Foundations Lifting
By Margaret D. Mitchell
Week of June 25, 2023
I’m seeing evidence of people getting unstuck from areas they stepped into in the past season. For some, it’s happening little-by-little. For others, it’s happening suddenly.
God is lifting off former weights and breaking us into new places full of bloom.
Holy Spirit revealed to me that He’s releasing grace to those who have felt trapped and weighed down with the cares of this world when they turn their eyes back upon Jesus and release it all.
God desires to break us out of the double-vision and double-mindedness that distracts us from a full focus on Him and dilutes His power in our lives. Spirit, soul, and body, God is freeing us to remain with Him on a narrow path of destiny.
In this journey, it’s important to remember what Paul says in Philippians 4:4-9 NIV, which is to:
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
What’s especially interesting here is that Paul writes these encouraging passages from a prison in Rome. He knew what confinement and escape felt like, but Paul also knew how true freedom worked. Yes, he understood to trust God to deal with circumstances around him. But he also understood that the same Kingdom of God in his heart surrounded him as the greatest Presence (Luke 17:21 AMPC).
Paul knew that anything less than God had no greater power over him. He knew how to fight against the spirit of darkness by leaning into the Spirit of God. Paul understood how to stand on the Rock and praise God in the face of impossible and all that would try to come against. He knew that the attitude that honors God invites His blessings. He knew Jesus as his secure foundation.
So, how can we fully dwell with God when the foundation of the heart has cracks of un-resolve? How can we praise God and have a right attitude toward one another if we’ve allowed darkness into our hearts, possibly even from an early age when we didn’t even know better? After all, Luke 6:45 tells us that from the heart the mouth speaks.
When we don’t dwell with God consistently, it’s easy to drift into gray areas, like worry. Sometimes, it’s so subtle, we don’t notice it. But eventually, dwindle and delay get our attention. Worry is an open door to a stranglehold. When we find ourselves in a stranglehold, it’s difficult to praise God with our mouths, like Paul (and Silas) did when they were supernaturally released from prison.
Jesus clearly tells us twice in John 14:1, 27 NIV to not let our hearts be troubled.
So, if you have a troubled heart, it’s time to simply allow Holy Spirit to restore your foundation by shining His light on any area(s) of your heart that you’ve forgotten about or cordoned off from Him out of fear or trauma.
That’s what I did many years ago when Holy Spirit revealed an old wine cellar of darkness in my heart in the area of marriage. He was bringing me into new wine but, before I could progress, He had to restore hope in my heart in this area.
When I chose to trust Him enough to invite Him in to touch my trauma, He lifted me with His light and life again. He’ll do the same for you.
So, if you need Holy Spirit to fix your foundation, pray with me now:
Dear Lord,
I turn to You this day as my solid Rock, and hand You all of the pieces of my life. I release over to You every weight of worry and its effects. I renounce all darkness and cancel evil’s plans against me. I choose to trust You and invite You into my soul to fix and fill every void, nothing withheld. I welcome You to search my heart and restore it all to Your wholeness.
Help me keep my eyes on You and see the higher joy that You have for me now and forward. Help me know Your peace as my guard.
Thank You for Your mercy and grace that meets me and lifts me with a restored foundation so I can bloom in honor of You.
In Your Holy Name, Jesus, I pray.
Amen.
Margaret D. Mitchell is the Founder of God's Love at Work, a marketplace outreach purposed to share God's greatest power source - the love of Christ.
Originally published Sunday, 25 June 2023.
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