A Woman's Walk

[Judy Harder]

Week of January 1

Workplace Purpose
by Margaret D. Mitchell

". . . great are Your purposes and mighty are your deeds. Your eyes are open to all the ways of men; you reward everyone according to his conduct and as his deeds deserve."
-Jeremiah 33:19

I received a text from a young woman one morning who said, "God just showed me why I am at this particular job!!! . . . a girl who sits right across from me is doing the exact same thing I want to do for young girls!!"

This young woman was wise and courageous beyond her years, because she had prayed for God to take her hand and lead her into a job of His choice so that she could receive and do great exploits. She wanted something better for her life, and she understood God had a plan and a destiny for her that was better than her own limited perception and understanding.

Her particular job was not one that this young woman would have chosen for herself for various reasons. And, at the outset, it appeared as though it was far from her heart's desire. But when the job was offered to her, she trusted that God had answered her prayer, that He had her best interest at heart; so she leapt forward in faith at the opportunity. Almost immediately after she took this action of faith, she met a divine connection that could encourage her toward reaching her heart's desire, her divine destiny.

This young woman believes that the God of heaven and earth sees and knows more than she and that He loves her beyond measure. She had a heart to please God, and she desired His best for her life. She understood that God had a fulfillment strategy. And she witnessed it coming to pass in her young life.

Whether we work inside or outside of our home, our job is our divine assignment, our mission field where God will do a work in, through and for us! Our obedience to God throughout the mission is paramount, because our destiny is conditional upon our obedience. We can either receive God's finest or our finest. Where we end up involves a series of our simple choices.

When this young woman prayed for God to take her hand and lead her to a job of His choice, she positioned herself for great exploits and blessings. When she accepted her new job, she stepped into a divine set up, into the "unknown," like Abraham.

This young woman came to understand that she was in the midst of her "destiny journey." This job was a link to her ultimate destiny desire: to serve girls with the love of God. She became filled with joy and zeal as she became inspired and motivated beyond what she had anticipated. Her heart awakened to the higher purposes of God for this job and her life's work.

She gained a new level of revelation understanding: that she is chosen royalty, as daughter of the King Most High, that she is Father God's princess, and the queen of King Jesus. Like Esther, she is doing great exploits for God and His people on earth as it is in heaven. If she remains obedient, through her, God will birth much to build His kingdom over time.

Her new job has a whole new meaning now, purposed with great value, potential impact and transformation possibilities. What an awesome place to be: working unto the Lord out of a heart of love!

God can do much with simple things, like this young woman's entry-level, college job. He is a God of multiplication. And He doesn't waste anything. Rather, He purposes everything that is of Him. All He needs is a willing heart that says, "Yes Lord!" throughout the journey.

God's Great Commission is your great adventure. What desires has He placed in your heart? Have you invited God to take your hand and lead you to reach your destiny? He always rewards obedience; He's just waiting for your invitation and next step.

[Judy Harder]

Week of January 8

The Potter
by Margaret D. Mitchell

"'O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?' declares the Lord. 'Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.'"  -Jeremiah 18:6

Whenever God assigns us to a task, a position or a season, He always purposes a triune work: In us, through us and for us. In other words, when we work unto the Lord—where He plants us—He simultaneously does a work in us and on our behalf. He is the ultimate multitasker!

This is good news for people, especially moms, who feel they're leaving their homes and their children to go to work. You're not leaving them behind. You're leaving them in God's hands. There is a difference when we operate in divine obedience.

When we prayerfully step up and step out into a day of the "unknown," God does extraordinary works because of the sacrifice and honor our faithfulness offers Him. When we are aligned with God's directives, He will take care of that which we leave for Him. And He will purpose the challenges of our day to conform us to His liking if we yield to Him.

Recently, the Holy Spirit inspired me to write a prayer to be distributed to our Women's Expo attendees. We printed several copies of the prayer, laminated them and cut them into small prayer cards. They were purposed to serve as a reminder to women to keep their heart's eye on God during their workday, to affirm that He is with them and for them.

I placed my prayer card on my desk, and every day, immediately after I sat down, and before I began to work, I picked up the prayer card and prayed the prayer:

"...Thank you that as I work, You are working through me, doing a work in me and working on my behalf."

Four months after praying this prayer daily, something extraordinary happened: A manager came to me and asked me to step into a new role in a new department. His invitation seemed urgent, and it took me aback. Something didn't seem right, so I decided to fast and seek God's will on the matter.

At the end of a week of fasting and praying, when my response was due to the manager, I still hadn't heard from the Lord. So I prayed, "Lord, I won't take this position, because I haven't heard from you. But I'm curious as to why You don't want me to have it?" Almost immediately, the Holy Spirit led me to Philippians 3:2, "... beware of evil workers..."

Alarmed in my spirit, I returned to work and declined that position.

A few weeks later, the same manager invited me to work in another department. So I prayed again, and the Holy Spirit impressed upon me that I should accept the offer; at the same time, I sensed this new assignment would not be easy.

