the call

dearest Lord, i really thank You for leading me to read the last few sections of “The Call” by rick joyner. i’m beginning to understand what it means by “the joy of the Lord is your strength”. 

that has always meant to me that, the joy that You give to us in our daily struggles will help strengthen us in our struggles. but now, after reading the last part on p205 on “worship in spirit”, i’ve come to understand, that knowing that what i do can bring joy to the Lord will strengthen me in persevering in my struggles and push me to want to please You even more! indeed the “joy of the Lord” is truly Your joy that You experience, and in so being able to cause You joy, i’m also joyful!! 

some other points i want to note down juz from the last 2-3 chapters of the book: 

1) when we begin to know God better, we’ll be able to better see Him in the pple around us. our fellow Christians who have not yet been glorified carry Christ around with them in their bodies. it is our call to learn to hear the Father’s voice and to see our Father in the people around us and their potential to really touch the Father’s heart in the little things they don’t know can do just that. 

2) don’t waste your trials. worship the Father, not for what you will receive, but to bring Him joy. we will never be stronger than when we bring Him joy for the joy of the Lord is our strength. 

3) the cloak of humility enables us to see our Lord’s glory more easily. never take it off. when we begin to feel embarrassed, we know we are moving into pride. boast in our weaknesses and the Lord will exalt those who are humble in heart 

4) there is no real authority without responsibility/discipline. we are disciplined for the very fact that in heaven we shall be co-heirs with Jesus. our whole life, with trials and suffering, are all for the purpose of teaching us the responsibility of authority. mistakes have consequences. 

5) there are 2 ways of learning a lesson: the easier way – to humble myself, fall on the rock and be broken or the harder way – to be crushed by a rock into powder. either way, the final result is brokenness, which is humility. 

6) don’t strive to have others see God’s authority in me. when i’m concerned about how others see me, and authority becomes my goal, i begin to lose true authority. don’t ask pple to call me by my position, but by my name. authority comes from who i am, not my title. my ministry is my function, not my rank. rank is earned by humility, service and love. we are called to love with His love, and serve with His heart. then we will be one.