Reluctant Warrior

On this Pentecost weekend I was privileged to see a few glimpses from God's point of view. The one that pulled me up short was that I saw that I have been a reluctant warrior. God told me one time that there are many ways to war; I didn't want to hear it. I didn't care if there were many ways to war, I was not a fighter and didn't want to become one. I wanted to knit sweaters and spin yarns to my grandkids. Maybe bake a batch of cookies before I lose my touch--my oatmeal-raisin are awesome. But this was Pentecost weekend and He decided to "pour out!" He poured out a revelation on me and the experience changed something. I think He gave me a warrior identity. It's kind of like an undergarment that I will wear all the time, sort of like my Camel Hair Shirt--oh, I haven't told you about my Camel Hair Shirt? That will be the next post then.

What I learned/saw/experienced was seeing my pen as a sword. I don't actually use a pen anymore, I use a keyboard, but you understand the metaphor. I think God is expecting me to live my life as I currently do, but with the awareness that I am a word-warrior. I may knit; I may be storytelling or baking cookies but as warrior! Even high sensitivity has become a part of the warrior arsenal; it is like a motion detector that goes off when the enemy makes a move on one of the family of God within my sphere. It calls me to prayer on their behalf. It is like my "iron dome" that they use in Israel to warn of incoming rocket fire. It alerts me to intercessions in regard to things that weigh heavy upon the heart of God. There are times God's heart aches to move on our behalf but He waits for someone to invite Him to do that very thing that is on His heart to do.

One thing that is heavy upon God's heart is that people are becoming needless casualties of war because they lack knowledge and/or vision (Proverbs 29:18).  "Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he" (KJV).  Or, "Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction" (NIV). Or, "If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed" (The Message). God wants to act--to give the revelation and the instruction, to create the vision! It weighs heavy on His heart.

Years ago the Lord made His calling to me clear: I was to "make it plain." He carefully planned and orchestrated my life to train my mind and to give me the eye/hand/spirit coordination to make things plain. Several times I thought I knew what He had in mind for me: first I thought it was Wycliffe Translation, then teaching, administration, ministry or a combination of all of that. All those years as "the language nut" were about acquiring the skills to make difficult things easily understood. Each one of those periods was a vital part of, but only a temporary assignment in, God's overall plan. Each assignment gave me a skill set and experience that I would need to write down the words I hear Him speak. I don't know yet what the next words are that He will have me write, but I sense that there is a mystery that He will make plain; something hidden He will bring into the light, a conundrum to make simple and easy to understand.

In a private little ceremony in my living room this weekend I received my flaming pen...it's a transformer pen! It. Is. Awesome! The Holy Spirit's presence can transform it into a sword (insert snapping fingers) just like that! I never know when it is going to happen either. I need to go exercise now to be physically fit in case it suddently turns into a sword and I have some swashbuckle fencing to do! In Highly Sensitive I warned readers that Jesus is a safe driver, but He doesn't slow down on the learning curve. I strongly urged them to buckle up! I think now I need to say, "Oooon Guard!"

So what happened on your Pentecost?


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