Stepping into Your Prophetic Destiny, Pt. 8: Jesus is Worthy

Jacob has just had an extraordinary encounter with the Living God. WOW! Can you imagine God standing beside you and making such an incredible promise! Jacob deduces that "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it." Often God is in the most unsuspecting of places, but finding God at an altar of praise and sacrifice is a good place to look. It brought about a healthy fear of God rather quickly. We constantly pray for God's presence to show up, but are we truly prepared for it? Jacob wasn't, but that didn't stop the Lord from revealing Himself (Gen. 28:16-22).

The same altar stone built up by Abraham has now become a memorial stone for Jacob. He has declared it to be the house of God and so anoints it as a sacred place, changing its name from Luz to Bethel. Where God shows up in your life, begin building memorials, name it. Never mind what others have called it, you name it. When doctors told Walter and me that I couldn't carry children to term, and God showed up, we know that God is the God of the Womb, who causes us to carry and give birth to all that He impregnates us with, not only physically, but spiritually. Now we have four incredible teenage boys. Was it hard? Yes. Was it painful? Yes. Was it worth it all? ABSOLUTELY. Jesus is worth it all, all the time! Is this true spiritually speaking, as well? Yes, yes, yes! Is it still worth it? Again, absolutely!

So, the God of the Universe has just shown up and reaffirms His covenant with Jacob, and while Jacob recognizes Him, Jacob doesn't acknowledge Him as His God. He tries to negotiate with God. He reverts to his fleshly self. He bargained the birthright with Esau, negotiated the deception of his father, Isaac, and now at the altar, he is doing it again. He wants to negotiate God's status in exchange for the temporal (Gen. 28:20-22).

· If God is with me and watches over me

· If God provides me with food and clothing

· If God returns me safely home

· THEN this will be your house, and I will give You 10% of all that You give me

I find it spectacularly funny that all of these things were implied in what God promised Him. Jacob is saying, "If You are true to Your Word, this is what I will do for You." We've all done it. "If You God…, then I will…" It would be hypocritical to say otherwise. But God, even when we insult Him by questioning His Word, remains true to it. That being said, negotiation is generally a mark of spiritual immaturity. The exception in Scripture is intercession when we stand in the gap for others (Gen. 18:26-33). God desires that we trust Him, regardless.

Jacob's premise is that if God gives to me, then I will give to Him, and he promises to give God what grandfather Abraham gave to Melchizedek, ten percent (Gen. 14:19-20). I don't want to get into a debate on the tithe, but it's clear that our patriarchal fathers believed that the tithe belonged to God way before the law was ever enacted and that giving it was in gratitude for what God had already done. They gave because God first gave. We love because God first loved us. In regards to His purposes in your life, there is no step into your prophetic destiny that God has not first trod. He will never ask anything of you that His character, nature, and actions haven't already provided. Negotiation with the Lord is unnecessary. He's already thought it all out.

When we begin the journey into our prophetic destiny, my spirit becomes His home because He is worthy. I give generously to Him and into the purposes and calls of others because He is worthy. I don't need to bargain with God to get Him to fulfill His promises. He will not be untrue to Himself. However, I do need to walk in a state of thankfulness.

Romans 1: 21 states, "For though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or show gratitude." The descent into sin is a slippery slope that begins when we fail to glorify God and refuse to express thanks. Sin, my friend, is not one of the stopping points on your journey. Remember yesterday, integrity is vital, and we are first and foremost called to holiness. When I do so, crucifying my flesh and living in Christ, His worthiness enables me to step into everything He has purposed for me. His worthiness silences the voice of the enemy that says I am unworthy. I become a conduit for the presence of the Holy God to work out His purposes in the earth. This lifestyle keeps me in peace and humble, because then, like Paul, I can declare, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me" (Gal. 2:20). I have faith given to me, and that faith grows as I walk in Christ's faith. Remember, Christ has more faith for you than you have for yourself. So when the enemy whispers it can't be done, just let him know, "With God, all things are possible," and move forward confidently in Christ (Matt. 19:26).

Let's Pray:

Father, thank You! Thank You for the beauty of the earth You created for me to enjoy and the fellowship of Your company. I am in awe of You! Lord, I don't want to be someone constantly trying to cut the next deal with You. I know I don't have to because You made the ultimate deal when You died so that I could be forgiven and live. Lord, I have this promise from You. I know You gave it to me, and I trust You that I am held safely in Your hands no matter where this journey leads. You are worthy of any sacrifice. I will give of my resources, time, and energy to see Your purposes accomplished in me. I will be thankful in all things, refusing to become bitter when there's an unexpected curve, or I am hurt because I trust You. Let me be an instrument of Your love and an example of Your grace to all with whom I come in contact. Help me keep my flesh on the cross and my spirit alive to Your plans and purposes. In times of frustration, help me remember that nothing is impossible with You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.