In Close Proximity to Your Father in Heaven

"Our body is earth bound, but our spirit is in close proximity to our Father in Heaven."

This month's devotion has been prepared by one of our team members, Michael Tyrell. Michael is one of our itinerant prophetic ministers, and he is not only a prophetic preacher, but a worship leader and song writer as well. Many of you are going to specifically relate to Michael's word below, and all of you will love it...as things are much "closer than they appear!"

PROPHETIC ENCOURAGEMENT

Some time ago, I received this "open vision." I feel it applies to several of you reading today. In the vision, I was looking out the kitchen window of an old farmhouse. I noticed a large rose garden; some of the roses had "bloomed" while others were "tightly budded." Above the rose garden was an enormous storm cloud. I remember thinking "it's going to..." and before the word "pour" was formed in my consciousness, the Heavens opened.

As the deluge continued, I witnessed a curious thing. The roses that had "bloomed", were filling up like cups. The weight of the water caused the rose to bend over, spilling its contents on thirsty ground, and then springing upright to be filled again.

The "tightly budded" roses, though exposed to the same rain, only had a few droplets on their exterior. The Lord said, "The bloom receives the rain; the bud only gets the dew."

How Did the Dead Sea Die?

There are many factors which keep a bud from blooming: lack of sun, lack of nutrients in the soil, or lack of water. But in this vision, the conditions were favorable and all of the roses experienced the same rainfall. The difference? Some were open and some stayed closed.

We see this same condition in "God's garden." Some of us dance in the rain, some open an umbrella, some drink the rain, and others ask for a water analysis as some fear drowning while others fear drought. Here's the bottom line--you'll never get anything from a "tightwad." They're loaded, but they hold on tightly to what they have, never sharing with those in need. This is how the Dead Sea died.

Outflow is Important

All the goodness of the Jordan River flows in, but nothing ever flows out, so the water stagnates and dies. Likewise in the body of Christ, spiritual edema is extremely unattractive. We come "sloshing" into meetings full of "living water" to receive more, without sharing with the thirsty what we already have. This brings me to the most tragic condition of all--a bud closed so tightly, that it receives no rain at all. This is a self-induced famine.

Words Make an Impact

"What we say to each other is either fertilizer or poison."

There are several conditions that keep a child of God from blooming: fear, neglect, rejection, betrayal, sabotage, abuse, and judgment. Judgment kills creativity. It only takes one bogus word to stifle a gift. What we say to each other is either fertilizer or poison. If we give these negative "death words" power, we'll stay closed up and eventually dry up.

God created flowers to open. When a flower opens, it makes itself vulnerable. It allows all of its goodness to be utilized and nothing is hidden. It becomes food for the hungry, drink for the thirsty, shelter for the homeless, beautiful to the eyes, and a breath of fresh air (plants actually take carbon dioxide and convert it to oxygen). This is our heritage. This is what we should be to the world.

One thing I've learned about plants is that if you talk to them, they grow better. That's what this devotional is for! Keep reading. God is talking to you and you WILL grow. The latter rain is beginning to fall, so be an open blossom, not a "bud" head.

DEVOTIONAL TEACHING

The side view mirror of my car has a warning on it: "Objects in mirror are closer than they appear." Hence, proximity may be more accurate than perception. The "American Heritage Dictionary" definition of the word proximity is--the state, quality, sense, or fact of being near or next; closeness.

With that in mind, let's go to the Word. Ephesians 2:4-7, "But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the Heavenly realms in Christ Jesus. In order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus."

I want to point out a few highlights! Why does God do what He does, and whom does He do it for? Verse 4 is our answer: "because of His great love for us." And He is well able because He is rich (full) of mercy. In verse 5, the word "made" is not "create", it is interpreted "to make out of previously existing materials." In verse 6, the word "raised" is past tense. In verse 7, how can we visualize the "riches of His grace?" Through the blood of Jesus.

Encourage Yourself

Let me share a personal experience. One day as I was tending to our butterfly garden, my thoughts drifted to a discouraging scenario that I was dealing with in the area of our finances. I asked the Lord to encourage me and He said, "Encourage yourself." So I tried telling myself everything was going to be ok, yada, yada, yada. But I didn't feel any better.

Suddenly, the Lord gently spoke, "Part of you knows the truth and sees what I see, because he's sitting with me, let him speak." Then I saw it! In our triune nature, 1/3 of us is perfect because our spirit is seated in Heavenly places, and our spirit sees and knows. Our body is earth bound, but our spirit is in close proximity to our Father in Heaven. Thus, we can say, "On earth as it is in Heaven."

It's tragic that this is a stretch for us to understand, but we're certainly not the first to experience it. Turn to 2 Corinthians 12:1-5, "It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. I knew a man in Christ above 14 years ago (whether in the body I cannot tell, or whether out of the body I cannot tell, God knoweth). Such a one caught up to the third heaven.

And I know such a man (whether in the body or out of the body, I cannot tell, God knoweth). How that he was "caught up" into paradise (3rd heaven) and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter."

There is no doubt Paul was in Heaven, the problem is he couldn't tell if he was all there or partially there. We know he was there in the Spirit, for our mortal bodies cannot glory in His presence. This is huge!

Living in Close Proximity to the Father

"When we realize our proximity to the Father, He shows us our life from HIS perspective."

Since your spirit has an intimate relationship with the Father, if your soul (thoughts, will, and emotions) is out of sorts, and your body (flesh) responds, listen to the voice of your spirit, who is seated in Heavenly places. Your spirit sees the truth from a better perspective, and THAT truth will set you free. It gets better! When we realize our proximity to the Father, He shows us our life from HIS perspective. Let me tell you, it's radically different from ours.

The blood of Jesus is our covering, and from God's Heavenly perspective, that's what He sees when He looks at us. That's right. When it comes to His children, the Father is not sin conscious, He is Son conscious. Because the blood is over us, it covers a multitude of sin. Since we are under the blood and our bodies are earth bound, occasionally we get preoccupied with what's beneath instead of what's above. In this way sin, guilt, and shame can cause us to suffer emotionally for something Jesus already paid for with His blood.

Understanding What God has Freely Given Us

I Corinthians 2:9-16, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM--but God has revealed it to US by His Spirit. The Spirit searches ALL things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man, except the man's spirit within him? In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may UNDERSTAND what God has freely given us. THIS IS WHAT WE SPEAK, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit expressing Spiritual truths in Spiritual words.

The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them because they are Spiritually discerned. The Spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself IS NOT SUBJECT to any man's judgment. For who has the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him? BUT WE HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST."

Freedom wasn't free for Jesus; He paid our admission price to see the Father. He whom the Son sets free is free indeed. So next time you read "Objects in mirror are closer than they appear," you'll remember Heaven is much closer than you think...in fact--your Spirit is already there!

James 4:8, "Come near to God, and He will come near to you."

Be blessed as you draw closer to the Lord and His word this month.

Scripture Meditation

Week One: Ephesians 2
Week Two: 2 Corinthians 12:1-4; James 4:1-11
Week Three: 1 Corinthians 2
Week Four: Psalm 73

Patricia King with Michael Tyrell