In our last issue, I told you about Mount Mauna Kea; the tallest mountain in the world which is submerged 19,700 feet below the Pacific Ocean. I also asked the question of how long you thought it might take to dig it up. Though we weren’t able to accurately come up with a time frame; it was safe to assume that it could take years. But let’s take it a step further and look at the submerged portion of the mountain; the part that lies some 3 miles below the surface. Because like Mount Mauna Kea, there's a part of you that's below what everybody sees.
Layers Within Yourself
You see there are mountains – in and of yourself – that are submerged; hidden below your surface. Inward mountains of doubt, bitterness, rejection, pride, unforgiveness and guilt; to name a few, that are prohibiting God from answering your prayers; simply because you’ve yet to identify and address them to the point where you can tell yourself – ‘Be removed and cast into the sea!’ You need to understand that there are parts of your past and personality that are negatively impacting and influencing the way you think and behave. So much so, that they’re blocking your ability to believe that your outward circumstances can change; simply because your inward state hasn’t.
I’ll use myself as an example. I know God’s will is for me to be wealthy. I've read it throughout the Bible and can ‘amen’ the best of them; but there was something inside me that wouldn’t allow the reality of it to manifest in my outer circumstances; this was due in part because I’ve lived below the national poverty level for well over a decade. You’ll find this same ideology in the poor and disadvantaged. My lack of finances framed my way of thinking which meant that no matter what God’s Word promised and no matter what His Spirit revealed; there was a 19,700 foot inward block, deeply submerged below; and though outwardly, I was believing for a financial breakthrough; inwardly my pride, the massive amounts of rejection I'd experienced, on top of all the times my dignity was taken; that kept blocking my ability to receive and even hindered God’s ability to get it to me.
To better illustrate this, take a look at the graphic. Say for instance, you're believing for a spouse. That would be your surface belief; what you're outwardly believing for. But if you look real close, there are characteristics caused by your past experiences that lie beneath the surface; things that need to be removed so that you're better prepared for your mate. Things like the fact you distrust men, you're harboring unforgiveness and you're bitter. And even though you tell yourself you're believing God for a spouse, you're still having premarital sex on top of the fact that you're downright rude and blatantly disrespectful. All of which, layer upon layer, need to be removed and may be hindering God's ability to manifest them in your life.
Changing From The Inside Out
Maybe you are believing to get married, lose weight, to see your adult children change, to be delivered from bad habits and addictions, to get out of an abusive situation, for financial breakthroughs or for simple day-to-day answers. Like me, perhaps the reason why your outward situation hadn’t changed is because your inside hasn't.
Pray this with me: Heavenly Father, I need Your help. Lord, I ask that You'd remove every layer; every attitude, trait, and experience that has blocked Your ability to change my situation. In Jesus' name.
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