Dr. Michelle Burkett is an anointed counselor, equipper, and leader in the Body of Christ. Ministry is no stranger to her as she was raised in a family of respected ministers and has served the Lord faithfully for decades. She diligently stewards her professional counseling practice and currently directs Patricia King’s Women In Ministry Network, Voice4Victims, and the Everlasting Love Academy. As a dynamic preacher of the Word and committed to Kingdom life and advancement, Michelle has blessed many locally and abroad with her insightful messages and revelations of the Word.
Are there times when you realize you are running on your own strength? Caught up in tasks, assignments and goals? This month, Michelle shares how we can partner with Him and thrive instead of survive!
I found myself yelling at the television, “What are you doing; what’s wrong with you?! Don’t leave the fire starter – take it with you!! Well, fast-forward to a few days later, this poor guy has been trying to make fire without success. Because he doesn’t have fire, he is thirsty (he can’t purify water without fire), he is hungry, he is being eaten alive by bugs, wild animals are invading his camp, and he is exhausted. Humbled, he comes to the end of himself and realizes he shouldn’t have left the fire starter. Now, depleted, he makes the hike back to where he left it, and brings the fire starter back to camp…. In minutes, he had fire… and everything began to change.
We can never afford to leave our “Fire Starter” (Holy Spirit) and start running in our own strength. I recognize times I’ve done this in my own life. We KNOW we need the Lord, but sometimes we, inadvertently just strike out on our own strength, exuberance, confidence in our own abilities, or even just thinking, “I’ve done this a hundred times: I’ve got this one.” Usually, we are not making a blatant decision like the man in the survival show; we just get caught up in tasks, assignments, goals, etc. – they are all good things, but if we’re not careful, we can find ourselves laboring in our own strength… our own might and power. But in Zechariah 4:6 God says that the mountain will not be moved by OUR strength, but by HIS Spirit.
We like to feel in control, so our flesh likes formulas. When we see God move, I’ve found that there is a tendency to build a formula around it, and the next time we approach a similar situation, we lean into how it was done before, instead of asking Holy Spirit how He’d like to do it this time. We leave our Fire Starter! This leads us down a dangerous path, as we rely on what we have experienced in the past instead of what the Lord is speaking, directing, asking, and leading now. Let us never leave our Fire Starter and operate in our own strength. This got Moses in big trouble.
Previously, God had instructed Moses to strike a rock with his staff to bring forth water for the thirsty people (Exodus 17:1-7). The next time they needed water, God was doing something different and had different instructions – He instructed Moses to speak to the rock. Instead, Moses struck the rock once, then twice. Water came out of the rock, but to what end? Because Moses leaned into what had worked before, instead of hearing and obeying what God was instructing on this different day, Moses was not able to enter into the promised land (Numbers 20:8-12).
In contrast, King David was up against an old foe and asked God how to go to battle. David obeyed the Lord and defeated the Philistine army with God’s battle plan. Then the Philistines regrouped, and they were again poised for battle. Instead of David leaning into what had worked before, he held on to the “Fire Starter.” He asked the Lord what the battle plan was for this new day, and God gave him a different strategy that won the war (2 Samuel 5:18-25).
We must live humbly before the Lord and not lean to our own understanding – the things that have worked in the past. We can’t afford to take things into our own hands, leaving our Fire Starter behind – it leads to exhaustion, thirst, and being vulnerable to predators. It is the Lord who brings the victory! It is the Lord who moves the mountains! Whatever we face, HE has the answer and the strategy we need for THIS day. All our tools will be blunt instruments unless we present them to be breathed upon by God’s Spirit. The Spirit of God sharpens us, strengthens us, gives us wisdom, counsel, and might. If you realize there is an area where you laid down the Fire Starter, just go back and pick it up again. It’s so much more fun to partner with Him and thrive with Fire, than to just survive on our own and in our own strength.
Activations:
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- Ask Holy Spirit to show you any areas that you have been operating in your own strength and understanding.
- Ask forgiveness, and surrender to the Lord, asking what His plan and strategy is in that area.
- Continue to walk in obedience and humility with Him.
Experience deeper and greater realms of God’s power than you ever knew were possible! Are you living a powerful life? Do you long for miracles and healings to be part of your everyday experience? Have you encountered a mighty touch from God that’s left you wanting more?
Good news! There is more! The Holy Spirit has opened up dimensions of supernatural power for your every need, just waiting to be unlocked! Robert Hotchkin reminds us that the Gospel of the Kingdom is a Gospel of power – a power the world desperately needs. Robert walks through Scripture, demonstrating that God’s plan has always been for His people to bring Heaven to Earth by operating in His power and authority.
You are God’s beloved child. There is nothing He wants more than to draw you into the fullness of His love, and engage you in a lifestyle of never-ending intimacy. Truly knowing the Lord in this place of deep communion is the key to living a Kingdom life. That is why the devil works so hard to whisper lies to you that would keep you from fully engaging with God. But in this message, Robert Hotchkin exposes the lies of the enemy that separate us from God, and reveals how simple it is to fully respond to the Lord’s invitation to know Him intimately and engage with Him powerfully.
Dont spend another moment feeling separated from the Lord. Begin engaging with God today!
We at XP Ministries thank you for your prayers, partnership, and financial support. May you be richly and abundantly blessed. And remember, God loves you with an everlasting love!
