Overcome

The last few days I have been practicing for Sunday Easter service in the kids class.  The worship songs were chosen by me and the leaders of the classroom.    I have been super excited about being in this class on Easter because there really is nothing sweeter then worshiping with kids...And to be able to share in the joy of our Savior's resurrection with those sweet little ones...humbles and blesses me in ways I can't even describe!   But for some reason the songs we chose were not really resonating with me.   The songs are Stronger, Revelation Song, and Overcome.   All great songs...all very powerful songs....so last night, I decided to dig a little deeper.    I decided to go with my ever so trusty dictionary.  One thing I have learned, when you want to go deeper...finding the definition of a word or words can really help to open up a whole new perspective.   

So I chose the word Overcome.

The definition of Overcome is to Defeat, Crush, Overpower.  To succeed in dealing with.

  As I read this, I let that definition sink in for a minute.    Really thought about those words, defeat, Crush and overpower..... Christ won.   He is stronger.   He defeated the enemy....and the prize was us.   

Then I thought, normally I focused on Easter as a time to celebrate what Jesus did on the cross to save me and make a way for me to be a child of God to spend eternity in heaven, so true and powerful.  But what about the part where He overcame the world.   This world we live in right now.   Our eternity has been changed, AND our day to day lives have been altered by Christ's resurrection. 

      

John 16:33 says "These things I have spoken to you, so that in me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage, I have overcome the world."      

He has defeated the world....Succeeded in dealing with the world.   Pain, sadness, fear, anger, sickness, anxiety, hurt, depression....He has defeated all of these things.   He has made us overcomes, through His death and resurrection.    1 John 5:5 says "Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God."   We have the power, in Christ, to be overcomes as His word says.   He has overcome it all, and through Him, we can overcome it all.   Does this mean nothing will ever go wrong for us?   Of course not, but it does mean we do not have to face life feeling helpless and prey to this world.   We can stand in confidence knowing that we walk with the one who already beat this world.    He holds the victory.  And we are walking on this earth, in that victory through Christ.

Last night I filled in at The Hope Center.  The Lord put it on my heart during my time with the ladies, to challenge them as overcomes to choose something they felt was controlling them, or something that was pulling them away from Christ.  A struggle or difficulty.  Something that they wanted victory over, and surrender it to the Lord believing that He would bring them overcoming freedom.   Most of them stood when I asked who had surrendered something and one girl even gave a testimony of surrendering, and feeling freedom from the bondage of sugar addiction and bulimia.  

I wonder if there aren't things that we carry around.  Times when we are robbed of freedom because we accept or learn to deal with.   Or just assume that because we are in this world we will have to bare as a burden.  When Jesus is saying to us "Look, I already won.  I already overcame the world.   You can walk in this freedom today.  You are no longer in the bondage of sin and the world is no longer a threat to you.  Give that thing to me, let me show you my overcoming love.   In me my child you can overcome."

Seated above, enthroned in the Father's love

Destined to die, poured out for all mankind

God's only Son, perfect and spotless one

He never sinned but suffered as if He did

All authority

Every victory is Yours

All authority

Every victory is Yours

Savior, worthy of honor and glory

Worthy of all our praise, You overcame

Jesus, awesome in power forever

Awesome and great is Your name, You overcame

Power in hand speaking the Father's plan

You're sending us out, light in this broken land

We will overcome by the blood of the Lamb

And the word of our testimony, everyone overcome

In the Right Hands

I wrote my first song when I was 6.    Nothing fancy, not even a fully formed song, but I still remember it.   And still sing it occasionally.

 "I can do a lot of things, like run hop jump and song, I can climb and bounce a ball, but there's one thing I can't do, and that's to stop loving you, Jesus my Savior I love You."

