“Before I formed you in the belly,
I knew you."
Jeremiah 1:5
#eshetchayil #ishchayil #chayil #kingdomorientation #kingdomidentity
Isn't it remarkable how human beings approach God as if He doesn't see and know all? How ironic it is to ask God if He is sure! In Judges 6, in spite of Gideon’s stark fear and strong feelings of inadequacy, the Lord reaffirms that Gideon is indeed the warrior-hero chosen to defeat the Midianites and save Israel.
Though hesitant and doubtful, Gideon is depicted as knowing the identity of his visitor, referring to the angel as Lord, asking for a sign, and even preparing to offer sacrifices. After the sign is granted Gideon has clarity, “I’m doomed, for I have seen God face to face!” God’s amazing grace moved Gideon from worry to worship, and he built an altar and named it exactly what Israel needed to be reminded of, The Lord is Peace. Certainly one can understand Gideon feeling unqualified for this particular task of delivering Israel. However, God had assured Gideon that he would be with him, activating the DNA of the warrior, causing him to fight as if fighting against one man. God had also proven His presence to Gideon by devouring the offering, but for Gideon it simply wasn't enough, revealed by his constant requests and fleecing. Why is it that other voices often appear to drown out God’s voice? “I’m the least of the weakest…” One can only discover their true identity by dwelling in the presence of the One who created them and hearing revealed purpose. Gideon isn't coddled but undergoes divine training in the greatest act of obedience of all time, standing against family tradition to create an entrance for Light. Gideon was to tear down his father’s altar to Baal and erect an altar to YHWH, the Lord his God. His ministry as a canceler of darkness was to begin right at home! Ministry at home is never easy, Jesus said in Matthew 13:57 (NIV), “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.” Gideon’s first mission, to defy the false god of his day amongst familiar people, required great courage. Through his fear he completed his assignment! For those having divine assignments, the demand and pull of God’s Kingdom must be stronger than the dictates of fear in all its forms! When the people found out that Gideon was to blame they called for his death. Gideon’s father Joash, now transformed by Light challenged, if Baal is a God, let him defend himself. Gideon’s with God DNA triggered a behavior, indicative of his true identity, which resulted in a covenant name change fit for a warrior-hero, Jerub-Baal, meaning “let Baal contend against him.” The same Gideon who had been hiding, struggling with insecurity and fear, who had repeatedly requested proof that the Lord was God, and that He would do what He said He would do, having encountered God, was transformed into a deliverer to establish God’s order, build an altar to God, and organize Israel for victory, “…the Spirit of the Lord took possession of Gideon” (34, NRSV) and he sounded the trumpet call to gather the troops. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Cor 5:17KJV). In order to live out your life’s assignment, you must draw from your new DNA! Father, hear your people as we cry, "Holy Spirit take possession of us!"
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My husband and I were recent presenters at a marriage conference, and instead of highlighting the usual topics such as, communication, intimacy, and financial responsibility, we were impressed to highlight a notion of joining, based on a concept of wiring and kingdom identity as seen in Jeremiah 1:5. As I briefly touched this idea while fellowshipping with some kingdom-driven millennials, I was compelled to blog about Wiring, which I gladly do in their honor.
As previously mentioned, the Hebrew word נְתַתִּֽיךָ, nə·ṯat·tî·ḵā, translates as appoint or ordained, found in Jeremiah 1:5 (NIV). “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” נְתַתִּֽיךָ , nə·ṯat·tî·ḵā, (from the root word nathan) is to give, put, set, or make, and indicates a predetermined or established order, involving not only one’s position but function, and includes a natural (supernatural) inclination, tendency or wiring. In other words, Jeremiah was made a prophet. Though this passage is in reference to the prophet Jeremiah, it serves as an indication of the great lengths taken by the Creator in planning the very details of an individual’s life. It highlights the fact that God is a God of purpose. Two of my favorite quotes by he late Dr. Myles Munroe concerning purpose are, “To understand the purpose of a thing, one must look to the Creator of that thing,” and “Whenever purpose is unknown, abuse is inevitable.” How many times do couples, in an effort to improve their relationships, focus on the above “usual topics” and still fail at cultivating a strong, healthy union? Still, other couples have trouble pinpointing exactly what the crux of their problems is. I submit that perhaps incompatible wiring or crossed wires is the culprit. Consider my husband, wired as ( set, given, made to be) a nurturer. Among other tendencies, nurturers are defined as those who feed, protect, support, and encourage. In 28 years, though we have experienced many challenges, changes and trials, these verbs emphatically describe my husband’s motivation and behavior at any given time. Through it all, he has remained true to his wiring. I encourage that one’s attraction never be based on mutable attributes, which are prone to change. Instead, attraction should be based on who the person really is, as evidenced by his or her divine wiring, which, by the way, is directly linked to their life’s assignment, purpose and personal fulfillment. Healthy attraction requires time, as each seeks to know and understand the other, and has as its prerequisite, intimacy with the Father, Himself, the source of wisdom, understanding and clarity. The result! Abuse and misuse are diminished as purpose is understood, and you will find that the “usual topics” become much less of a challenge. Whatever you do… Don’t Get Your Wires Crossed! DNA (deoxyribonucleic) is a molecule responsible for transmitting the genetic instructions for growth, development, function and reproduction. In terms of human beings, DNA stores the biological material containing the coded heredity which determines WHO YOU ARE.
