It had to happen...

You know, sometimes I question if I am hearing God right. I will go back and forth with Him as to whether I am on the right track or not and it often causes me to want to stay in the background. Well, last week, I was invited to minister for a Thursday conference call for women that I participate in. My flesh immediately said NO and I had a whole laundry list of reasons why not. But God kept saying, “It had to happen.” So I agreed to do the call and God truly showed up! SO when I finished the call, I was getting ready to see what God had for Rhema when He said use the same word. Of course, I didn't want to do that because I thought it was for these women but as I ministered it today, I realized just how much it was for me and for some of you.

As I was preparing for that call,  I kept hearing "It had to happen" over and over again. I said God, I get it. I said I was going to do it. But He said “No, tell them that. Tell My people that it had to happen.” As you may be able to guess, I had questions. What do you mean, God? What had to happen? He began to talk to me about the defining moments in our lives. There are some things that happen that change everything for us. They can be good and they can be challenging but they are moments that force us to make choices and often shape that season of your life. Paul had a defining moment on the road to Damascus. He came face to face with Jesus as he was on his way to persecute and capture more Christians. He was knocked down and blinded for 3 days as he reconciled his past with what Jesus was preparing him for.  You see, that moment had to happen for God to change Saul to Paul and use him for His glory. Jesus sent Ananais to lay hands on Paul with a word. “He said, Jesus who appeared to you on the road as you came has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." (Acts 9:17 NKJV) The passage goes on to say that immediately the scales fell from his eyes and he got up and was baptized(Acts 9:18). It had to happen. What have you come against that knocked you off your feet and changed the direction of your life? Today, God is saying rise up and be renewed.

David had many defining moments in his life, both for the good and for the bad. Do you remember in 2 Samuel 11 when David saw Bathsheba bathing on that rooftop. Defining moment! Walk away or not. He clearly decided on “not” and sent Bathsheba's husband to his death so that he could have her for himself. They married and had a child. The Lord was not pleased at all and sent Nathan to rebuke him and as punishment, David & Bathsheba's son became ill and died. During the time of the baby's illness, David pleaded and fasted. But when the baby finally died, David worshipped!  He comforted his wife, they made love and produced Solomon. It had to happen! Out of the sin and pain and rebuke, one of the wisest men was born. Today, God is saying forgive yourself and give birth to your purpose.

Then I said, well God what about those hard things that have happened to people. The death of a loved one, molestation or rape, abuse, sickness, divorce. I can't tell people that those things had to happen. And God said something really interesting. He said “the pain or the act isn't the defining moment, its the response. He said the result had to happen, the growth, the praise, the worship that came from the moment, had to happen. Stop allowing the act to define you! I said God, you have  help me out with this part. He sent me to 1 Peter 2:2, "For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us as an example, that you should follow His steps." I began to think about Christ. We often focus so much on the crucifixion - the torture, the agony, and the cruelty that He suffered and we stay right there. But today, God said, look beyond that. Jesus had to go through that to get to the resurrection. Christ's message to us does not stay at the cross. No, it goes forward to love and sharing salvation.  He went through that defining moment so that we could live. There was a purpose to the pain. It had to happen.

There are some of you that have been stuck at the knock down. Some have you have been wrapped up in your past sins. Some of you have taken up residence at the cross. You have let the point of impact be what has defined you. But today God wants you to be free. He wants you to move forward into the next stage. He wants you to look at how these great men reacted and responded to these moments in their lives. You have experienced your “it had to happen” moment. Now what? Are you going to stay at the anger of your divorce? Are you going to stay at the grief? Are you going to stay in the worry? You've took the hit, now it's time to get up, and walk into your purpose. A few years ago, my husband and I took a hard financial hit that I didn't see how we could survive. My husband was not saved and it seemed that I was stuck at the "Why Me, God" stage forever. I prayed, fasted, and cried out to God. I didn't understand why I was experiencing all of this when I did all He asked me to do. One day I was at the altar and the Lord said to me, “Stop travailing. All of this had to happen for your family to get where I want you to be.  So what are you going to do?” I got up and moved forward. It didn't mean that everything was perfect or easy after that but I walked away from the point of impact and moved. Now my husband is saved and I see the hand of God all in our lives. It had to happen…

So I challenge you today to take your "it had to happen” moment and go forward! Because like Paul said in Philippians 1:6, I am “confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

Amen