A while ago, the Holy Spirit spoke to my spirit during a meeting in our apostolic center Holy Place through a parable about vigilance against spiritual burnout.

 

I caught a glimpse of the soles of the slippers and saw that the area around the ball of the foot was worn down.

 

 

As I saw this, the Holy Spirit spoke to me instructing me to put the following corresponding questions to the saints present:

 

The Holy Spirit continued to speak correspondingly:

 

„Beware not to burst spiritually!

 

 

A phase of spiritual pressure in our lives may be beneficial for a while, as it is meant to help us gain greater capacity.

Here however, it is necessary that we move in the structure of the new wineskin, which contains a fresh or renewed comprehension of scripture, as well as walking in the anointing of the Spirit for this time. This is the only way we will be able to cope with pressure caused by the presence of the new wine (see Mark 2:22 i.c.w. Ephesians 4:23-24).

 

22 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.”

 

2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.

 

… 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

 

 

=> The phase of pressure or expansion should not continue, as one might run the risk to spiritually “burst”.

Such an incident can occur with believers, when they attempt to expand their scope of responsibility or authority beyond what God has allocated to them, by personal intention.

It is indispensable that everyone of us takes care to stay within his or her area of spiritually given authority.

It is God's given grace that enables us to to stand firm (or secure) in the areas, we are called and equipped for.

 

If we willfully expand the borders of our scope of duties, a downward spiral is activated in our lives, because the power of the grace of God to cope with things does not work in such cases (see Deuteronomy 19:14; Deuteronomy 27:17).

 

14 Do not move your neighbour's boundary stone set up by your predecessors in the inheritance you receive in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess.

 

17 “Cursed is anyone who moves their neighbour’s boundary stone.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

 

This means, everything outside our set area of grace can only be accomplished by our own strength or abilities, and it carries the risk of a spiritual “blow-out”.

 

When individuals and, in this case, especially leaders among the people of God try to manage more than the LORD instructed them to do, increased pressure, which they are not capable to withstand, is put on individuals or ministries in the Body of Christ.

Such an activity can be likened to a tire which is fit to burst: weak areas are exposed, while the vehicle continues at great speed, until ultimately the pressure is building up, causing the tire to disintegrate.

It poses a great danger for oneself as well as for fellow men in the immediate vicinity, should this activity not be identified in time.

 

 

In addition, there is a further danger to consider as people of God.

It is a spiritual burning out or „burn-out“, as we call it nowadays.

 

The prophet Elijah got into a similar state after hearing Jezebels threat, delivered by one of her servants. It caused him to flee into the desert where he isolated himself more and more from society, so much so he even wanted to die.

But all glory and honor be unto the LORD, who sent an angel and strengthened Elijah supernaturally, so that he was able to continue to carry out the plan of God (see 1 Kings 19:1-8)!

 

1 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.

2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”

3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.”

5 Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.”

6 He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.

7 The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.”

8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he travelled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.

 

 

A spiritual “burn-out” takes place when people are preoccupied with doing things for God, and in the process often miss the opportunity to do things with Him.

 

Every time, the enemy is unable to stop or hinder a positive process in the life of a saint, he takes a different course of action, by either coming with intimidation or an unhealthy drive which leads to works that are not born of the spirit (see James 2:17.22).

 

17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. …

22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.

 

It is the plan of the enemy to cause us to become active at a time where the LORD wants us in a state of BEING, as it was with Martha, when Jesus was staying in her house with her sister Mary and brother Lazarus (see Luke 10:40-42).

 

40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “LORD, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed – or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

 

 

To stay in the state of 'BEING' means to acquire the nature of the LORD and His character by the times of trust and fellowship we spend with Him.

If we take this to heart, we move from this place with a fresh anointing, and we minister from a place of rest (see Psalm 23:2). <= (note: this passage is based on a revelatory teaching from the Shepherd's Rod for the year 2003 by Bob Jones and Paul Keith Davis.)

 

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, …

 

It is God's desire to lead us into the fullness of His rest to reveal to us His manifold provisions. This can be seen in the green pastures and the still waters. God's provision for us is not one-dimensional but multifaceted!

 

Amen and Amen.

 

In His Wisdom,

 

Daniel Glimm

 

Übersetzung: Margit Kelly