It's been an interesting few months since the last retreat in April. I don't think I can remember a time in my walk where I have felt such an up and down roller coater of emotions. I have been stepping out more, sharing more of what is on my heart. My desire is simple, to share the love of Jesus, to share the true gospel of repentance and to set the world a blaze with the same Holy Spirit fire that burns within my spirit. The Lord is always speaking to me, calling me out of my comfort zone. On the long drive home from that meeting last Friday I was praying with gratitude that I am able to see such miracles, to experience the presence of the Lord to that degree. As I was thanking Him for the ability to go to these meetings, I heard a simple phrase that simultaneously threw gasoline on the fire within me and scared my flesh making me sick to my stomach. "Be the meeting, Ash" That simple phrase, felt too big for me. It felt out of reach but at home within my spirit all at the same time. One day, Lord, one day. I don't know what that will look like, but I know its on the horizon. So I rest in what the Lord speaks to me, He's never lied to me yet.
As I prayed over this phrase, I wondered to myself, why so many others stop short. Why their fire burns so bright for a short time and then they fade. What causes that disconnect from the burning passion for the Lord? It's something that since I have experienced it, I can't forget, I can't walk away from. Yet so many others fall away. Why?
The Lord showed me a raging river. It had rapids and was flowing with such force. I saw many people on kayaks in this river. All going with the flow, handling the waves, the rapids, and navigating the rocks with ease. What I thought was odd, was that each individual had a rope tied around their waist. I couldn't see what the end was tied to, but as they continued down the river, suddenly someone would get yanked right out of their kayak by the rope. It was like the slack ran out, they could go no farther than that rope allowed. Each individual had a rope a different length. One after another they were stopped suddenly by the rope, ending their journey. As they lost their kayaks, they would struggle in the water, still tangled in the rope, trying to make it back to shore.
As I prayed into this vision, asking for clarification from the Lord, I asked the Lord to define the rope. I heard back one deadly word. Sin.
Sin comes in more shapes and sizes than we want to think it does. You may be able to carry your secret sins on your journey with Jesus for a while, but eventually you will run out of slack. It will keep you from moving forward in the calling the Lord has for your life. It will stop you from walking in the Spirit. It will cause you unnecessary struggling. It may lead back to familiar places, faces and feelings, but it will never lead you closer to Christ, your destiny or your freedom.
Many think this sold out life for Jesus has to be boring, uneventful, or that you're missing out; but I can assure you, that this sold out life for Jesus, equipped by the Holy Spirit, walking with the Father and living in miracles, signs and wonders, is the most exciting life one could ever lead! The Lord is full of surprises, full of Love and Acceptance that is beyond anything this world could ever offer. The tangible presence of the Lord feels like fire, water, love, purification, power and joy all at once. If you have never experienced this, I am sorry. You need to. If you have experienced this, and have turned back to the world, I encourage you to remember your Jesus. Remember the encounter that changed your life. The one that changed God from being some far away Father you pray to, to being the Jesus who's looking right in your eyes. Every minute of every day.
Do not let the rope of willful Sin destroy your path with the Lord. Jesus calls us to repent. To cut that rope of sin with the knife labeled repentance and to never look back. To flow with Him, working with Him, living life led by the Spirit of the Lord. Walking in freedom, not held back by the cares of this world. Not conformed to this world but transformed by the presence of the Lord. You can have grace, you can have forgiveness, but eventually unrepentant sin will stop you short. Cut yourself free today.
If you have sin in your life you know the Lord is calling you out of, pray this prayer of repentance. "Lord I repent of ______(name sin). I now ask that you would cleanse me of these sins. I renounce every effect these sins have had on my life, my families life and my future generations. Lord I thank you for cleansing me with the blood of Christ as you laid your life down on the cross for me. Lord I pray that you would release Your grace, Your mercy, Your healing and a revelation of Your heart to me. Fill me with your Holy Spirit, guide my life. Lord I pray that my mind, will and emotions be in line with your will for my life. In Jesus name I pray, Amen!
Now go and sin no more. Walk in the calling on your life. Discover the truth the whole world is trying to hide. Walk in freedom. Walk with Jesus Christ! We are all in this fleshy struggle together. The body of Christ is designed to lift one another up, to help each other when we are tempted to sin. Go and sin no more, and if you fall into it again, repent and turn away. Do everything you can to cut that rope before it holds you back from eternity in Heaven.
James 4:17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
Acts 2:38 - Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 3:19 - Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
2 Chronicles 7:14 - If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Revelation 2:5 - Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Proverbs 28:13 - He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
Matthew 4:17 - From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
1 Corinthians 10:13 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
John 8:7-11 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more."
Romans 3:21-26 The Righteousness of God Through Faith 21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
John 3:36 - He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Acts 17:30-31 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
Mark 7:20-23 20 And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
2 Peter 3:9 - The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Luke 13:3 - I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
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