What ultimately happened was that God used this new position to do a quick and deep work in me.

In this new role, God enabled me to feel intense pressure and great challenge, which caused me to press into Him for help.

One day, after hearing nothing from God, I cried, "What is it?! What do you want me to see in this?"

Immediately, I received a resounding revelation from the Holy Spirit: "You disrespected your father!" In that moment, I instantly understood what He meant and why He was allowing me to experience this.

God used this new position to cause me to feel the level of pressure that my father had felt on his job decades earlier, a level of pressure that caused him to behave in ways for which I judged him. I had walked unaware of my sin judgment towards my father for decades, held captive by this sin.

But God has a way of revealing our sins to us for the purpose of giving us an opportunity to repent, forgive and be forgiven, to be set free from captivity (Isaiah 5:13, Hosea 4:6). This was one of those inner works.

In an instant of revelation understanding, I was able to repent on a deep level and gain compassion for my father in a new area. When I called my dad to ask for his forgiveness, he extended grace to me on a level and in a way that I never knew he had in him. It touched my heart deeply and caused me to feel a deeper love towards my father (Malachi 4:6).

Because I invited Him to do so, God purged decades of sin judgment from me, which, no doubt, had blocked many blessings in my work life and in my relationship with my dad for years. In doing so, God broke the bondage of sin, which positioned me to move into the next season and out of that job.

Like strong medicine, God used these intense circumstances to do me a favor.

Sometimes, God has to set us on the potter's wheel to conform us into a more beautiful vessel for a more beautiful place. How is He working in, through and for you?

[Judy Harder]

Week of January 15
Rest

"Come away alone with me and get some rest,"
–Mark 6:31

I love how God is so concerned about our wellbeing that He corrects us to stop working when we should rest.

The Holy Spirit illuminated this scripture to me first thing one Monday morning. It came the first weekday after I had left my day job, the frontline. God was instructing me to rest at the end of a difficult assignment, after coming off the frontline. He wanted to give me rest after my mission and from my enemies.

I love what Billy Graham says in his book, Nearing Home: "God rested on the seventh day after He had finished His work of creating the universe, and we shouldn't feel guilty if He gives us the opportunity to rest once our work is done."*

God instructs us to rest because He knows we need refreshment and to hear from Him before He opens the door of a new project or situation that will require a significant amount of dedicated energy, a promotion.

In my case, I had pre-scheduled a morning coffee appointment that Monday with a friend who looks to me for spiritual counsel, and I hadn't seen her in awhile. Because I knew she had been looking forward to our meeting, I did not want to disappoint her. So I drove off to the north side of town to her home.

A couple of days earlier, God had impressed upon me to get some orange juice, which is not a food item I typically keep at home. I intended to pick it up at the store, but with the busyness going on around me, I had forgotten. So on this Monday morning, while driving to my friend's home, the Holy Spirit brought it to remembrance, and I set my intentions on a particular store.

When I approached the store, I saw much road construction and could not get into the turn lane that led to the shopping center. So I told myself I would pick it up on my way back. But when I journeyed back, I saw even more road construction and decided to take another route. In doing so, I passed up the store and the orange juice that day.

Make no mistake about it, delayed obedience is disobedience. And the ultimate consequence of my disobedience was a head cold. God saw this coming, and He tried to thwart the issue by guiding me to drink orange juice (vitamin C).

I often say, "there is no small sin," especially because of the multiplied effect of our actions. Usually, the effects of sin affect more than us; they affect (and in this case, infect) those around us and those around them.

What better way for God to remind me of the careful obedience required in hearkening to the Holy Spirit than to allow me to catch a cold?

I love Psalm 23:2—"He makes me lie down in green pastures." As God's sheep, He has to make us rest sometimes. Only God knows and sees all things. He knows what is up ahead. He knows the amount of energy that is required to accomplish His tasks. And He doesn't want us to fall into sin, which makes the journey more difficult.

A couple of days later, after I finally bought the orange juice and poured myself a glassful, I noticed a scripture in a new book I had recently purchased. The scripture was Exodus 15:26: "He said, 'If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His eyes, if you pay attention to His commands and keep all His decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.'"

Could the Holy Spirit have made His point any clearer? I don't think I will soon forget this learned reminder.

There comes a time in our spiritual walk when we realize we have become a wheel within a wheel, and any action short of careful obedience pulls us out of sync with God. God will allow us to wobble through these lessons as precursors to trusting us with more. In so doing, He refines us and affirms us.

Like work, rest is important. God did it; He expects us to do it; and it is an area in which He will test us. What's more, His purpose in having us come away alone with Him to rest is not only to provide refreshment for us, but also to give us something more. In my case, God was waiting for me to enter into a place of intimacy with Him to receive a major ministry directive for the forthcoming year. And the day I came away with Him alone was the day I received what was on His heart.

How about you? Are you willing to lay down your agenda and rest at the Holy Spirit's directive? What does God want to share with you, and how will that affect your life your ministry?

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*Quoted in Billy Graham, Nearing Home (Nashville, T.N.: Thomas Nelson, 2011), p. 26.

