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Aphids and Slugs - Resisted or Received?

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Morning.

The last week or so I have had some very powerful pictures through my garden and life in which the Lord used to speak to me that I would like to share.

The first picture:

 160623_090.jpgWhile caring for my roses, I notice that one particular rose is not doing well and I see aphids and disease on the plant and so I spray it again hoping that it will kill what is attacking them.  A week later I see it has not been effective and so I am prompted to try another different form of disease killer, an oil rather than the pesticide, and the Lord speaks to me;
"Sarah, what was used in the last season, won't work for this new season".

We are in a different season, and the way we ministered or dealt with things in the past, won't work in this new season we are in.  The reason being we (as a people) have become 'familiar' with the styles and ways of ministering and hence the 'enemy' is already aware of it and becomes 'resistant' to it.
A bit like how our antibiotics aren't working these days because we have become resistant to it.  So we need to be asking the questions of the Lord - How is it now Lord that you would have us minister? How is it now Lord that we are to present the message that will be 'received rather than resisted?'
Asking the Lord the questions of our own lives in areas that we may have become familiar in.
For example; The way we treat our spouses, our children, the way we move in the anointing, the language and tones that we may use, that may not be getting the desired response it should be etc.

The second picture:
Jumping up from my bed I automatically switch on the coffee machine but suddenly the sparks start flying and smoke starts rising from my power point.  I run and switch off the mains as recommended by a friend and I try to work out what has happened to the power plug. We find as we open up the power point there is a slug weaved around the power connections causing it to fry.  What a powerful picture for me.  There are 'slugs' destroying the power of the body of Christ.
Fried slug :) 
For many of us I believe we have become sluggish in our "familiar" and not taken hold of the truth and waged war with our familiar in our lives and hence are not seeing the fruit of which we are believing for.  Things have become 'entrenched' and a part of us that it has become who we are, but in actual fact is not we are called to be as a new creation in Christ and is in actual fact  hindering the power that could be ours in Christ.

Prov 6:9  
"How long will you lie there, you sluggard?
When will you get up from your sleep?
A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest -
and poverty will come on you like a bandit
and scarcity like an armed man."

If we find ourselves going around in circles not seemingly getting the breakthrough or the promise that is ours in Christ, then perhaps there are areas that we have become "familiar" with that need to shift and change in order for the 'flow' to be released, for the blockages to be removed.  It is easy to say "that is just who I am' but in actual fact that behaviour pattern, that default pattern is not who we are in our new nature in Christ.  And we have allowed it to remain instead of going deeper in the Lord and  dealing with them with the truth of the word of God.  It takes courage to take a 'true' look at ourselves and even perhaps the words we speak over ourselves or others.  It's helpful if we have friends that love us that we can allow to speak into our lives as they can be a fresh set of eyes, have different life experiences, can look at things differently to you and can help with our blind spots.  Someone who is not afraid to challenge you to a new way of seeing or thinking and will encourage you to push through whatever challenges that come.  God has the best for us and wants us to be walking in all that He has paid for at the cross.

So I encourage you in this blog, firstly to allow the Lord to take you into 'new places' in Him, not remain in the familiar of what we know which will hinder all that He has for you and for the body of Christ as a whole.  That we would be a people who allow the challenge of those who love us and can see from a different perspective, to take us deeper into a place of being 'more fruitful'.  Pray that Lord would reveal those things that have wrapped around us without even knowing.  And I pray that you would be released into all the new and good things He has for you and for those around you.  Many
blessings!

Prov 3:5
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him 
and he will make your paths straight.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.
This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones."


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