How do I know?

Triumphant Victorious Reminders
Inspired by Holy Spirit
Written by: Teresa Criswell

How do I know if I'm walking in my ways or GOD's?

Here's how I know when I'm walking in self, humanistic, prideful, egotistical, fleshly ways...are you ready?  It's pretty ugly...here we go:

- I get hurt easily by people;
- constantly wanting to control others so I'm not hurt;
- it's about me, myself and I (The trinity of humanism);
- trying to get others to side with me;
- being disappointed by others;
- when I allow others to hurt me, I see all THEIR faults and how THEY need to improve; it makes me feel better when I can say I made the wrong decision because I was protecting so and so;
- I allow disloyalty from someone else to cause me to be disloyal to GOD;
- planting seeds of discord into others by saying, "Did you notice what they did, or was it just me?";
- I forget about how much He has forgiven me and in that I end up not extending HIS forgiveness over someone else.
- I'd rather be right and justify by proving my point than to allow GOD's RIGHTeousness and JUSTICE to win out.
- I lead others out to do things with a peasantry mindset versus a flourishing royalty mindset.
- I have to constantly confront others in how they've hurt me and then because it's not made right it involves others and then it gets really messy filled with division when all along I was to make sure I was unified - not with them or with their or my agenda - but with Holy Spirit, which reveals a gentle and quiet spirit.

Of course I could keep going and going - but watch what happens when I wake up out of myself and into His presence - worshipping HIM and praising HIM - all of a sudden it's not about my ability to pray, praise and worship - but it's ABOUT THE ONE I pray to, praise and worship...watch what happens when I walk in HIM, in THE SPIRIT...it's beautiful and it reveals HIS glory once again which points others to THE FATHER so others can also be reconciled as our purpose is to be ministers of GOD's reconciliation!

- I no longer am hurt by people, I now hurt FOR them.
- I want Holy Spirit to control me with GOD's endless, captivating, violent love that was proven at the Cross of Calvary.
- I don't want to side with others, I only want to side with HIM.
- I don't see the faults in others, instead I see what they were meant to be and how I can go deeper in GOD so that by default I improve in HIM.
- It makes me rejoice when I allow HIS decisions to rule me as HIS mercy is executed.
- In HIS presence, even throughout the day, my mind is so fixed on HIM because my spirit by HOLY SPIRIT's power is leading me.
- My memory, remembrance is set on HIM as I'm in continual awe.
- Those "checks" in my spirit about another person leads me to lift them up to GOD...and when it's difficult to do so, that is my check to go deeper into GOD yet again as the deep calls to deep.
- I rejoice when the truth wins out but I don't rejoice when others are exposed
- HIS love causes me to desire to cover them in prayer and if I still have a tinge of rejoicing because they were exposed, then I know to go deeper into THE FATHER.
- My life in Christ is about constantly blessing and praying for those who the enemy attempted to use to hurt me, spitefully use me or persecute me.
- I don't even want anyone to know what's going on - because I know GOD knows and HE has already worked it out and I have no idea what HE's prepared.
- In what seemed like "set backs" I can now see were really "set ups" to allow GOD's glory to be seen yet again in and through my life.

All in all, as I was reminded today - Holy Spirit has been teaching and showing me how HIS way will always lift others up with the tools HE has equipped us with in praying and blessing as we come to the realization that we believe GOD was not surprised and HE can do things we could never imagine THROUGH US. No longer does offense have power, instead of being hurt by others we hurt FOR them and in that no one can ever be disappointed by someone else. We immediately correct if we see wrong being done - but no amount of behavioral change can ever come close to the change that takes place when in the awareness of GOD's presence that is constant. The greatest reminder in all of this is we can do the right things with wrong hearts - but again, when we are aware of HIS presence, our hearts reveal HIM with effortless grace - it's no longer about having to, now it's about I want to because it just flows out of me!

This requires us to get out of the way and this is HOW...by going deep into The Father as HIS heart and HOW do we do this? By being enamored how HE loves us -

Scripture references:
Luke 6:27-38
II Timothy 2
Philippians 2
I Corinthians 13
Galatians 5
James 1:2-4
II Corinthians 5:11-21
Ephesians 4:1-6
Revelation 2:4