[Judy Harder]

Week of January 22
Distraction or Determination

". . . "I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?" Nehemiah 6:3

Distraction from our divine assignments can come in many forms: There are the obvious circumstances, such as too much television, gaming or PC time. But what about mind games from our enemies, unnecessary family drama or pressing work deadlines that can actually be better prioritized?

God has a timeline and a purpose when He assigns us great exploits. And He expects us to stay on course until the mission is completed, because much is at stake. It's not just about us.

Consider Nehemiah, who led the restoration of the Jerusalem wall. What if Nehemiah had decided to give priority to his enemies who threatened him and his project (Neh 6:3)? How would Jerusalem the workers have been affected?

Distractions that cause us to step out of sync with God throw off our timing, cause kinks and delays and, worse yet, affect multitudes around us, even generations to come. And they can attack in the simplest forms—little foxes—we either don't expect and/or don't recognize as a danger.

God illuminated this principle to me years ago on an airplane. I was working as a flight attendant, and our crew had been rerouted, which caused us to be rescheduled to deadhead (airline lingo for sitting in a passenger seat to reach a destination to actually work a flight) on a particular flight. The flight was full, so I had no other choice than to sit in my assigned middle seat.

Since I often pray, "God, order my steps. I surrender my agenda to You," I had confidence that God had purposefully ordered my steps and that this reroute was not a mishap.

Soon into the flight, I noticed that the woman seated next to me was reading, Jesus Freaks. I sensed in my spirit that God had purposed a divine appointment with this woman.

After awhile, we struck up a conversation, and I shared with her that I also am a Christian. The woman confessed to me that she, too, had prayed at the outset of her trip, asking God to order her steps. She discovered that she, like me, had gotten rerouted. Once on our flight, she prayed that the Lord would bring the person who needed Him most to sit beside her.

That person was me, and this touched my heart deeply. We held hands and prayed together, asking the Lord what He wanted me to receive.

I began to ask this woman questions, and in the course of our conversation, the Lord revealed exactly what He wanted me to have. Unbeknownst to her, I had been privately praying about a particular issue in my family. I had asked God to lead me to the sources and resources that had the answers. On this day, He answered my prayer.

This woman knew of a specific resource that would give me the information I needed to deal with this family issue. The very moment she began to share this information with me, suddenly passenger noise erupted all around us.

The noise became so loud that this woman had to write down the information for me, because I could not hear her speak. This noise was a distraction.

The enemy will use anyone and anything he can to prevent us from getting where God wants us to be and from doing what God wants us to do, which is why we—through Christ—must be smarter than our worst adversary. He does this because he knows the end result will be a great threat to him.

This woman and I were determined to stay on course. As God would have it, I received the information and soon after dealt with the family issue. The end result was victory, because despite the enemy's distraction, we pressed on.

Being where God wants us to be is important. I tell my ministry team, "You have to know where God has assigned you. If you're. "over there" when God wants you "over here," you are not where God wants you to be, and you have been distracted by the enemy.  Repent, then get back on course.

In what areas are you being distracted? Are there any little foxes in your world? Are you determined to remain on course and press on and receive the prize?

[Judy Harder]

Week of January 29
Growth, Unity and Leadership

He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.  –Ephesians 4:6

Paul so eloquently describes the perfect organizational structure in this verse. Rooted in love, we work purposefully within a plan of aspirations, assignments and goals.

But what happens when a work group does not flow or conjoin effortlessly? What about growth pains or problematic members? What is God's way to handle these challenges?

As a ministry leader, I have noticed that God trains me and grows me as He simultaneously grows our ministry. God has taught me that ministries are made of up imperfect people serving a perfect God, myself included. This means that we must trust God first and be careful and prayerful what we entrust to others all along the journey.

The Lord will often use our ministry volunteers to challenge me to come up higher in a new area of management or spiritual maturity. For this, I have learned to thank God, because He is building a repertoire of skills and development in me that will become second nature going forward, lessons that I can then share with other emerging leaders.

One area that has become a new normal for me is letting go quickly of that which is no longer fruitful. God gives us fresh manna every day. People, organizations and businesses should be growing and improving daily. This dynamic is life. And when the Lord opens my eyes to people and things that cannot grow in the direction we are growing, I know it is time to let go. This, in and of itself, is a type of pruning.

Many years ago, I attended a church service in which everyone was handed a tent peg as we walked into the sanctuary. We had no idea what it was for. But as the sermon began, we soon learned a lesson that sticks with me to this day: Keep your tent pegs light.

As the Israelites traveled through the desert, they had to pick up their tents and move forward. Stepping into the "unknown," like Abraham, requires great faith, vision and courage. Not everyone will have what it takes to come along. Many will fall away in the journey. And many will not even have the courage to try. Those who fall away are being pruned away from the group by their own choice.

Then there are the ones who have preconceived ideas—vain imaginations—of what the group should do and the direction it should go. If the group doesn't move in the direction they think it should, they turn and leave. These are the ones who are not committed to God's will, but their own limited viewpoint or selfish ambition.

