You might feel under attack, because you are

Do you feel like you’ve been under enemy attack and aren’t seeing any relief? I can identify. But I have good news. God has a plan. And His plan is to bless you. His word to the Ekklesia has been Isaiah 54:2. It’s a word of expansion in order to receive the blessing of the Lord.

“Enlarge the site of your tent, stretch out the curtains of your dwellings, do not hold back. Lengthen your ropes and drive your stakes in deep.” Isaiah 54.2

In order to bring the new blessing that is coming God has to enlarge us first, so we can contain the increase. It’s basically the same ideas as not putting new wine in old wineskins. [Mt. 9.17]

The whole idea of not putting new wine into old wineskins comes from the fact that new wine expands and creates pressure while it ferments. Old wineskins, which have become rigid, simply can’t handle the pressure from stretching and will ultimately split. The illustration speaks into the need to be adaptable and open to change in ourlives. Just like new wine needs fresh wineskins, if we want to contain the new thing Holy Spirit is bringing, we have be ready to grow and embrace new experiences.

Clinging to things like tradition, custom or the idea that ‘we’ve always done it this way,’ instead of following a new leading from Holy Spirit can hinder our growth. It not only can cause us to be stuck in the past, looking for God to repeat what He’s done before, but can actually make us unable to accept the new thing God is doing.

Some of us like our tent just the way it is. We have everything right where we want it. We aren’t interested in change. We’ve become quite comfortable with our interior lives. The question I have to ask is: “Have I become like an old wineskin?” Only Holy Spirit can answer that question. I know at one time I was. I am asking Holy Spirit that question again.

One Experience

I remember conversations I used to have with an older woman from church. She was a young woman during the revival of the 1940’s and 50’s. She constantly compared the Charismatic Renewal of the 70’s to what she had experienced in the prior revival. She had a difficult time accepting that God was doing something different. She was stuck on “This is how God did it in the past and this is the only way He is going to move in the future.”

Another Observance

A number of years ago, Holy Spirit began leading me away from the different ministries I was connected to at the time. I was overcommitted and the step back was necessary. But reprioritizing my time wasn’t the only thing I gained from stepping back. There was something different God had for me and as long as I clung to my former training I was never going to be ready to receive something different.

At that time, most of my close friends were either heading up or serving in some capacity in parachurch ministries or their home churches. And when I stepped back many of them simply didn’t understand and were hurt by my withdrawal. I truly missed gathering together, but I was committed to following Holy Spirit no matter what.

I started to see why

What I discovered, after taking a step back, was that I had not only was attached to the people but also the way we were trained to do ministry. That all changed for me when God continued to lead me further and further away from doing ministry as I always had. I not only wasn’t involved in serving, I wasn’t attending either. Back then we didn’t have online options like we do now. Even if we did I was determined to heed Holy Spirit’s instructions even though I didn’t fully understand. That process began nearly twenty years ago.

Then recently

A few years ago, I ran into an old friend who invited me to home gathering for a time of worship. When I walked into the house I was greeted by several women I had known from the old ministries I had once stepped away from. While the decades had obviously taken a toll on all of us I wasn’t prepared what I saw.

Everyone was welcoming and friendly. They embraced me and seemed genuinely happy to see me. “So, what’s new?” “What are you up to these days?” You know, the same questions we all ask when we run into old acquaintances. Making the rounds I realized something. Everyone was right where wen had left off twenty years ago. And for them that was great. They were doing what they loved. Some had retired from ministry but were still very much connected in the same way they always had been. Only I wasn’t. I was doing something different and they couldn’t relate. I felt like an outsider. .

I expected to hear someone say something about God leading them into something new. Each one asked me the same question, “What church are you going to and where are you serving?” I get it. I really do. And I don’t have anything against going to church. But God had led me to do ministry different. He led me out of the structure that had formed me in the past. It wasn’t the questions as much as it was the mindset. Nothing seemed to have changed. Many of them were still squabbling over the same things they were contending over twenty years ago. The attitudes were the same. The mindsets were the same as they were two decades earlier. They didn’t seem to be open to things being done differently.

