Freedom in Surrender | Cincinnati, OH
Freedom in Surrender + What this Means in RE: Revival
Faith | Community | Hope | Revival
Personal Antidote
Revival is in the air. Can you feel it?
The tangible presence of the Holy Spirit here on earth as many have experienced in Asbury (KY) is NOT an anomaly or social media trend. Whether you recognize it or not, the Holy Spirit is ALIVE- along with the very real fruits and gifts of the Spirit- inside of every single person who has accepted Jesus as their personal Savior (1 Corinthians 12-14). If that stirs something inside of you that resembles fear or a knee-jerk reaction of challenge or even a stiff-armed denial, that’s totally fair especially considering the lukewarm temperature at which our society and culture has watered down relationship with the Lord through the way religion/the church is often run today…Sorry, that one hurt to say, but it’s from a place love. There have been prophecies that the Midwest is where revival begins. The fire ablaze is spreading and along the way burning away the dead to make new ground cleared away and open for beautiful growth of wildflowers to spring up from the ground (Hebrews 12:18-29). “But what does it even mean to someone who already has a relationship with Jesus? I’m just riding the wave.”
You may need to re-read this multiple times to fully comprehend or grasp the truth here: The stories and messages from the Bible are not just applicable to History…but yes, even today. How? Why? What does that even mean? It is because of Jesus’s birth, death and resurrection after taking on all of the sins of the world that we are able to now have a relationship not only directly with Him, but also our Heavenly Father (God) and yes, even now the Holy Spirit (dwelling inside of us) as revealed in the message of the Gospel (Matthew, Mark, Luke & John). It’s as simple and complicated as that. I share this with you because I am jealous for you to get to experience the freedom, joy, glory, honor and fulfillment that such a revelation can allow you to step into. It’s a place of tension between the elevation of what it is like to be in relationship with Jesus while dwelling here on earth, yet all the while yearning to again be reunited intimately and physically (face to face) with my Heavenly Father in heaven.
I could get utterly lost in sharing the incredible lessons that the Lord has revealed to me through my ever developing and continuously growing testimony. While I want to share many of the revelations I have experienced so as to relate with you and hopefully provide you encouragement and support to step into your own deeper waters with him, those are your own revelations to be had in the time that He rightly has for you. Yet, in response to this radically amazing wildfire of revived faith and relationship with the Lord that is breaking out, I want to take a moment to sit in what fully surrendering yourself and submitting to His way looks like, the incredible creative and abundant things He can unlock for you through it, and even possibly challenge you to take that step (even if it means starting small) outside of your comfort zone. I’ll admit, this is a struggle for any believer regardless of how long they have had a relationship with Christ.
Follow me for a moment…
For as long as I can remember, I have struggled with belonging. This led to me trying to be someone I wasn’t for the sake of an invite, or play it off when I wouldn’t get one and later experience it secondhand once everything was posted on social media; even to the extent of trying things that compromised myself. I always wanted to be intentional, go deeper, invest more and care more for a person or group than what they wanted to receive for me; I have repeatedly “loved too much”….(a gift from the Father that I have long resented, but realized that the love of the Father is overwhelming for those who haven’t allowed Him in themselves).
Never more before than now do I recognize that the Lord was simply continuously redirecting, forming, developing and guiding me to be here now. When I surrendered and emptied myself to Him, He lead me to be so full. “What? Brittany, that’s a contradiction.” Exactly. My resources, my time, my money, my expectations for my future, my situations, my relationships- I was trying to will and white knuckle those things to go my way, how I thought they should be for SO long. Based on what? The standards of society and culture? Also, who even gave those things to me in the first place? (hint: it’s God)
When I surrendered and emptied myself to Him, He lead me to be so full.
It’s ironic how we can pour all of ourselves into people or situations with the most pure intent, but become so heartwretchingly empty and hurt. YET, when we do nothing but open everything in your hands over (sometimes hesitantly with one eye closed- @me) to Christ and allow Him to have it, we allow Him to place us exactly where He wants us to be. It’s in this space that I have found the most belonging than I have ever experienced (Romans 8:28-29). In releasing the control and surrendering to the will God has for me, I have found freedom.
