Life Flow (Conclusion) – Karen Austin

Have you ever come from a delicious meal but still did not feel satisfied? You wanted something else, but wasn’t sure exactly what it was that you still wanted. It is the same with our spirit man. We can come from an eloquent service but not have encountered God. We still feel dissatisfied. Now, our soul may be satisfied because we did what we are supposed to do, but our spirit man will still be hungry. The Father created us to come to Him for our life source, our sustenance.

Isaiah 28:11,12 “He will speak to His people, to whom He said, “This is the rest with which you may cause the weary to rest and this is the refreshing.”

REST – place of stillness; peace; a quiet place.

Psalm 23:2,3 “He leads me beside the still waters, the waters of quietness. He restores my soul.”

Acts 3:19 “. . . . times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”

God’s heart is to bring restoration to our life and to those in the world. When we come into His Presence, allow Him to speak to you, heal you and give you direction. Don’t just give Him our list of needs, but listen to what He would say. There is nothing that the world has to offer that will give us the confidence, peace and refreshment as sitting in His Presence. The world is looking for peace, security and rest. They are choosing substitutes, but they know they are not truly satisfied. Only our Creator can truly satisfy and give us true rest.

There is a place, especially in spirit and truth worship, where we experience a tangible heavenly atmosphere. This is the place where the life flow of God will bring life to the very cells of our body. It will refresh our soul. In this place we will experience this God life flow….where discouragement, oppression, sickness begin to fall away. We must go to the source of life – our Father in Heaven. Rev. 22:1 “And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.”

His invitation is “Come unto Me, all you who labor and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.” Take My yoke upon you and you will find rest, relief and ease, and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiteness for your soul.” Matthew 11:28-29. Yoke up with the One who created you instead of yoking up with your problems and what the enemy is telling you.

In His Presence, we breathe in His strength, His life. We must take the time to sit at His feet and enter into His life source. The Word says “If He be lifted up then He will draw all men unto Him”.

I sensed the Lord saying: “I have a high road that I have prepared for My people. A way, that to the human reasoning, does not appear to be profitable. But I say, I know all things. All things are in the power of My hand for My people. Just as I led My people out of the bondage of the Egyptians; as I led Lot out Sodom before the destruction of the land, I too, will lead you out of bondage of the world’s system. I will lead you out before the end of all things. Trust Me, My children in the hour of turmoil. Know that these things I have said in My Word will come upon the earth. All the earth is groaning for the revealing of the sons of God. As you stay connected to your life source, My very Presence, you will hear in stillness My spirit speaking to you, you will hear My will and My desire for you. Know that I love you with a love that you cannot even comprehend. But oh, you may come, taste of My love. I have called you and chosen you to stand out from the world. You who hear My voice, listen to what the spirit says. Do not forsake your daily time in My Presence. My Word to you is life to you and health to all your flesh.”

The Crowd and the Crown (Conclusion) – Karen Austin

In conclusion to the messages regarding the “crowds” that come against us in life, I submit this word to you. We are to not only bring words of encouragement, but at times, we are to sound the alarm, which is released as protection and to bring an awareness. As we are coming out of this time of quarantine, know it is a time of passing over and we do not want to take any of the baggage of the latter day with us. It’s a new day, it’s to be a new way…a coming out of the wilderness and entering into our promised land. My prayer is that this will encourage you, while awaken you.

“A stampede of a variety of crowds are coming against My people in this hour to cause them to lose faith, to lose courage to stand up against the battle that is being waged against them. But I release this alarm to cause My people to awaken to the reality of the pressure of these crowds and to understand the significance of this hour.

The purpose of the crowds of the enemy is to lead My people down paths that I did not intend them to follow. The enemy desires to bring condemnation upon My people at the place where they have stopped and compromised, saying “Look at where you are! Look where you have failed.” But know this, the enemy is a liar! I will always have a plan of redemption for you, a plan to bring you back to My plan of life for you.

There has been a distinct attack of compromise and lethargy that has come against My Body. Be wise My people. Do not conform back to this world, but be renewed in the spirit of your mind. Follow the leading of My Spirit in all matters of your life. The price is too costly to submit to compromise… to remain complacent…to not recognize the lateness of the hour. For the enemy will attempt to bring one thing and then another to slowly move you from your place of abiding in Me. Just as a pioneer who would wander away from the camp would be open game for the enemy’s attack, so also will you be if you move from the place I have called you to stand.

Hear what I say to you this day. Know that the enemy is very subtle. His suggestions always sound good. They always have, but know he is a deceiver and a liar. There is not truth in him for he comes to steal, kill and to destroy. But I have come to bring you life and life abundantly!

Press on My children for I have the victor’s crown waiting for you. Know that I am for you and not against you. I have given you all that you need for the battle. I have overcome the world and you are more than a conqueror because of the victory that I have won for you. Walk in it. I have given you the power and authority to walk away from the crowds that seek to draw you from My best for your life.

I have a place of peace for you and in this place, you will see clearly – where you are to go and what you are to do. Receive My strength today. Receive My grace today. I love you and I call you an overcomer! You can do all things through Me, the OVERCOMER who strengthens you!”

