise God for His provision in those areas.

When our prayers are heartfelt, they open the door for God to intervene. When He answers those prayers, it fills our hearts with great joy and peace knowing that Abba Father has heard our prayers and has come through for us. That’s a moment of celebration!

Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Philippians 2: 1-2

Living at peace with other people adds joy and peace to our lives. Quarrel, disagreement, and disunity steal our joy and leave us burdened and miserable. When we make the effort to reconcile with others, lay down our opinions,  and forgive offenses, we get lighter in our spirit and see the joy of the Lord return to our hearts. This doesn’t mean that all of issues with people are resolved, but we do our part to live at peace with them. We take ownership of the part that belongs to us, and we trust that God is at work in the situation and in people’s hearts. 

For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For you are our glory and joy. 1Thessalonians 2:19-20

Paul, as a spiritual parent, was excited and thankful for his spiritual children. Even in his hardships, he was joyful about the ones he had ministered to.

When we invest time, love, and prayer in others’ lives, it gives us great joy to see them grow and mature in God. It is a blessing to be selfless and to give to others. The Lord wants us to enjoy the fruit of our labor and the opportunity to selflessly give of ourselves to others.

Let’s thank the Lord for the answered prayers and take a moment to enjoy them before offering new requests. Think about how God has used you to bless others recently and enjoy being a giver and a reconciler. May your day be full of joy!