Then there are those who try to remain and are with you physically, but truly, they are not for you in their hearts. They are the Judases, the jealous ones, the controlling ones that try to hold others and the organization back. They have a root of envy, and they typically target members of the group, and, in some cases, sabotage projects. Left unattended, the result is destruction in the midst of construction.

James 3:16 says, "For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind." Although these people try to hide or suppress their sin, it always surfaces as the bitter root begins has been left to sprout up.

As a leader, it helps to have the gift of discerning of spirits. Great insight, led by the Holy Spirit, can reveal much. People's hearts have a way of proving out the truth of where they are spiritually and emotionally, through spoken words, attitudes and actions. Many times, these people do not want to leave, because they are caught in a stronghold, and they don't know where to go from where they are. Unlike people who can be reassigned to other positions, these people are the ones leaders must intentionally prune away entirely.

In any organization, it's important to keep in mind that leaders are not just monitoring the quality and timeliness of our work. They are also surveying how well we get along with others, the unity factor. They take mental (and sometimes written) notes of our conduct and our performance.

God cares about relationships. And where there is unity, there is multiplicity both spiritually and tangibly. Fruitfulness—or output—matters to God (Gal. 5:22). And work is much easier and fluid when there is peace, a valuable commodity, especially in these accelerated times in which we live and work.

As you reflect upon your relationships and responsibilities, where and what were the pivotal moments that you made a decision to overcome obstacles God's way? Was there ever a time in which you felt provoked or stayed stuck? God offers us multiple opportunities to choose higher ground. What will you choose, and how will your choices affect your life and those around you? Remember, whatever we choose will continue to grow.


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[Judy Harder]

Week of February 5

Godly Zeal

"It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way."  -Proverbs 19:2

In Hebrew, zeal is transliterated as Qinah, which means ardor. It is the burning heat, intense devotion, passion, fervent enthusiasm, eagerness and jealousy, the fuel that propels us to action. Zeal can either energize us toward great exploits or drive us to crash and burn needlessly. The choice is ours.

Godly zeal is harnessed. It is purposed, focused, on target and on task. Nothing is wasted. It is motivation that accomplishes much.

Godly zeal incorporates wisdom and diligence. It is informed and prepared. Mixed with faith, God's truths and knowledge, it doesn't give up after the honeymoon phase of a relationship or an assigned project matures to temperance.

Godly zeal is not just an emotional high, although our emotions are purposefully affected euphorically as a byproduct of the Holy Spirit igniting our spirit—on purpose—to cause us to move in the direction of and at the speed for the plan God has for us.

Godly zeal is balanced. It does not overrun wisdom. It can run dry in us if we do not spend enough dedicated time with God, in His presence. Over-tasking can cause us to distance ourselves from the vine; it can cause us to feel stress; it can drain our joy and basically suck the life out of us and our assignment, causing us to give up and even dislike the assignment.

Godly zeal is prioritized. It keeps God first, and assigned relationships and projects second. It is not an idol or ignorant or immature. It does not run ahead of God. Rather it is synergistic with God's plan, purpose and timing and trusts God with child-like faith to step into the unknown like Abraham, sequence by sequence.

Godly zeal is dedicated. It is intentional. It helps us see divine assignments through. It does not entertain fear.

Godly zeal is rooted in righteous love. It is reverential and honoring to God. Godly zeal put to action can be a form of worship unto the Lord.

All of these lessons, for me, were learned and led by the Holy Spirit.

I recall when the Lord instructed me to produce our first Women's Expo. He gave me a simple and clear instruction, "Do a women's event, and call it an expo." My immediate response was the only response, "Yes, Lord," even though I didn't have a clue at the time of how to produce a Women's Expo. God will always offer us more than we currently know. In so doing, He creates a greater awareness of dependence upon Him.

Having planned few events throughout my life, I wasn't sure at the outset how to accomplish what God wanted, but I knew He had placed a gift of event planning in me. Still, I proceeded with caution and prayed, "I want two things, Lord: I want it to be all about You; and I want you to bring Your finest people alongside me. Show me how to do this." I believe the Holy Spirit inspired me to pray these words. God honors and exalts humbleness, and I knew this was His vision. It soon became mine too, as I intentionally chose to sync up with Him in this area.

Two weeks after His initial instruction, a ministry leader called me and asked me to help coordinate a women's conference. I knew this was my training ground.

Sure enough, this ministry leader let me do much, including exhibiting, coordinating a panel and speaking in a main session. God is always faithful to give us just what we need when we need it to prepare us for the next phase.

Next, came a time when I felt overwhelming zeal. In my immaturity, I allowed the zeal to propel me to over-tasking. But God in His grace and mercy, quickly led me into temperance. In so doing, He trained me on the job.

He showed me a vision of a racehorse in a stall, at the gate. The racehorse represented me. When I saw the racehorse, I sensed anxiety. I had a sense of wanting to run out the gate, to run free, full throttle, to get going in the race. But God kept the gate closed.

