THE WATERFALL JOURNEY
EPISODE 7. - LIVING IN THE WATERFALL 2
TWFJ IS ABOUT accepting GOD’s invitation to join him IN HIS STORY and to live our lives from His perspective. In this episode we are continuing to explore how to live IN THE WATERFALL and the 3 action words to set us on the right path – believe, trust and obey.
Once you understand the big picture of God’s story
and the part, if you are willing, you are invited to play in it,
the process of joining God’s inner circle
of trusted disciples becomes open to each of us.
Last time we explored how to get into the Waterfall
and how to experience the reality of the love and connection,
we can enjoy there, in the Father’s presence,
where Jesus, too, walked when He was on earth.
In this episode we will explore how life changes in the Waterfall.
Jesus has called us in “to come and see the place“.
Once the choice has been made,
the way forward is a matter of taking three steps
of BELIEF, TRUST, and OBEDIENCE which
will lead to the PEACE that the world cannot give.
BEFORE WE START LETS JUST RECAP the reality of the Waterfall:
It is the sustaining torrent of love that fills us in the Father’s presence,
it is the River of Water of Life that flows from the throne of heaven
it is the heart and Spirit connection between the Father and His children.
It is where we live out surrendered lives
for and in company with the Living God, for His glory. We have previously learnt that
In the Waterfall we can live out of the goodness of God,
with confidence and trust that God is who He says He is
and that He means what He says.
He loves us and we are loveable:
God cannot lie and will not act outside His character.
We can choose to BELIEVE what He says.
If we say yes to Him and step into His enfolding arms
as He longs for us to do,
every circumstance of our life He can bring to good,
to teach us, to heal us, to grow us, to show us how loved we are -
ultimately guiding us to the fulfilment of our destiny,
to be the friends of God,
entrusted with a part in His story.
Each day we can practice living in the reality of the Waterfall
where we were created to live, by waking and declaring,
‘Today I choose to live in the Waterfall of God’s love
and I am going to trust Him for every part of my life’.
We can stand in the shower and imagine the water
is the love of the Father pouring over us and through us.
During the day we can act on what comes
into our head and our heart,
expecting God to show us what is happening from His perspective,
being aware that God needs to speak to us regularly
to grow us, by the Holy Spirit and the Word.
Thus each individual will be led uniquely to their destiny.
We are called to live out of God’s perspectives instead of our own.
God speaks to us where we are.
He needs to speak so we understand Him.
How else will we learn, be transformed and grow to maturity?
We can ask questions and expect answers.
We can ask to see what God sees.
If we are not sure of what is being asked of us
we can ask for confirmation.
We will learn that God wants
an engaged, robust relationship with us.
My most frequently asked questions of God
“What are you teaching me here Lord?” and
“Lord what do I need to see ?” Expect answers
He will teach you to recognise His voice.
TRUST is a two-way street and you will become God’s trusted friend
and work shoulder to shoulder with Him .
If you are willing and prove faithful ,
trusting and obeying in the little things
God will grow you, both up the ranks in His army and
mature you along the way of holiness.
His response to your willingness to travel with Him
is to trust you more and more
to be used as Jesus was used. It is the adventure.
Jesus did this HE BELIEVED and He responded to the Father’s leading
the anointing and the power of the Holy Spirit came upon Him.
He served His Father 24/7 and He was effective in all He did.
AND WE CAN DO THE SAME!
SO I AM GOING TO STAND IN THE WATERFALL AND KEEP MY EYES ON JESUS AND BELIEVE
God wants to be involved in every part, and at every level of our lives
as we are truly surrendered, living out of His story.
Yes He will go quiet sometimes, not because of our unworthiness
or His disfavour but because He wants us to learn something
in that place of silence, to flex our belief muscles,
to stand on who He is, and what He has said.
He will never leave us.
Sometimes we don’t hear
because we have not picked up the receiver
or there is too much spiritual noise going on in our heads.
WHAT DO I MEAN BY SPIRITUAL NOISE?
Spiritual noise seems to come with desperation and activity, a mental frenzy when there is a desire to have connection with God and it is not happening.
HOW I DEAL WITH SPIRITUAL NOISE?
STOP ALL ACTIVITY - Go and sit somewhere in peace and isolation, outside under a tree, beside a stream.
RELAX - just breathe slowly and deeply.
STOP STRIVING - empty your mind.
Let your mind be filled with the rhythm of nature around you.
BE EXPECTANT - just be open to God - content to sit beside Jesus or the Father.
