Pushing Back

Some experiences in life are just worth the extra effort. My daughter loves to make French Macaroons. Those little bites of joy are the most difficult cookies I have ever made. They require almond flour and powdered sugar to be sifted through a metal sieve. The trick is that almond flour is nowhere near the size that it needs to be to go through the mesh. So, essentially, as you are sifting, you are grinding. It takes a good 20 to 25 minutes of continuously stirring the flour through the sifter to get the proper consistency. Usually about halfway through, my daughter begins to plea for help. It doesn’t take very long before my arm is just as worn out as hers. Currently, as a family, we are feeling the pain from sifting.

Pastor said something last week that caught my attention. He started talking about members of the church still being sifted; then, he said sifting is to get the bad stuff out. That statement is a well-known fact to me, but it hit me like a ton of bricks. The Lord spoke rather loud and clear saying, “You are still being sifted, and there is something I want gone.” At that moment, He prompted me to stop standing still and start pushing back. For the past few weeks, I heard nothing but “stand still” over and over. I wanted so badly to move forward, but it just wasn’t time.

Ecclesiastes 3 says there is a season for everything. After much patience, like the process of making French Macaroons, my season for moving forward has arrived. Once the almond flour is sifted, it is folded exactly 65 times into beaten egg whites. The batter is then piped in cookie shapes onto a baking sheet and must sit out for 30 minutes until a skin forms. If any of these steps are skipped or rushed, the cookies turn out terrible. I have been sifted, folded and left out to form my skin. Now it is time to get serious about asking the Lord to show me the things in my life that need to hit the road. I ask Him for that same information almost daily, but revelation only comes in His precise time.

I am fasting according to the first revelation the Lord gave me. It’s a weird fast, but a complete eye opener. When you promise the Lord you won’t act in a certain manner, it’s amazing how He illuminates the instances where potential to break your promise may occur. I have never been so aware of my shortcomings in life. Just a week in, and I already see fruit. The peace is so overwhelming. Trials still exist, but I hardly even notice them.

Eph 6:13-17 says “… put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Trial after trial after trial during these past months I have been armored up and standing ground. But now, my feet are ready and fitted with His peace in my trials. Look out Satan; these boots are made for walking. It’s time to move forward. My shield is bigger, and my sword is sharper. This isn’t any old sword. The Greek word used for sword in this verse is “machaira.” A machaira is a short, dagger-like, curved blade sword used for hand-to-hand combat. A swift blow from above with a machaira brings the enemy to a screeching halt. The Word is my machaira and from above every word I need is provided so I can push forward.

Thank you, Jesus for revelation. Thank you for Your Word and Your promises I can stand on. Thank you for suiting me up with Your armor and nudging me to push back. You have called me to action for Your kingdom, guide me, Lord, to glorify You in every step I take forward.