God was showing me that it wasn't time to run. It was time to wait, to be obedient to His timing and ways all along the journey, to not lean upon my own (limited) understanding. I also sensed the time to run was very near. So I chose to wait.

As time passed, the more I thought about all I had to do to accomplish His task, the more anxiety I felt. After awhile, I exhausted myself and then turned to God and laid every burden down. I learned that as I was waiting on God, He was waiting on me.

Only after that did God open the gate.

He showed me another vision of the racehorse, now fully dressed with a harness and a saddle. I saw the gate swing open, and I saw the words "Run, Run, Run!" I saw the racehorse blast out the gate. And there was a jockey mounted on the her back. That jockey represented God. The jockey controls the racehorse's speed and direction, if the horse submits to the jockey.

And the racehorse ran as fast as she could towards victory with God at her reigns.

I have never forgotten this lesson of temperance and dependency upon God in the area of zeal.

Unbridled zeal can be dangerous. Imagine a big horse clomping all over a garden of flowers or a wild mustang running furiously free but never accomplishing anything. Remember, it's the bridle and the bit that controls, channels, focuses horsepower into purposeful endeavors for the Lord.

What are you zealous for? Have you allowed the Lord to temper the zeal He placed in you? Are you living life on purpose and accomplishing much? Or do you expend lots of energy and accomplish little? Are you on task with God?

[Judy Harder]

Week of February 12
Marketplace Bullies

"But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!"  -Matthew 5:44

From the playground to the workplace, we've all encountered bullies in some form. Simply put, bullies are people who are not in alignment with God. They are wounded people who wound others, and they intentionally target. They may even have demons. God warns us in The Parable of the Weeds in Matthew 13:24-30 that His people live side by side with evil people in the world, so bullies should come as no surprise to us.

There is usually one in every arena, and their behavior is abdominal: They are bossy; they butt in line in front of us; they give us undeserved attitude, slander us, slight us, hurl false accusations at us, hate us, envy us and basically give us a hard time.

So what's a Godly girl to do? Here are some practical tips for the journey:

Resolve to know your divine assignments; choose to be led by the spirit in carrying out those assignments, and don't let any bully stop you.

Do not fear. Instead stand upon God's truth, and put your faith into action by taking authority: "I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy," Jesus said in Luke 10:19, "nothing will harm you." Any fear of man in you should bow to the reverential fear of God. If you're feeling weak, ask God for an encounter with Him.

Guard your heart. Don your armor daily, be quick to forgive and pray for the bully's conviction and a softened, clean heart. Bullies like to go for the heart. They are miserable, tormented people, who want to tear others down. Recognize their behavior and choose the high road. Be wiser than your worst adversary.

Recognize the spirit behind the bully. Bullies have issues, and they may even have demons. Bind the enemy and loose God's love over them (Matthew 18:18). Pray for their deliverance, their issues to be uprooted, a cleansing of the Holy Spirit to wash over them, a fullness of God's love to overtake them, a transformation, a continuation for them to be led by the Holy Spirit to the sources and resources that can help them, ones from which they can receive. And remember, their deliverance can happen instantaneously, or it can be a process.

Could it be you're on a mission? Ask God. It is very possible that God has placed you in the bully's path to pray for them because no one else is. After all, some bullies do not attend church and are doing the best they know how. When I was a flight attendant, God often sent me people who were miserable and had hit the wall, but they didn't know where to go. The Holy Spirit impressed upon me to pray for them; and when I did, I often saw instant deliverance, because those miserable people were ready to stop being miserable. In some cases, however, God sent me people to pray for who were still early in their recovery journey, those who were not entirely ready to give up their sins. In those cases, I knew that God would bring others along their path to continue to sow seeds until the harvest was made complete.

Choose to not be provoked by the bully. Kindness and self control are strong weapons in the face of ugliness; they are fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5:22). Being provoked is the equivalent of being controlled. Ask God to help you not sin. If you must speak to them, ask God to give you the words that will turn away wrath (Proverbs 15:1).

Petition God for His unique strategies. He revealed them to Joshua, and He can reveal them to you. God sees and knows all things, including the depths of every heart. He knows just what will deliver and cultivate the bully's heart, far better than we. Sync up with His wisdom and hearken.

If the bully is someone in your workplace that you must interact with daily, demonstrate love, and work around them when possible. Be careful to watch your words, and keep up your guard. If the situation becomes unbearable or so stressful you have difficulty doing your job, ask to be moved or reassigned. And if it becomes threatening or dangerous, report the situation to human resources, regardless of the political climate.

Keep your eyes stayed upon the Lord: Play praise music, and take prayer and praise breaks. David praised God several times a day. Where else would a king go? Remember, God is your source and protector. And in His prevailing presence, miracles happen and devils flee. So get full of God.

Worship God and watch Him work on your behalf. In time, He will either remove you or the bully. And it usually doesn't take long. Remember to ask God to intervene. He likes to be invited. Sometimes, we have not, because we ask not (James 4:2).