The awesome thing about having received Christ the Messiah as Lord, is that the miracle of salvation and rebirth guarantees that in Christ, all becomes new! Faith in God’s word activates His Kingdom DNA resulting in the “new man,” and quite often, a tension between the old and the latter. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Cor 5:17KJV) The story of Gideon in Judges 6 (NLT) wonderfully depicts the powerful transformation which results from the presence of God. Israel had been handed over by God to the Midianites and other eastern peoples, a consequence of sinning against God. These enemies, described as hordes of locus, would raid their land, destroying all of their crops and stealing all of their cattle and livestock, leaving Israel with no sustenance. Terrorism and severe starvation threatened Israel’s survival. Living in a state of constant fear and panic, they built caves and hid themselves in the mountains. Can you imagine life without the hope of a promise or future, the very thing that their covenant with YHWH guaranteed? Israel cried out to the Lord for help, and as usual God sent a deliverer, after he sent a prophet to prompt Israel’s repentance. One day Gideon was hiding grain at the bottom of a winepress and was inadvertently changed by an encounter with the Angel of the Lord who appeared with this divine greeting, “Mighty hero, The Lord is with you!” Hero, translated as ‘warrior’ in the KJV, suggests a change in Gideon's status and posture. Gideon responded as many of us would have, “If the Lord is with us, why has all of this happened to us? Where are all the miracles? Didn't they say the Lord brought us up out of Egypt? Now he has abandoned us…” Boy! Some hero! The Angel of the Lord refused to entertain Gideon’s sad song, full of accusations and complaints. He continued to speak to the spirit of the man having the DNA of a hero-warrior! "God with Gideon" would activate his warrior spirit. “Go in the strength you have and deliver Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!” Surely that would have been enough, an angel being sent to confirm my life’s purpose! However, Gideon tried his best to convince the Angel of the Lord that he had the wrong person, by explaining that he was the least of the weakest tribe! Again, the Angel of the Lord ignored Gideon’s list of personal human frailties, and instead continued to reveal to Gideon his true identity, who he was with God, a warrior-hero! The angel’s greeting suggests that either the Lord made a mistake, or Gideon didn't know who he was. Gideon’s response indicates that his fear, frustration and hopelessness, resulting from real-life events, had diminished his faith in YHWH. Where is God? His self-image, based on the natural order of things, resulted in a strong sense of incapability. I’m not your guy! The great thing about this story is that the Angel of the Lord continued to speak to the "with God" Gideon, “…and you will destroy the Midianties as if you were fighting against one man” (16). Gideon, YOU ARE a warrior-hero! Folks: In order to accomplish God’s will, you will need to draw from your new DNA, made possible by being in Christ! To be continued... I've often wondered why the Lord God completely ignored Jeremiah’s plea to be reassigned (Jeremiah 1:6). As a matter of fact, quite a few of God's Old Testament servants failed at attempts to cancel their missions, such as Moses and Gideon. Jeremiah 1:5 may help in our understanding of God’s intolerance of a tendency toward mission-canceling.
Often we are pressured to compete with and compare ourselves to others. This pressure may be motivated by our own insecurity or the result of an outside source. In either case, young David is a reminder to be true to the real you!
David was not trained for battle, and for all intents and purposes, was not an experienced warrior. Yet, when ignited by God's power, David, an ish chayil, a man of valor, was eager and more than capable to slay Goliath of Gath, the giant responsible for Israel’s misery! In 1 Samuel 17, King Saul and the Israelite soldiers were terrorized by Goliath (11). Twice a day, for forty days, Goliath paralyzed the Israelites with fear (18). Its safe to say that the worse day in Goliath’s life was the day David heard him taunt the Israelite army (23). Can you imagine the scene when this faithful young shepherd is left standing alone, as the skilled soldiers disappear at the sight of Goliath (24)? Saul sent for David after hearing about his interest in Israel's situation (31). David assured Saul that he would handle the giant on Israel’s behalf, but Saul, realizing that he was young and inexperienced, cautioned David concerning the Philistine’s champion (32-33). King Saul was not aware of David’s testimony! David had experienced God’s power first hand, when he killed a lion and a bear. He had a bold confidence and a solid certainty that God’s power would once again activate him for warfare, because Goliath had defied the armies of the living God. His faith in God canceled the fear which the natural situation would have provoked. Saul, having seen many victories, dressed David in his armor (38). David walked around in an effort to become comfortable, because “he was not use to them” (39). Have you ever wondered what made David accept Saul's armor? Didn't he know that it wouldn't fit, since armor was customarily tailor made for an assigned soldier? Perhaps momentarily, he gave in to the pressure to wear the king’s armor or to look like the other soldiers. How special it would have been to fight in the King's armor! However, the truth is that Saul’s armor was a source of discomfort, and could have led to David’s and Israel’s demise! It was not what he was accustomed to, neither had it been required for his previous, miraculous victories. This current situation would certainly require supernatural intervention, for the armor alone could neither provide David with credentials nor training. David wasn't trying to imitate Saul or his soldiers, for he had already demonstrated a different posture by his response to the giant's defiance. David’s encounter with God’s presence resulted in the cultivation of faith and fearlessness for this very moment when he would stand before Goliath! David’s uniqueness caused him to utter five of the most liberating words in this narrative (39), "I can't go in these!" David's activation flowed from his intimacy with God, the times when God's presence manifested when no one else was around. He knew that using his sling and stones would work, and furthermore, that God would fight through Him, just as He had in the past, without Saul's armor! May we free ourselves from the pressure to compete and the tendency to compare or to allow ourselves to be compared to others! May we cultivate through intimacy with God our own uniqueness, in keeping with His divine purpose, resulting in victorious living and the activation of the powerful light which cancels darkness! Have you ever wondered...