A couple of people said to me, “You’ve really changed.” Inwardly, I was thrilled that someone noticed that I was in fact different. They didn’t mean it as a compliment. Yet, I was encouraged. I didn’t seem to fit here anymore. There was a bit of a twinge at first.

I used to be one of them. In many ways I still am. I just do things a bit different. I don’t adhere to some of the ministry practices I used to. I am not looking to hold onto the former ways. I am not looking for God to move the way He did during the Charismatic Renewal, the Toronto Outpouring or the Pensecola Revival. I’m not looking for God to show up the way He did ten years ago, or even yesterday. I am putting my trust in God who is faithful to bring His promise to fullness.

I can’t say my time of being stretched is over. But I can say I know it will be worth it.

Prepare to Be Enlarged

I am not interested in propping up what is falling down. And the current church structure is being stretched. The reason things are falling is because God is shaking everything that can be shaken. And the old ways are coming down. Oh, Jesus is still the Son of God, seated at the right hand of the Father. God has not abdicated His throne. Holy Spirit is still alive and well and working within the hearts and lives of God’s people.

But, the old church structure is like the old wineskin. It cannot contain the new thing God is doing. Those of us who are determined to adhere to God and not an old way of doing things are embracing Holy Spirit’s expansion work in our lives.

Some of the changes we are being called to make are not easy or painless. It will however be worth it. The more we allow Holy Spirit to renew us from the inside out, the more room is made for God to fill us and cause us to overflow with Him. We are in a time when God is doing an overhaul within the Ekklesia. Individually and corporately we are being stretched and sifted.

Job is our prototype.

I don’t know anyone who particularly likes the book of Job. I am not a fan. But I am grateful it’s there. Job was sifted. Job was stretched. Job didn’t do anything wrong. He hadn’t sinned against God. He was a righteous man. And God not only saw fit to allow Job to be put through the wringer, God instigated the arrangement. Job didn’t come under satanic attack because he did something bad or came into agreement with the evil one. No, rather, God started a conversation with Satan knowing full well what Satan was capable of. God set the parameters.

God was setting the stage for an expansion of blessing in Job’s life. God wanted to increase Job and He knew that in order for Job to be able to contain the blessing Job was going to need to be sifted and stretched. So, God drew Satans’ attention to this righteous man. Yikes, that does not bode well with our doctrine does it? I wasn’t taught that. I had to see it for myself. Like the rest of Scripture, I needed God’s heart in it revealed. I needed God’s revelatory light to shine on it.

Job had to become a new wineskin

My mom always called Satan, ‘God’s dog on a leash.’ He can only go as far as God allows. And Satan was only allowed to touch what Job had. He had family. He had wealth and he had his health. All of that was taken away. Satan was not allowed to take Job’s life. Why? Because God had a plan. He knew exactly how long to leave Job in those circumstances. God knew exactly how much sifting and stretching it was going to take to remake Job into a new wineskin.

God didn’t want the blessing to corrupt Job. He didn’t want Job to get taken sideways by the increase that was coming. He wanted Job to be able to stand in integrity. He wanted Job to be able to continue the be the righteous man that he was. So God put Job through the stretching process. And that meant Job was under satanic attack for an extended period of time and God wasn’t going to rescue him right away. (I had to swallow hard on that) Only God knew when the stretching time was complete. Only God knew when Job was ready for the expanded blessing. Job didn’t get a say so. He only got to be on the receiving end of what God had planned.

One Day the Stretching was Over

When the time of streching was over, God met with Job and restored him. God once again encountered the righteous man Job. And when He did, God simply revealed another aspect of Himself to Job. He revealed more of Himself to Job than Job had known before. Only because of the prior expansion was Job able to take in a larger view of God. Only because of the sifting and shaking that had removed the obstacles within Job was he able to see God in a new way. Only then was Job able to acknowledge that his former view of God was limited. Job had been expanded.