Pray over your workspace, your home, your car. Plead the blood of Jesus. Ask the Lord to commission angels to watch over you and to fight your battles. Then expect victory. I've been known to go into work early just to pray over workers who have yet to arrive or do prayer walks around my office building. Prayer is powerful. God has placed you there, so exercise your authority through prayer; and remember, just because a spiritual battle ensues does not mean that you are losing ground. If you remain in the Lord and His ways, you will win; and winning oftentimes means He will promote you out of the situation. Remember, you are being tested.

Be patient and choose to trust God. Bullies often do not change overnight. But frequently, a few well chosen words can make a big difference. A close friend of mine, whom I used to work with, frequently asked difficult people, "Who has hurt you?" Most of the time, their hard demeanors broke. I have another ministry friend who asks difficult people who come to her for counseling, "I'm hearing your words, but the pain in your heart is overpowering them." These questions usually stop bullies in their tracks. Many times, they are the words that break the hardness of their heart. So, if you ask these questions, be prepared to minister to them. And at the very least, the bully will likely begin to back down, since they will know that you are onto their game and are not afraid to confront them. But much of them time, they cry.

Could it be that God uses bullies to challenge us to come up higher in the areas of spiritual discernment and love? Luke 6:32 tells us that it is easy to love the "lovable," but what about the "unlovable?" 1 John 4:20 tells us if we say we love God but do not love others, we are liars. Still, we must be led by the Holy Spirit and be carefully obedient to follow Him. Retreating and shaking off the dust can also be a wise strategy, however, in order to know what to do, we must be led by the Holy Spirit. Remember, God has a plan. Ask Him to reveal it to you.

Who's bullying you? What are you doing about it? Do you pray for your enemies and exhibit kindness? Is there anyone you need to forgive? Have you confront your bullies?

[Judy Harder]

Week of February 19
Convergence & Conversion

I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ.
–Galatians 1:12

Whenever I prepare for an event, I am awed at how the Holy Spirit reveals His message to me and other presenters separately and how He coordinates all the messages and music and people as a type of confluent convergence: a gathering where all elements come together to create a conversion of the heart, mind and spirit, not solely to receive Jesus for the first time, but also to receive more of Jesus.

I have found consistently that this holy conversion is as much for the presenters and worship leaders as it is for anyone else. Simply put, it begins with us; then goes out to those who are ready. I am awed that each person receives a unique restoration and that God knows just what everyone needs to the very depths of their heart. For me, He frequently offers revelation during the preparation; then later gives me more during the event, with much of it being serendipitous.

During events, I often see Him answer a prayer that I had prayed about weeks or months earlier. I believe God enjoys demonstrating His faithfulness creatively, in ways which we know it came only from Him. And I believe He enjoys honoring the gathering where His anointing is multiplied.

The apostle Paul is one who had book knowledge and revelation knowledge and presided over many gatherings. He understood the value of both forms of knowledge, resulting in great insight and wisdom. He walked with God and had a personal relationship with Him. He understood God's principles and faithfully applied them in his life and shared them with others. He understood that when the word of God and the spirit of God come together, there is an awesome convergence of power that can be received by those who hearken.

Recently, we conducted a camp meeting. I had never coordinated a camp meeting before, nor had I ever been to one. But the Lord clearly instructed me: Early one Saturday morning, I was awakened to the sweet presence of the Holy Spirit over me in my bed. The moment I opened my eyes, He showed me a vision of the words, "Camp Meeting." My response was the only right response, "Yes, Lord." Then I immediately saw a vision of a friend of mine speaking at the camp meeting, and I saw that she was speaking inside of a women's boutique, which I had visited the evening prior. This boutique was owned by another friend of mine.

Once again, I said, "Yes, Lord," all the while sensing in my spirit the words of Mary, "Let it be to me according to your word (Luke 1:38)." Then I asked, "Lord, when do you want this to be?" And He gave me the dates through a revelation. It was to be a three-day event, with the first day a private session for the women associated with the boutique. "Yes, Lord," I said again.

With this, I picked up the phone and called my boutique owner friend and then my speaker friend. Both agreed to the dates, and we proceeded to seek the Lord further and make plans.

I asked the Lord, "What is on Your heart? What is Your message to the people? What would You have me say?" And the Lord began to speak, to impress His heart upon my heart, to lead me to scriptures and understanding of those scriptures in a fresh way. And it came nugget by nugget. I knew I was only responsible for my piece.

Much later, when I came together with my speaker friend, she shared that the Lord had awakened her early each morning of our camp meeting to impress upon her His message for her to deliver. Not too surprising was that her message flowed perfectly with the message the Lord gave me.

Also, I noticed that the worship leaders selected just the right songs that spoke to my heart and those of others. And the prayer team spoke just the right words to those receiving prayer afterwards. One prayer leader sang a song over a woman who needed to hear just how special she was to God's heart. The prayer leader did not know that this woman's husband had recently abandoned her and their four children. As it turned out, the song spoke to me profoundly in that the lyrics contain God's words from Mark 6:31, a scripture He had led me to weeks earlier. This song became a theme song for one of our annual Women's Expos. I stood awed at God's purposed multitasking!