What was it about David that made his response to the present crisis so different from all the other responses? In 1 Samuel 17 when facing Goliath, Saul’s trained soldiers were sore afraid and greatly dismayed, while David, filled with righteous indignation, approached Goliath head on. David, certain that God would grant him victory over his enemies, had a confident resolve regarding his glorious outcome. Obviously, there was more to David than what was perceived by his brothers, the soldiers, King Saul and Goliath. Let’s take a closer look at David in the previous chapter to discover who he really was. In 1 Samuel 16 Saul is miserably tormented by an evil spirit and in need of relief. Saul’s servants suggest that a skillful musician is sought, whose music will facilitate Saul’s peace and tranquility, an idea to which Saul agrees. One of Saul’s servants make a suggestion regarding David. Listen to young David’s reputation… "One of the young men answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a warrior, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence; and the Lord is with him.” (1 Samuel 16:18 NRSV) Not only was David a skillful musician, and the Lord was with him, which makes ALL the difference in any situation, but he was also a man of valor, a warrior, an ish chayil, אִֽישׁ־חַ֥יִל. חַ֭יִל (chayil) is the Hebrew word translated as valor, valiant, noble, power, army, excellence, wealth, elite force, with most of its uses as military terms. It’s interesting that all of the phrases used to describe David are contained in this one Hebrew word, chayil, also used in reference to other valiant men (1 Chronicles 5:18), and women as eshet chayil, אֵֽשֶׁת־חַ֭יִל, woman of valor (Ruth 3:11, Proverbs 31:10, 29). Most importantly, David declares God as his chayil source. "For thou hast girded me with strength (חַ֭יִל) unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me." (Psalm 18:39 KJV) When God's chayil is activated in one’s life, manifested as strength, might, valor, power, and nobility, a victorious lifestyle becomes a tangible reality. "Through God we shall do valiantly (חַ֭יִל): for he it is that shall tread down our enemies." (Psalm 108:13 KJV) So there was more to David, than what met the eye! God's power was unleashed in Him, and manifested through him! David lived a “with God all things are possible” life. Today, as a result of your confident resolve, may the chayil power of God be activated in you to make a difference in your world and in the lives of others! Like David, may you come to realize that your true identity is linked to the King and His Kingdom, and as a result, you are able to do what you once thought impossible! Have you ever felt like there was more to you than what others perceived? You ever felt limited by or trapped in your current circumstance of life? Perhaps there's a reason. Perhaps because there is more…
Remember David? He was introduced to us as a shepherd boy, the youngest to his warrior brothers. There was nothing about him in the natural that screamed “warrior!” He tended sheep and ran errands as expected by his family. Well, during one such errand run, his father called him out to tend to his brothers, engaged in battle against the Philistines and the infamous giant, Goliath. As David approached the soldiers with the goods his father had sent, he saw fearful and battle-weary men who met him with the question, "Have you seen the giant?" Apparently, Goliath had been taunting the Israelites and speaking reproachfully about their God for quite some time. When David's older brothers learned of this interaction with the soldiers, they became angry, accusing David of being nosy, bothersome and neglecting his duties as- their natural view of David dictated, a mere-shepherd boy. Little did they know and perceive that God had sent a deliverer. When David heard what Goliath had been doing and observed the fear, revealed by the soldier’s words, he was activated by a righteous indignation! His indignation reflected what he knew about who the Israelites were: God's covenant people. God’s covenant included power and protection that these soldiers had not yet perceived. As if offended by the audacity of Goliath, David boldly and confidently asked the soldiers (verse 26 NLT): "Who is this pagan...that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?" What was it about David that caused him to hear and perceive differently? His question suggested that the Israelites had the authority to handle this situation. What we learn is that David had witnessed God work through him to annihilate his enemies during his private, everyday life. He was certain that the same thing would happen in this public arena, because he had learned who he was in God. From a shepherd boy in the natural to a Giant Killer when ignited by the power of God in his spirit--David would not allow anyone to limit or confine him to their perceptions, for his true identity was linked to the King and His Kingdom. This begs the question, who are you really? What have you learned about yourself privately when God ignites a passion in your spirit by His presence? I submit my friend, that is the real you! God is yet raising up deliverers! Embrace it! Live it! Be it! |
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