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-- © GodSpeak International 2003 --
-- Do not republish without written permission from <copyright@godspeak.org> --

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES
Compiled by: Teresa Seputis ts@godspeak.net http://www.godspeak.net

God Speaks To Us Through The Prophetic

Lesson 4
Transformation and Growth

Compiled By Teresa Seputis

God receives us where we are at, but He does not leave us there. His indwelling Holy Spirit is at work in us, transforming us and causing us to grow and mature in our faith. This growth is always intended to be part of the process that a Christian goes through. Sometimes it is wonderful. But other times, it is not a fun process because God fingers areas of our life that we would rather pretend are not there. Sometimes He uses difficult situations to mold our character (which is commonly referred to as the "refiner's fire.")

But any living thing is expected to grow and develop -- and once we became alive in Christ, God began His growth and transformation process in us. Here are a few things God has to say about that process.

No Band-Aids

Children, I am a faithful Father, and I have a great love and a great care for each of you. And many of you have issues in your life that seem big to you that seem overwhelming at times. But know that I am in control and that I am well able to work My glory in each situation.

Child, remember the days where you were young and would fall down and skin your knee? And you would go running to your mother and she would kiss it and then put a bandage on it? Some of you have learned to look for bandages for your situation to ease the pain or to get you by. But child, I am not a God who puts a bandage on it. I am a God who cleans it out, who blows My healing wind on it and causes there to be a restoration. Do not look for a quick relief. Rather look for My power and My glory and My anointing to come into your situation.

For I say to you that it is My desire to transform, to empower, to give you the victory and to cause you to walk in the fullness of My plans for you. And My plans for you are good -- they are life and they are delight -- for I am a loving Father.

So don't come to Me for a bandage. Rather come to Me for a complete healing. For it is My desire to heal your hearts, to heal your situations, to transform, to work My glory in you and to cause My anointing and My power to rest upon you. I have created you to be an overcoming one; to be one who walks with Me and does with Me what I am doing. And I am well able to cause you to walk in the fullness of My plans and purposes for you.

Look to Me, for I am with you and I will work My glory in your situation. Trust Me, and I will bring it to pass. For I am a good God and a loving Father who cares greatly for you.

God's Hyssop

God is saying that this is a season of being refined and purified. God's desire for his church is that it be a pure vessel for His glory and that means that each of us individually must be a pure vessel for His glory and (unfortunately) we are not as pure as He would like us to be. So .. guess what? He is helping us to become purer. He is refining us. He is teaching us about absolute surrender to His Lordship and about instant obedience with a good attitude. And He is teaching us about facing the impurities within each of our hearts, admitting their presence, and allowing Him to cleanse us.

There is a verse about being cleansed with hyssop. Hyssop is a disinfectant. It stings like iodine, but it purifies.. it kills the infection. And God is using that same type of thing in our lives He is purifying us. That purification comes with a bit of a sting; it can hurt. It is like being in the refiner's fire.

The problem that many of us are facing as we go through this process is that we become horrified when God allows the deep things within us to surface we begin to struggle with unforgiveness or bitterness or with temptation towards sin, and we know we should not. Or an old hurt begins to have power over us and effect our attitudes and behaviors and we begin to condemn ourselves because we know that we "should not" struggle with that thing. And then we begin to disqualify ourselves and pull away from God and God says,

"DON'T DO THAT! RUN TO ME, don't run away from Me! Don't you think I knew what was in you before you saw it? Did I love you any less before you were aware of that weakness? Run to Me and I will cleanse you. Present your weakness your struggles to Me and watch Me work My glory in them. Don't deny them; confess them (similar to how you would confess a sin). And watch the resurrection power of My Son break the yoke of that bondage over you.

For I am pushing you to your limits and I am causing these things to surface and raise up because I DESIRE to cleanse you of them. And as you submit to My refinement, I will make you a pure vessel that I might pour out My anointing on you; that I might manifest My glory through you.