“Everything? Are you sure? What about this super small situation- surely God doesn’t really care about it?” Yes, everything. Here’s why: He isn’t concerned about having the “thing” that you’re wrestling with Him over. He wants YOU. He wants your heart and the best state/posture of it.
Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
I have desires that haven’t come to reality quite yet- “Hello…Do you not know what your word says, God????” But I was actually shook when given the perspective that He places those desires in our hearts to begin with. It’s when we take our focus off of Him and place it on seeking the desire that it becomes an idol…which is not what He intended. But, in pursuing and seeking the Lord first and surrendering your will to His, He does a work only He can do- not only on our heart but on our circumstances- literally mountain moving work (Ephesians 3:20-21). Dang, God’s so cool.
“Okay, cool, but how can I even apply that?” Strangely enough, start small and in a manner that is seemingly indirect and not related to the situation. Need community? Give the first 10% of your income to the church. Worried about money? Start serving/volunteering. Struggling with a big move? Ask Him what His plans are for you today. Trust in Him to provide on the large scale is a practice has to start somewhere. I’m so serious.
God truly loves us so much. Not by anything we’ve done, but because His original design was for us to be in intimate relationship with Him. He really loves us SO much that He would send his one and only son to earth as a sacrifice to take on every single sin of the past, present and future to obliterate the Old Covenant (613 rules by which to abide by) and thus welcome us into a New Covenant (Jesus to abide in) *mind blown*. Dying to yourself and resurrecting with Jesus already sets you free today.
Remember when I had mentioned a life-long wrestle with “belonging”? I have never felt like I been enveloped and fit so perfectly into a community, a group or friendships as much as I belong within my brothers and sisters in Christ- which He led me to after I had surrendered myself. The beauty is that every relationship is so utterly and completely centered around Jesus- a concept I never thought was possible for me to achieve or grasp here on earth (I would barter with God to try to earn my way into His good graces or give me what I imagined I wanted). Now that I’ve let go of my own self-preservation, striving and desires and have him at the center- He can do His work. I believe that everything happens for a reason because He has led us to the places we are supposed to be to do that work. Our obedience to His calling and intention allows room for so much more to be accomplished through His power and creativity than what I can try to manipulate into happening based off of what I can imagine. Yee-Haw.
This is merely the beginning. Holy moly. It is a gift to learn from others, share our complimentary talents from the Lord and work in tandem to not only serve the community but also one another in the process- all together stronger than they are on their own (Ecclesiastes 4:12); the accountability and challenging that we provide to one another is out of the discipline in love and I am humbled to have found people who can love me in such a way (Proverbs 27:17). There are so many layers and with those layers, beauty behind the intention and purpose that the community and people within it contribute. It is such a divine gift from the Lord. (Can you hear my heart absolutely gushing with love for these people?) What’s more, is that it’s not even about the community itself, but what love the Lord has shown from Him to me through them.
What’s more, is that it’s not even about the community itself, but what love the Lord has shown from Him to me through them.
Now more than ever before do I have a daily rhythm of Bible study and sitting in His word and revelations, constantly communing with the Lord through prayer in moments and thoughts big and small throughout each day, allow myself to just be a vessel and submit to Him wherever that may lead, serve and commit to my community. I have completely surrendered myself and my life- not because anyone told me to or to get anything in return from him- not to say, “look at me as this kind of committed Christian”, but because of how awestruck and honored to be in the glory of His presence and a relationship with Him. I can’t wait to spend the rest of eternity allowing Him to use me and reveal himself and the incredible expanse of His goodness to me.
With more people recognizing the presence of the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of us through this revival, it is our responsibility to submit ourselves to the Lord so that we may be able to encourage and help nuture these newly curious and searching hearts with sustenance to grow to become hearty in their faith as well; consistently pointing them back to the cross and Jesus with our lives as the living sacrifice. AND, let’s give them a place to find belonging as well!
He’s so good.
I hope you know how much I appreciate you for taking the time to consider the Lord’s truth to you through my ramblings. Whether this is the first time you’ve heard these things, or the millionth, I pray you are able to gain a new viewpoint and experience revelation yourself.
With love + blessings,
Brittany