Clearly not an award winning lyric, but it has a cute little melody and for whatever reason, I have never forgotten it all these years later.  
I got to thinking a few days ago about that song.   See the thing is, growing up my family didn't listen to much music, in fact it wasn't until I was in Jr. High that I started becoming interested in music as
listener.   I was not trained to write or sing, I didn't grow up in a musical family.    And yet somehow, like an instinct, I was a songwriter as early as I can remember.   I didn't try, not initially, but it just came out of me, like breathing.   Does this mean if you don't start writing as a child you aren't a real songwriter...absolutely not...nor does it mean I am an amazing writer myself.    But I know that I know that I know, that God planted that gifting in me from the beginning, and that song is a sweet reminder.    I can't help but wonder if thats the reason why the Lord brings that song to mind now and then.  

So today I was thinking about the hundreds of songs I have written over the last 25 years.   The dreams I had as a child.    My move to Tennessee 11 years ago.    And how still, I have not had any of my songs reach "the right hands".   The hands that would take a song and make it a hit, or bring it to that new artists who would take it across the world.  Or take it and bring it to churches across the country.  I'm not going to lie...it was a bit of a pity party.  But as I was thinking about all of this, I heard the Lord say to me "You are looking for the right hands in man, but the right hands are my hands."  I realized in that moment....I was thinking about it all wrong.   It doesn't matter who ever touches one of my songs.   From His hands I received my gifts and in His hands they are safe.  His mighty hands will use them in the way He chooses.  James 1:17 says "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. "  This verse reminds me that He is the giver of every gift.   And He does not make mistakes.   When I go Christmas shopping for my family I do my best to buy something that I think they will like, but God created us and knows our innermost being.   He has tailor made each person's gifting's to fit like a glove.    He knew before we were made, what would be the most effective tool for each of us to have, to bring Him glory.    This carries with it great honor, no matter the type of gifting.  Regardless of the platform we reach here on earth....when our gifts are placed in the hands of the giver....they are right where they need to be.

Enter In

A couple of days ago, I had the privilege and honor of leading worship for the 1st-5th grade class at my church.    They recently went through some changes in structure and have been watching videos of worship songs instead of having a live person leading worship.   After discussing the idea of doing live worship once a month, I was asked to come in and lead a few songs.    For the whole week before I was praying over the songs, the kids, the leaders and what the Lord would want to say to those sweet kids.    The thing He kept telling me all week, and all morning on Sunday was, "You know I am here, but you still have to acknowledge my presence and enter in".   As I sat at the keyboard that morning it was ringing in my ears....those words.    God meets us, but we still have to enter in.   We still have to choose Him.   I told those sweet kids what the Lord had laid on my heart and let me tell you....did they ever enter in!    At one point I could not even hear my own voice over theirs!  And I received messages later stating that some of the kids had said it was a great morning of worship.    I stand here to say that I take no credit for that....none at all.    God showed up big time, and those kids entered in.    But this week I have been thinking about how childlike faith, and acknowledging and entering into His presence really go hand in hand.     I remember being a kid....the weight of the world not yet on my shoulders.    The heaviness and reality of life that comes with adulthood not yet rearing it's ugly head.    I remember trusting my Heavenly Father.  Even before I knew exactly what that meant.    I think that's part of it really.   The innocence.   The inhibition.   No awareness of the pressures or concerns of others thoughts toward your actions.   No fear of rejection.   Just simple, pure, affection for the Father.    Being completely honest with myself I know that when I worship, whether alone or on stage, I struggle to fully surrender.    To stand before Him with no agenda or concern for myself.    Maybe it's because as a musician/artist, there is more of a pressure and responsibility to present a good performance.  Maybe it's because there are those who might judge.   Or maybe we are too hard on ourselves.   No matter the reason...the struggle is real, as they say.    Children love with no agenda.   They love without much thought for why or how.   They are teachable and willing to listen.    And they trust fully with no need for justification.
Psalm 8:2 says "Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger".  I can't help but think that maybe this verse in part...is referencing that the Lord uses those with a pure heart and an innocent tongue to silence evil.  That this can be anyone from a tiny baby to an elderly person, who has a heart that is humble before the Lord. The kind of worshiper who sings to their Father as an act of praise, understanding that we are nothing apart from Him and capable of nothing without His power.   No agenda.    No pride. When we move out of the way, He can move freely.  Then the enemy can be silenced...I long to be this kind of worshiper.