Child of mine, this is what you have prayed for You have prayed for power and anointing and intimacy with Me and it is through this process of refinement that I am able to transform you that I might answer the prayers you prayed and give you the requests you have desired of Me. For it is MY GOOD PLEASURE to pour out My glory on you and through you. It is My good pleasure to heal the sick through you. It is My good pleasure to break the yoke of enemy oppression and to cause demons to flee through your commands. I desire to manifest Myself through you, so submit to My refinement in your lives that you may be a pure vessel. And then watch My glory come forth in your life.

I will anoint that which I prepare. I am faithful to complete that which I begin. And I desire to glorify My name through you and to advance My kingdom through you.

Are you willing child to do this with Me? Will you allow Me to prepare you for My good works? My plans for you are good and there is no shortage of anointing that I might pour out on you. Receive My purification and receive My anointing."

Imperfect Vessels Of My Glory

Children, do you think you must be perfected before you can carry My glory? I say to you that is not possible. You see, I am constantly at work in your lives transforming you and conforming you to My likeness. I am constantly drawing you upward to Me.. I am constantly making you more into My image. I am calling you to deeper and deeper levels of holiness and deeper and deeper levels of faith and deeper and deeper levels of intimacy with Me.

But you will not arrive there immediately. You will not be perfected in this natural lifetime.. though you will always be moving closer and closer to that goal if you do not resist My spirit working within you.

How is it then, that you think you must be perfected before you can carry My glory? How is it that you expect perfection from your leaders and you are quick to criticize and condemn when they occasionally fall short in an area? How is it you discount what I am doing through them because you see their weakness or frailty in one area? Judge them not but rather judge yourselves. Do not look to man. Rather, look to Me and what I am doing.. for I am about to do something new. I am about to unleash My glory on those who are fully committed to Me.

How is it you say, "I am not perfect yet, so God cannot use me?"

Do not limit Me. I can, and do, pour out My glory on imperfect vessels. I use those who are willing and available, and who have hearts that seek after Me and after My will. I continue to work in their lives and I continue to transform them, but I use them before they are perfected. And child of mine, I can use you too, I can make you a carrier of My glory.

For children, I say unto you, none of you will be perfected while you walk on this earth. But I desire that you would set yourselves apart for Me.. that you would commit your ways to Me and invite Me to allow you to participate with Me in My plans and purposes. I am looking for those with a willing heart. I am looking for those who desire to lay aside their own agendas and to take up My agenda. I will pour Myself into such ones, and I will work in them to transform them and I will pour My glory out upon them, that I might demonstrate My goodness to mankind. Are you willing? Do you desire to be one through whom I work? Do you wish to participate with Me in what I am doing, to do the things Jesus did?

I say unto you, this is possible unto you.

Here is what I require. First, I require a heart that is set after Me, that is committed to doing things My way. I must be Lord of all in your life , or I am not your Lord at all. I do not require that you perfect yourselves and then present yourself to Me.. for I say unto you, it is not possible for you to do that. Rather, I require that you yield and cooperate with My indwelling Holy Spirit as I transform you. I desire that you commit to obey Me in whatever I speak to you. I will be the one to change your nature, if you are wholly committed to Me.. I will be the one to perfect you.

Are you willing, child of mine? If you say "yes" to Me, then know that I will test you in it. I will test you in your finances.. will you allow Me to be Lord of your money? I will test you in your relationships with others.. to see if you truly love Me more than these. I will test you in the area of holiness and in choosing to walk pure and holy before Me. I will test you in the area of compromise, for there can be no compromise if you desire to be part of the army I am raising up.. for indeed I am raising up an army of sons and daughters.. who will be well trained, who will know My voice, who will carry My glory and My power and My authority, and who will do with Me what I am about to do in the earth. It is through these men and women that I will work. This is the time and season when I am recruiting sons and daughters to become a part of this move I am about to do.. to be carriers of My glory. Will you be one of these?


-- © GodSpeak International 2003 --
-- Do not republish without written permission from <copyright@godspeak.org> --

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