What does God want to speak to you? Do you know that God wants to birth much through you? Here are a few wisdom tips for your convergence-conversion journey:

We do not have to do everything. God will assign pieces to each person as He wills, so no man can boast (Ephesians 2:8-10, Romans 12:4, 1 Corinthians 12:12).
We do not have to have all the understanding at the outset. We will gain understanding as we go. But we do have to exercise faith, courage, dependency upon the Lord and careful obedience to His directives.
Expect to receive a gift from the Lord, such as an answer to a prayer or a fresh revelation, etc. (James 1:17).
Expect increased intimacy, to know God's heart for you and others.

[Judy Harder]

Week of February 26
Godly Expectation

"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."  -2 Corinthians 10:5

Expectations are Godly only if they are God's expectations in us. All other expectations that reside within us are carnal and set us up for disappointment. For this reason, it is important to know the difference and to intentionally choose to set our expectations in alignment with God's will, trusting the Holy Spirit to lead us.

In order to know God's expectations, we must first know Him and have His perspective on all matters. This applies to individuals and groups working toward a collaborative effort. Whether in the workplace or in personal relationships, including marriages and parent-child communication, we must be on the same page in order to have unity, peace and a proper expectant outcome. After all, everyone perceives from a different point of view, based on their training, upbringing, personal experience, opinion, values and a lifetime of other differences.

God's expectations are based on His biblical principles of truth. Therefore, we must read and understand His word and know His character. Psalm 119:104 tell us, "I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path."  Proverbs 4:5 says, "Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them."

Equally important is to be persistent concerning expectation. It's not enough to receive a revelation from the Holy Spirit and then apply our perspective. Only God sees the whole of anything and anyone, and He has more depth and richness for us beyond a single revelation. Therefore, may we beseech God for more of His understanding through prayer and choose to allow the Holy Spirit to renew our minds and cleanse our hearts His way and in His time. Press into Him further to receive more of His revelation (Galatians 1:12).

Disputes, blame and grave disappointments often arise out of ungodly expectations or our own vain imaginations (Romans 1:12). Paul says in 2 Corinthians 11:3, "But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ." We must choose God's thoughts above our own, lest we be deceived. Man's facts are never God's whole truth. We must take every rebellious thought captive, lest we fall.

Involving workgroups or relationships, vertical and horizontal communication between parties is key. And it is important to take courage to step up and speak up along the way, laying issues on the table at the outset. Shrinking back and withholding secret viewpoints and hurt feelings until the end is not meekness, but a lack of confidence in God, which is to be overcome. Root out the fear, take hold of the hand of Jesus, step up to His truth and speak up in love early on. Through Jesus, we are worthy to be heard and are worthy of expecting Father God's finest outcome, if the motives of our hearts are right with Him.

The Holy Spirit is our perfect accountability partner, not man. He can always be trusted. He is true and has your best interest at heart. He has your back. He is for you, not just with you. And He is full of love, not selfish gain. If the spirit within you is unsettled, consult God on the matter. The Holy Spirit may speak to you directly through revelation to get you unstuck, or He may bring correction through someone to speak to you. Either way, choose maturity, and receive correction in love. Thank the Lord for lessons learned, and move on, knowing He is building a strong foundation and increasing His power within you.

Guard against carelessness. We are called to careful obedience. In the frenzy of tasks, timelines and processes, remember that sin has the potential to break fellowship and that little foxes have the capacity to do great damage. Be wise as serpents, harmless as doves (Matthew 10:16). God will often use the processes and relationships to show us our issues and give us an opportunity to overcome them. Be honest, repent, apologize, forgive and move on. Choose to overcome quickly. Clarity is key for moving in the right direction. So be sure to pray through the situation until you have inner peace.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, often comes to my mind concerning Godly expectation. Mary knew at the outset that she was carrying the Messiah. Being Hebrew, Mary also likely knew of the Old Testament teachings, prophecies of old that declared the Messiah's coming and purpose. I often wonder what the words of her many prayers to the Father were and how He prepared her for the ultimate outcome of their Son's destiny: to hang on a cross, die, descend, ascend on the third day and be seated at the right hand of the Father. What took place in her heart as her Son's destiny played out, as she anticipated what awaited Him throughout his early years as her little child? How did she feel as she stood at the cross? How did the Father prepare her heart to receive this expectation? I believe that Father God prepared Mary and strengthened her for the Son's crucifixion throughout her life, little by little over time, as she could receive His truth. I believe Mary knew her heavenly Father and ultimately trusted Him and believed in Him that His purpose was good and full of love. I believe that, even in her grief, she ultimately chose to not lean upon her own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).

We should always be moving forward stronger than where we were, even if we must learn hard lessons to achieve greater breakthrough to freedom and higher holiness.