Then Job answered the Lord,  “I know that you can do everything  and that your plans are unstoppable.  “⸤You said,⸥ ‘Who is this that belittles my advice  without having any knowledge ⸤about it⸥?’  Yes, I have stated things I didn’t understand,  things too mysterious for me to know.  “⸤You said,⸥ ‘Listen now, and I will speak.  I will ask you, and you will teach me.’  I had heard about you with my own ears,  but now I have seen you with my own eyes.  That is why I take back what I said,  and I sit in dust and ashes to show that I am sorry.”  ~ Job 42.1-6 GWT

Strech Out and Be Expanded

You know we call those blessed [happy, spiritually prosperous, favored by God] who were steadfast and endured [difficult circumstances]. You have heard of the patient endurance of Job and you have seen the Lord’s outcome [how He richly blessed Job]. The Lord is full of compassion and is merciful. ~ James 5.11 AMP

In light of the outcome of Job, the message of taking steps toward expansion in Isaiah 54:1-3 can be an encouragement to us as believers to prepare to take in new blessings. When we allow ourselves to be enlarged by God, His promise is to fill us with more of Himself.

As we reflect on the journey of being stretched and expanded, let us embrace the transformative work of the Holy Spirit within us. God is inviting us to prepare our hearts and minds to contain more of His blessings, urging us to let go of old patterns and limitations that no longer serve us.

It is time to courageously step into the newness He offers, allowing Him to enlarge our interior lives. Let us take action by seeking His guidance through heartfelt prayer. Dedicate some time to commune with Holy Spirit while remaining open to His invitation to make changes.

As we navigate the complexities of our lives, prioritizing our submission to the leading and direction of Holy Spirit becomes essential.

Together, let us commit to being like fresh new wineskins, ready to receive and overflow with the abundant life that God promises. Let’s embrace with joy and hope that

As we open ourselves to the transformative power of His love, we will find the strength to face new challenges and receive the courage to step into the new dimensions of faith that await us.

Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. Heb 10.35-36 NASB

Get ready to be expanded!!!

Actionable Step: Stretching the Tent

Let’s apply and receptivity integrate the concepts of Holy Spirit led expansion. Take a moment to reflect and act with intention. Here’s a simple yet powerful exercise:

1. Create a Personal Expansion Plan

Materials Needed:

• A journal or notebook
• A pen or pencil
• A quiet space for reflection

Steps:

1. Reflect:
   • Sit in a quiet place and take a few deep breaths. Ask Holy Spirit to reveal any areas in your life where you might be clinging to old ways or traditions that no longer serve you.
   • Write down specific thoughts or habits that feel restrictive or outdated.
2. Identify New Opportunities:
   • Think about new experiences, roles, or changes that God might be inviting you to explore. These could relate to your spiritual life, relationships, or ministry involvement.
   • Jot down the new opportunities you feel led to pursue.
3. Set Clear Intentions:
   • Choose one area to focus on for the coming week. Outline small, actionable steps you can take to embrace this new path. Be specific about what you will do each day.
   • Example: If you feel led to explore a new style of worship, plan to join a different gathering or listen to music that represents that style.
4. Prayerful Commitment:
   • Take your plan to God in prayer. Ask for His guidance and strength as you embark on this journey of expansion. Commit to being open to the changes He is bringing into your life.
5. Share Your Journey:
   • Share your expansion plan with a trusted friend or support group. Invite them to hold you accountable and pray with you as you take these steps.

2. Follow Up:

• Set a date to review your progress, reflect on any challenges, and celebrate the growth you’ve experienced. How is God revealing Himself to you through this process?

Through these interactive steps, we can actively participate in our own transformation and prepare to be enlarged by God’s blessings. Let’s embrace the opportunity for growth and watch how He moves in our lives!