JUST BREATHE HIM IN - this is the God of absolute power and absolute goodness.
BE IN THE WATERFALL OF HIS PRESENCE. – Just be. Receive.
In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength. Isaiah 30:15
THIS IS THE PLACE OF PEACE JESUS GAVE TO US:
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 14:27
It might take a time or two to be able to let go but persevere.
Each day in the Waterfall, our orientation
needs to be toward God first. To let Him be God in our life.
We cannot follow if we don’t let Him lead.
So what will we need to change?
What will the rhythm of our days look like?
What will our attitude be day by day?
What will we do when difficult things happen?
HOW CAN WE KNOW WE HEAR GOD?
It starts with BELIEF, choosing to believe
what God says about who He is and
about His relationship with us.
It is all in His Word, our Bible.
A great way to start is to get a BIBLE with Jesus’ words in red.
We need to believe the words He says:
Choose to believe them over the way we feel.
It would stop in its tracks some of the controverses
about the person of The Holy Spirit and His role in these times
if peopleread what Jesus says about the Holy Spirit
in John’s Gospel and believed.
BELIEF LEADS TO TRUST
Let us choose to BELIEVE WHAT JESUS SAYS AND IN WHAT HE DOES
Jesus speaks truth and we can TRUST what He says.
Do you worry about the basics of life?
Well here is your answer - the Sermon on the Mount LOOK at Matthew 6: 25-34
This is headed “DO NOT WORRY” in my Bible.
Apply these truths to your life. Jesus cannot lie.
IMAGINE STANDING IN THE WATERFALL THE PLACE OF TRUST . STATE : I trust you Lord. I am standing on the truth of these verses
Be Specific and ask God for what you need.
Hold God to His Word - You have said it Lord. I am believing it.
Thank Him and now watch what He will do.
If you pick up the worry again, say
Sorry Lord I was worrying again.
I am handing this back to you. You be God.
Break the habit of worry and find peace.
TRUST NEEDS THE ACTION OF OBEDIENCE
READ JOHN 14: 23-26 “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
“All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”
OBEDIENCE will bring revelation, as the Holy Spirit takes charge
of the disciple’s path to maturity and holiness.
Responding to unexpected thoughts, when we are in dialogue with God
leads to amazing testimonies that will build the faith of the individual.
It is one of the ways the Holy Spirit, underlines His active involvement in
the lives of those taking this journey
and you will grow in expectation and confidence as you obey.
Jesus is saying ‘Come and see’.
You may be surprised at what the Father asks you to do.
You will be more amazed at what He does when you obey.
Thus, He will build your faith in the unique way He has for you.
Then share your testimony.
It makes us the ‘overcomers’ of (Revelation 12: 11).
SO WE TRUST WHAT WE HEAR IN THE FLOW OF THE SPIRIT IN THE WATERFALL AND OBEY
BELIEF, TRUST AND OBEDIENCE ALSO BUILD OUR IDENTITY IN GOD
JESUS has authority in His teaching because He knows who He is,
He knows whose He is,
he knows whom He serves
and He knows why He has come.
He awaits the anointing of the Holy Spirit
to show Him what the Father wants Him to do and say.
He is centred on GOD on the purposes of the Trinity.
Part of our being all He created us to be
depends on our identity being drawn from God ,
We are who God says we are.
If I choose to believe that Jesus paid the blood-price for my sin
and clothed me in His righteousness
I can read Ephesians 1 & 2 accepting the truth
of who I am because of Jesus.
I am seated with Him now in heavenly realms.
I can begin to live out my God-given identity and claim my heritage
No more will I think myself unworthy.
I am a daughter of the King bought at a price. ( in future episodes we will explore how to co-operate
as the Holy Spirit brings healing to our inner story
where shame and unworthiness lurk
through our experiences in the Fallen world.
But right now I can choose to believe what God says about me
even if I don’t yet feel it.)
I can freely enter the presence of the Father where I was created to live.
There is no sin evil enough to disqualify true repentance
from opening the door back to the Father.
Here, I am aligned to the heart and will of the Father
and in the Spirit-to-spirit flow,
God will transform me, grow and equip me
to fulfil my destiny for Kingdom purposes.
Next time we will explore more about living out,
our God given identity , who God says we are.
And How we can find the place of peace that the world does not know.
This week’s challenge is to choose to live in the Waterfall
and to trust what comes into your head and your heart
is from the Father and act upon it.
Believe me you will have a testimony to share.
