Bold As Lions
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I think we all know that we are called to be bold as lions and as gentle as lambs in our culture but not many of us lean in to the call to be bold. I am continuing to pray and be serious minded about my representation of Christ to this nation. I’ve really pondered the line ”consider yourself scattered” that I heard from God recently. I heard Him speak that clearly when I attended the Asbury revival. You can find that blog post on the site here as well. I think I’m like everyone else, I am looking for someone to lead the next moment. I’m looking for someone else to be the lion. I’m looking for someone else to step up to the front of the pack and roar. Someone to begin the next hard conversation. Someone to be the voice. Someone to ruffle the feathers without having to lose skin in the game.
I am reminded of the lion. When I think of a lion, lions don’t wait for someone else to lead the way. They aren’t tiptoeing through their next steps. They are bold and they walk with confidence. Lions don’t mind walking with their pride or walking alone. Proverbs 28:1 tells us the lion is a bold, strong, majestic creature.
I’ve had a track record of being timid. I’ve been so scared to be “a” voice. Here are some of the thoughts that have run through my head. What if others don’t like my voice? What if “they” think I shouldn’t use my voice? What if others disagree with my voice? This onslaught from the enemy literally stunned me and pressured me into a corner.
The enemy had freaked me out so bad I felt like the only voice in the fight. I’m convinced the enemy tempts us with these lies so that we will shutter and shut up! I want to encourage you. You aren’t the only one in the fight. You know when God asks you to step into a new role, it will always feel lonely. The enemy has scare tactics for moments like these when God lays the gauntlet down that sets your life on mission for Him. When you are in the fight and the fight goes into extra innings, it can be tiresome! Being a voice for the kingdom isn’t for the timid! Let a girl testify to that! Yet we are called to it!
I”m reminded of Elijah. Elijah had been strong. He had fought and won some mighty hefty battles but when Jezebel started after Him, he fell to the enemies trash talk. The “I’m all alone” trap is some of the best trash talking straight from the pit. You start feeling like Elijah. We can find ourselves praying (and whining), “God I’m the only one”! This is a lie I hope you know!
I’ve felt the “I”m all alone trap” creep in. So much so that I begged God for role models. In the past I have literally begged God them !!! When I became a worship leader at the tender age of fifteen, I begged God for a female role model to follow. There were few to be found. I watched Darlene Zschech from Australia online. She was the closest role model of a spirit filled worship leader that I knew of. I live in Kentucky. Australia and Kentucky are a little piece apart. I was struggle busing with a true hands on role model. I wanted someone to walk it with me so I had a road map but also so I didn’t feel on an island unto myself.
Eight years ago I began to beg God for a role model yet again. This time it was in the area of teaching the word. I wanted someone I could watch and learn from to help me know how to teach God’s word. I wanted to learn how to connect thoughts together and deliver them in a way that others could understand. I desperately wanted someone to mimic. God spoke very clear in those days. I heard Him say, “Where there is no model, you’re the model!” “Why do you think I’m talking to you?” Fast forward to Monday, in the middle of worship, out of the blue I heard God say, ”There will be no models from here on out.”…..I knew what that meant. Has God ever brought a word to you that He had spoken over your life years before and it stopped you in your tracks? This was one of those moments. Gosh! We are so blessed to be able to hear Him so clearly.
I haven’t thought about the word I received from the Lord many years ago in a while but in the stillness of worship as He spoke it again, I knew what it meant. So many of us are waiting for someone else to lead. So many of us are waiting for someone else to be bold. Now is not the time on the kingdom timetable to wait. There may be no one who steps forward because God has ordained you to move forward. There may be no one who steps forward because God had ordained you to be the voice.The enemy makes us think we are “less than”, “unworthy”, “too broken”, “unseen”…..the labels never stop. You are in the perfect spot to lean in when your flesh fails us. Lean in even when you are scared. God will strengthen you on your way up. He will provide the strength as you show your faith to His call. Lean in Lions!!!
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