an email from the Holy Spirit

Three and a half weeks back in Africa and adjustment is still a constant battle.  I’m not going to lie; this has been a hard one.  Things have not gone the way I’ve thought they should (real shocking, I know!). I’ve had a lot of good moments but I’ve already had my share of bad ones.  I’ve struggled with sickness, not sleeping, and a lot of spiritual warfare.  I just feel tired all the time!  I have confidence in God’s plan for me to be here, but it seems like the devil has a lot up his sleeve in response to me being here as well.  I’ve been relying on the Lord, spending LOTS of time in prayer, worshiping, and studying His word.  But my thoughts still seem to wander away from His promises and focus on my problems here and now.  Then yesterday, I got an email from a dear, sweet friend of mine.  It was full of prayer, encouragement, prophecy, and scripture.  As I read it, I felt a peace come over my body, followed by a little tingling, followed by the full on Holy Spirit twitches.  Never in my life have I encountered the Holy Spirit like that while just reading an email.  Needless to say, every word in that email spoke volumes to me.  I could not be more grateful that the Lord would give those words to my friend, and that she should would be obedient enough to send them to me.  Guys, prayer is POWERFUL and words have so much meaning!!!  When the Holy Spirit tells you to share something with someone, do it!! It can change someone’s day or perspective or even life.  Something I took away from her words (among many things I took away from her words) and from some of my personal study is that I have been seeing things through the eyes of the world.  I have not even been trying to see things through spiritual eyes because I’ve let my focus be on myself and how I thought things were supposed to be going.  How many times is God going to have to teach me this lesson?!  Even if I'm thinking my way would be better because I would be helping more people or defending a just cause, that doesn't mean that my way is actually better.  It just means I have a big heart for helping those in need, but it is only beneficial when it is directed by the Lord in His timing, not my own.  Today I will declare, “Get behind me, satan!” because he will not hinder my thoughts.  I will set my mind on the things of God and His Kingdom and will not exist in a spirit of defeat.  I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ!! Hallelujah!!

From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.  And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord!  This shall never happen to you.”  But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan!  You are a hindrance to me.  For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

Matthew 16:21-23