What are God's expectations for you? Are your expectations in line with His? How is God strengthening you along your journey to the destiny He has for you?  Do you set your expectations on God's truth? Are you aware that you are a work in progress that does not end and that God always does a work in, through and for you in every endeavor? Have you forgiven everyone who has disappointed you? Have you moved on in God's strength and higher holiness

[Judy Harder]

Week of March 4
Professional Acumen

"Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you."  -Philippians 3:13-15

Professional acumen is not just about acquiring knowledge, matching a personality diagnostic or simply dressing the part. It's about development created from the inside out. And much of the journey involves testing of the heart (Proverbs 17:3).

To do it God's way, we must first know Him and trust Him. We must have a heart for Him. We must allow Him to prepare us, teach us and mature us, according to His methods and timing. And we must abide in Him all along the way. There are no shortcuts.

God has new manna for us every day, and although His principles do not change, His methods do. And many of His promises are conditional.

One of my friends recently asked me, "How do you do what you do?" My response was simple: "Production technology." I went on to explain how a few years ago, God picked me up and hurled me into an ocean of technology, an area I had resisted my whole life. This time was no exception, but I knew God was doing me a favor. He knew that this area of equipping was required in my next assignment. My friend went onto explain that she was working in a position where much was heaped on her plate, and she didn't know how to do some of what was assigned to her. "You're in the perfect position for God to accelerate you," I said.

We live in accelerated times, and development cannot happen without depth, resistance and stretching, all preparation for what's ahead.

My friend was like Ruth in the Bible. She was chosen by the King, set up to step into the unknown, to make a powerful impact that will reach beyond herself and then reap a rich reward (Ruth 2:11-12). Scripture tells us that Ruth married a wealthy landowner and gave birth to the grandfather of King David. When we take to heart God's business, He takes care of ours.

Patience is also a key element. Esther 2:12 tells us that Esther had to undergo 12 months of beauty treatments before meeting with the king. One can only imagine all the thoughts and prayers and conversations—perhaps even anxieties—that took place within her during that time. Esther was chosen purposefully and developed before being presented. She knew God and had His hand of favor and protection upon her. God set the stage, guided her and empowered her to impact a nation during a pivotal moment. She and her family were honored as a result.

I have another friend who quit her job after a single day during a down economy. "I am an executive!" she boldly proclaimed. I knew what she meant: that she was underemployed in that job, and she did not want to go back to the same position she had held years earlier. After she departed that position, she opened a women's boutique, which lasted about two months before closing shop. Now, she's back home where she started. Still, nothing is wasted in God's economy. God used my friend's brief journey to do an accelerated work in her, through her and on her behalf. Much good, even beyond herself, resulted from these fast lessons. Discipline, common sense and insight are also key (Proverbs 5:23, 10:21). And all must be led by the Holy Spirit.

Maturity, which includes wisdom, plays a paramount role in one's professional acumen. I once worked with a young woman who was brilliant, knew her stuff, executed it well and even took on additional responsibility. It seemed her only downfall was that she belittled others. Not surprising, when it came time to restructure our department, she was asked to leave. It's not enough to be knowledgeable. One must consistently exercise appropriate social skills, including kindness and humility (Luke 14:11). If we aren't taught it from childhood, we must learn it in adulthood until it becomes second nature. Hard lessons are not soon forgotten. They are accelerated works. Count it all good, and move on stronger.

Hosea 4:6 tells us, "My people are being destroyed because they don't know me...." Knowledge is critical, and it takes time to achieve. There are no shortcuts. Taking time to know God and to educate ourselves is invaluable. Although God does redeem time, there is no substitute for dedicated time spent with Him and learning what He desires for us to learn so He can help us understand and accomplish His will on earth in areas and on levels that are new to us. This is growth. This is building a powerful repertoire.

Proverbs 4:7 reminds us to get understanding, insight and good judgment. Pray and ask the Lord to give these to you. I find frequently that whatever nugget I need, God gives it to me very quickly, oftentimes through a punctuated, spoken word from another ministry leader, pastor or evangelist. Revelation is the revealed word of God, spoken or written. And it's facilitated to us by the Holy Spirit.

When we love God, we will find joy and appeal in the work He assigns to us, even if it's a great challenge. Working for the Lord is an adventure, whether I am resting in Him while searching through scripture or out on the frontlines of a job. I know wherever He assigns me, it is temporary, and the sooner I receive what He wants me to receive and learn what He wants me to learn and do what He wants me to do, the sooner He'll advance me to another level and area. Working unto the Lord is a winning ethic.

2 Timothy 2:6-7 tells us, "The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this."

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary explains, "If we would partake of the fruits, we must labor; if we would gain the prize, we must run the race. We must do the will of God, before we receive the promises, for which reason we have need of patience."

How would you gage your professional acumen? Do you consider yourself to have great insight? Who or what is your power source? Is it Almighty God, who loves you beyond measure? Have you asked Him to help you? Have you heard from Him yet?

Margaret will conduct a FREE one-hour teleseminar on the topic of Acceleration on Tuesday, March 6 at 7 p.m. Dial in to learn new tips and share ideas on how to make your job easier. To participate, call 712-775-7100 and enter access code 501491#