Freedom in your YES

I would love to say that I always get things right with God. I would love to say that when He tells me to do something I immediately obey. I’m sure everyone would like to say the same. The truth of the matter is that a lot of things get in the way of that perfect response to God’s question or call. Fear, people, past experiences all quickly come to mind. But this morning, God is simply asking for your yes. He told me quite clearly that there is freedom in your yes. I had a feeling this word was coming. You see, I am an expert at trying to negotiate with God. You know how it goes. ‘Well, God, maybe next year when I’m ready.’ ‘This really isn’t a good time.’ ‘I’m not good enough.’ Perhaps you have even said some of these same things. But God doesn’t need your perfection, He needs you. He needs your willingness to submit, your heart turned towards Him, and your spirit open to receive. He wants your yes.

Last night, I became a minister. It’s scary to say out loud much less reveal it to you. I ran for a long time, all the while asking God for another way. I figured I could keep writing Rhema and that would be enough but He wanted more of me. I knew it but I didn’t want to acknowledge it. But one day, the Lord told me that my very life depended on my yes. That floored me! The idea that I was holding up progress in my life because of my resistance was a bit mind blowing. You may be thinking to yourself, God is not calling me to preach or be a minister but what is He calling you to? Has He told you to pray more because He wants to use you as an intercessor? Has He told you to go back to school because He wants to put you in a company that needs a witness? Has He told you to write or sing because your message has power and someone will receive it from you when they couldn’t from others? God is looking for your yes. And I’m here to tell you that there is freedom in answering Him with a yes. For one, you no longer have to carry the burden of fighting it.

Do you remember the story of Esther? She was chosen out of many women to replace Vashti as King Xerxes’s wife and queen. She had the king’s heart and his ear but she was secretly a Jew. When Haman, the king’s second in command wanted to kill all of the Jews, someone had to go to the King and speak up for the Jews but there seem to be no one in the position to do that. You see no one was allowed to just go before the King unless he called for you. Mordecai, Esther’s uncle, sent her a word. “Don’t think that just because you live in the king’s house you’re the one Jew who will get out of this alive. If you persist in staying silent at a time like this, help and deliverance will arrive for the Jews from someplace else; but you and your family will be wiped out. Who knows? Maybe you were made queen for just such a time as this.” (Esther 4: 12-14 MSG). At that moment, Esther had a choice. She could keep silent and continue to live in secret but perhaps be found out and killed as well or she could take a stand for God’s people and go before the King no matter the consequence. Notice what Mordecai said. “Maybe you were made queen for just such a time as this.” God’s timing is perfect. Don’t you think that what you are experiencing right now is happening at this time for a reason? It is preparing you for something else. Esther sent back her answer to Mordecai: “Go and get all the Jews living in Susa together. Fast for me. Don’t eat or drink for three days, either day or night. I and my maids will fast with you. If you will do this, I’ll go to the king, even though it’s forbidden. If I die, I die.” Esther said YES! She went before the king and she received favor. Everything turned around for her good. The enemy that had set out to kill her and her people ended up dying along with all of his children. All she had to do was say yes and God worked the rest out.

You are meant for greatness! God is not instructing you to do something without purpose. He knows the outcome and He just wants you to be willing to go along with His plan. He wants you to trust Him enough to know that He is not out of tune and off schedule. He knows exactly where you are and what you need to go forward. Again, His timing is perfect even when it doesn’t seem like it to you. If you don’t know what your next step is, ask Him! Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you. (Matt. 6:33) He wants your yes, because once you give it, He is free to work in your situation and circumstances. There is a freedom in releasing control of the plan. If you just trust Him, He will turn your yes into your next level. May God give you the strength and courage to answer His call with a yes! AMEN…