Wholeness. Wholeness. Wholeness. This is the word that the pastor spoke over me and Eric at church last Sunday. Altar calls during worship before the message are very rare, but today was different. Immediately when the pastor got up to pray over the congregation during worship, the Holy Spirit nudged me to come to the altar. Pastor was speaking of using the Lord’s name in vain. He explained that NOT using it knowing the power that is in His name is part of taking it in vain. He then encouraged those of us that needed to believe for something and needed prayer in His name to come to the altar during worship. I quickly found myself in the front, on my knees, crying out to God.
You see, I’ve been on this grace journey with God. I’ve seen Him restore us so much in 2018 from the traumatic events that left us broken in 2017. I’ve embraced the pain and brokenness knowing that joy will eventually follow, just as the word says in the latter part of Psalms 30:5, “Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.” In my embracing that pain and hoping for joy though, at some point, I’ve made the pain, brokenness, PTSD, and anxiety just part of my new normal, forgoing the very thought of wholeness, and that in His presence there is fullness of joy (Psalms 16:11). I have even found myself explaining when someone will ask me how I’m doing and how my arm is that I’ve learned to accept that it will never be the way that it was, that I have just gotten used to the fact that it will always be like it is now.
Fast forward back to this moment in church, I immediately felt the Holy Spirit highlight this new mentality I have adopted. I felt Him in my spirit say, you have taken Me for granted, you have underestimated My power, you have used My name in vain. And say no more, I knew I needed to go repent by praying and believing that just as the song we were singing said, “You are worthy of Your name, Jesus” and I believe You can make me whole again.
The word says, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
I Thessalonians 5:23
God intends for us that know Him to be whole-in spirit, soul, and body. Through His grace He has made a way for me to be sanctified, complete, and whole so that I may be in right standing with Him. He intends on us to walk in such truths that are in His word and by faith believe that He can and will do what He says. Who am I to forget His Word and settle for anything less? Who am I to take His power and His name for granted or in vain?
As I knelt at the altar with my husband, I cried out asking and believing for God to make me whole again, to make all things new. I asked Him for complete healing in my arm, from my anxiety, and from my PTSD. In that moment, I made the choice by faith to believe that He will make me whole again, and that’s what I will continue to believe. The Bible says that God has exalted His son high above every name,
“that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Philippians 2:10-11
This is the year that we are believing in the name of Jesus and all He has for us, for wholeness. Wholeness in our bodies, wholeness in our minds, wholeness in our spirit, wholeness in our marriage, wholeness in our family, wholeness in everything that He by His grace continues to give to us.
As we begin a time of leaning in, fasting and prayer in this new year, we are believing to trust in almighty God, hear His voice, and see Him move. Wholeness is the word our family will believe for this year. Wholeness through Him and Him alone. What are you believing for this year? Get alone with God and ask Him what He has for you. Walk by faith in believing this year. Let Him in this new year make all things new through His power and His name. Happy New Year and Blessings in 2019 from my family to you and yours! I’ll leave you with a portion of the lyrics from the worship song I referenced by Hillsong in hopes that you’ll go through 2019 worshipping His name and believing in the power of using it.
Yes You are worthy
You are worthy of Your Name
You are worthy
You are worthy of Your Name
Jesus
You’re my author, my maker
My ransom, my Saviour
My refuge, my hiding place
You’re my helper, my healer
My blessed redeemer
My answer, my saving grace
You’re my hope, in the shadows
My strength, in the battle
My anchor, for all my days
And You stand, by my side
And You stood, in my place
Jesus, no other name
No, only Jesus, no other name