The Crowd and the Crown (Part 2) – Karen Austin

Yesterday, I wrote about different types of crowds that keep us from God’s plan and destiny for our lives. Another type of crowd is the crowd of life. Even though we are in a time of being shut-in, we can still be busy. There is a crowd of false belief that pressures us to feel as if we are not valuable if we are not productive. There always seems to be one more thing that must be done. There are pressures to obsessively throw ourselves into our jobs. Now, we should work if able but not to the extent that that is all we do and all we talk about. I know you have met some of these folks. I walk away feeling tired just listening to all they have accomplished and what is yet on their “to do” list. We must have balance in our lives. One of the most productive times you can have is when you sit before the Lord and listen to His instruction and direction for your life. We will avoid many missteps if we will take this time to be still. Listen and then obey.

“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10

Pressure will come to tempt you to perform for another rather than God. Anything that you put before God is an idol. What is it that you bow down to that you know you should not? What gets in the way of you doing what you are called to do? What causes you to compromise walking in the ways of God? This is a type of a crowd coming against you to press you out of the will of your Father.

“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” James 1:17

Hebrews 4:15-16 “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weakness, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” This verse tells us that Jesus, our High Priest, is a feeling person. He feels your pain and your struggles. He was temped like we are and He knows what it is like. The next verse says “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

When you feel the pressures of any of these crowds, I encourage you to go boldly to the Father. Tell Him the things on your heart. Tell Him the pressures that you are facing…your hurts, worries, anxieties, fears, disappointments…the things that you are struggling with. He will give you guidance, peace and strength to overcome and obtain victory.

“No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.” Romans 8:37

Overcome is a military term which suggests combat. We are combating against forces of evil and, at times, our own flesh. These have purposed to keep us out of the place of receiving that crown of victory.

You and I must press through every one of these crowds. He has already given the crown of righteousness to those who are His. Press on to receive your crown. Every one of these crowds that you overcome will give you the fortitude, strength and courage to overcome the next crowd that comes against you.

“He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be His God and he shall be My son.” Revelation 21:7

~~to be continued

Don’t Be to Hasty About Saul, the Not Paul – Frank Work

You know when you read a portion of scripture and the Holy Spirit drops something into you about what you just read? You know it has to be God, because of the impact that scripture, or that story has on you. Sometimes it can alter the way you look at God, and your perception of His love for you totally changes.

That just happened to me recently while reading the story of Saul, not Paul/Saul, but King Saul, the young boy who was the first king over a nation of people who wouldn’t allow themselves to be governed by the Creator of the universe. The only God who is God, the one true King who led their ancestors out of Egypt, which I have to believe at that time, was still fresh history to them. The Father of heaven had led them through the times of the judges who brought order to a people of chaos. The people of Israel wanted a human king, like the pagan cultures around them. They wanted to have someone to rule them who they could see, because the unseen was too much for their minds to handle, similar to how the human race has been, and continues to even to this day.

Let’s imagine for a moment when Saul, the tall good looking young man, full of energy, full of life. 1 Sam 9 says this about Saul the son of Kish, “2 And he had a choice and handsome son whose name was Saul. There was not a more handsome person than he among the children of Israel. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.” So as you can see, he is everything that a carnal world is looking for in a leader, so far.

Obedient to his father when asked to search for the families lost donkeys. Armed with good intentions and enough food for a two day journey, Saul heads out with a faithful servant to retrieve his father’s lost animals. Let’s first approach the question that eluded me until revelation came concerning this question. Did the donkey’s wonder off by happenstance or did God lead the animals out into the wilds of Israel? I believe the animals were heeding the beckoning call of the Lord.

So here we have young Saul, with no aspirations whatsoever of being anointed king, let alone being called by the one true God of Israel, by name. It’s amazing what happens when we finally realize that God really does know who were are, and is concerned about our destiny in Him. Much like Samuel, he calls us by name to Himself, so that through us, we can walk and move and have our being. For the first few years of Saul’s life as the first king of Israel, he did the job asked of him. It wasn’t til later in his reign did he falter from the path that God has originally ordained for him, and the kingdom was “torn from him.” It even states in scripture in 1 Sam 10

6 Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man.

Also this was said about Saul;

9 So it was, when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, that God gave him another heart; and all those signs came to pass that day.

So Saul had become the man that the Lord had intended Him to be all because Saul was willing to be led by the Spirit of God, and not the spirit of man, which is the flesh.

Fast forward to my life today; All God is asking is that we become the men and women of God He has called us to be, both individually and corporately. Saul was a transformed man when the Spirit of God came upon Him. I believe that if Saul had chosen the fear of the Lord instead of the fear of man, he would have remained on the throne of Israel as their earthly king.

Lastly, before we are too harsh on Saul and the choices he had made, remember that Saul, nor anyone around him save Samuel, knew anything about being a king. Not to mention being a king so quickly and at such a young age. Saul had no idea whatsoever what it was to be a king over a nation that God deemed as His own. That’s why it’s vital that we listen to what the Spirit is saying in any given moment in our lives. I firmly believe that if we looked to God instead of looking to ourselves, we will draw closer to the heart of Christ and the destiny He has ordained for us.