The Visible Realm vs The Invisible Realm

"One of the young men answered, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valour, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him."" 1 Samuel 16:18

David was a carrier of My Presence. Other people could see it in him. This is how it can be in your life too. As you spend time each day soaking in My Presence, you will naturally take that Presence with you as you go about your day. You will "leak" into the lives of all you come in contact with. This is why you need fresh in-filling each day. It is My Presence, not your knowledge that will win people.

As you live this way in your day-to-day life, you are building habits and resetting your default reality from the visible world to the invisible world. Like David, My invisible reality will become more real to you than your "normal" visible reality. Then, when you come up against giants, you will go forward in confidence, knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that the God of the Angel Armies backs you up. 

"And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. And the Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. The Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field." Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head."" 1 Samuel 17:42-46

David lived with an awareness of My Presence that pervaded his life. As he faced Goliath, he was essentially saying to the giant, "You come to me in and pride and arrogance, for you live only in the realm of the visible where it appears all the odds are in your favour - your huge size, your superior weapons, your years of experience on the battlefield. But I come to you in confidence, for I dwell in the realm of the invisible, and I can see that the odds are actually overwhelmingly in my favour! The LORD of the Angel Armies sends me. He has GOT this."

When the giant of chronic illness says to you, "You're stuck with me for life. As time goes on, I will invite more of my chronic illness pals to join me in tormenting you. I'm going to make you sick, exhausted and miserable for life!" --

You can reply, "You come to me with statistics and peer-reviewed research, medical expertise and other patients' stories. But I come to you in confidence, for I dwell in the realm of the invisible, and I can see that the odds are actually overwhelmingly in my favour! The LORD of the Angel Armies sends me. He has GOT this."

A Different Path

1 Samuel 13-14

See how quickly Saul slipped into "D.I.Y. mode"! As soon as there was some question about My representative being true to his word, Saul took matters into his own hands. His pride in the position that I gave him caused him to let his eyes slip from My Face to himself - and the consequences were disastrous for him. Saul sacrificed the future of his kingdom. 

Beloved, there is always a consequence to "D.I.Y. mode". It is not a safe place to be. Your judgement will always be compromised, as you cannot see the big picture the way that I can. The only safe place to be is with your eyes fixed on Me. Saul's judgement was compromised, and he made a rash vow that almost cost him his son's life. Living in "D.I.Y. mode" has cost you your health. It's not a punishment, dear one, but a natural consequence of choosing to carry the weight of your world on your shoulders instead of surrendering it to Me. 

Hear Me, Beloved. This is not intended to make you feel guilty. This is news of HOPE. I am showing you a different path. A path of moment-by-moment surrender to Me. I am searching for people after my own heart. I can do so much more through you when you live surrendered. Come with Me on this adventure!

 

Come to Me, and I Will Give You Rest

Beloved, do not be dismayed by this fresh sickness. Here I am hijacking your plans for today. You need rest, and if you will not make time for rest, then I will make sure you do. Slow down, Beloved. Rest easy in Me. 

I know you feel overwhelmed. Swamped by the bare basics of life. This is the perfect opportunity for you to lean into Me. 

Come to Me, and I will give you rest. Yes come to Me, and I will give you rest. 

Rest in the middle of your busyness; rest in the middle of your sickness;

Rest in the middle of all this mess; rest from all of your stress. 

Come to Me, and I will give you rest. Just come to Me, and I will give you rest. 

 

Hijacking Your Agenda

1 Samuel 8-10

Saul had a plan, an agenda for his journey - to search for his father's lost animals. But I hijacked his agenda. Saul was obedient, and went along with My plan. I want you to live in this way each day - don't stop making plans, but make them loosely, knowing that I may hijack them at any time. Do not be put out when your plans are "thwarted", but turn to Me in expectant trust, saying, "Okay Father, what do YOU have for me instead?"

So much of the stress you live with is of your own making. My perfect Peace banishes stress. You have a direct supply line of My perfect Peace, but you must keep it switched on by fixing your eyes on Me. Keep Me ever before you, through the ups and downs, and through the monotonous moments of this day. 

My perfect Peace is not only good for your soul and mind, it is also good for your body. "Remove stress from your life" you are told. The best way to do that is to lean into Me. To learn to walk each step of each day with Me. To trust Me with the details of your life, over and over and over again.