Lent 2012: Week ONE (PREP TIME)

Lent 2012: Week ONE

Preparing for Wholeness & Healing Through Christ

Luke 10:18-20

Objective: To Prepare for the wholeness and healing that is ours through Christ Jesus.

As we kick-off this Lenten Season (Wednesday, February 22, 2012), I invite you to focus on the theme: "Experiencing Wholeness & Healing Through Christ". Although each and everyone of us have a need for wholeness and healing in some area of our lives, we cannot help but to have a slight piece of skepticism. I mean, is it really worth it? Should I even seek wholeness and healing through Christ and go through this self-denial Lenten Season? I think it is an honest and practical thought process; however, don't stop there. Let's prepare...prepare for what we are seeking from God. Whether it is brokenness in relationships or a need for a financial or emotional breakthrough, God desires for us to be whole. If it is illness in your body or the body of a beloved family member, God demonstrates the miracle of healing. So, if we believe that this Lenten Season is our opportunity to "Experience Wholeness & Healing Through Christ," then we must prepare.

Recently, I have found a new hobby of sorts--cooking. Yep, I was given a cookbook about a year ago, and I am now trying my hand at all kinds of meals and baked goods. What I found interesting at the start of my pursuit of being a great cook is that my cookbook always had two times listed at the top of the recipe: Cook Time & Prep Time. What this means is that although it may only take 20 minutes to bake a tilapia fillet, there are steps prior to placing this fine fish into the stove that one must take. These preparation steps are essential! Much like the art of cooking, I believe that we must take the time to PREP ourselves for what we are seeking after from God. Without the proper preparation, we may dry out during the wilderness seasons of life; however, Christ teaches us that there is a proper way to receive our wholeness and healing...let's prepare!

In Luke 10:18-20, we have a sneak peek into Jesus' response to 70 individuals who experienced wholeness and healing through Christ. The 70 came back to Jesus and declared "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name". They were excited about what they had witnessed--wouldn't you be?! Well, I am believing on your behalf that God will give you this same testimony through this Lenten Season. As you walk through these 40 days, you will begin to see wholeness and healing manifested in your life-it may not look the same way that you envisioned it, but it doesn't mean that God is not present. So, as we prepare for this...let us learn from the 70!

Breakdown of Scripture:

verse 18-Satan is not OVER YOU (He has no authority over you)

verse 19-Jesus has GIVEN YOU (no one can take it away from you) AUTHORITY (the power and the right) to trample on snakes and scorpions and to OVERCOME (deal with, defeat, and prevail) all the power of the enemy; NOTHING WILL HARM YOU!

verse 20-...Rejoice that your names are written in heaven!

Application: No matter how difficult things seem, Satan has no power OVER you! Do not give up in your situation or circumstances because Christ has given you authority to walk over your enemies and to DEAL WITH, DEFEAT, and PREVAIL! Nothing will harm you. So, what's the big deal about preparing for the awesome experiences that Christ promises us in verses 18 and 19...Jesus urges us not to get so excited about the healing and the wholeness that you forget who your Father is! Ultimately, it is not about us or about our wholeness or our healing, it is about our names being written in heaven/about the Glory of God!

Challenge: During this week, I challenge you to DEAL WITH the issues that you need Christ's wholeness and healing to be realized. As you DEAL WITH it, remember that you will DEFEAT it and you will PREVAIL! No matter how difficult...no matter how long it takes...NOTHING WILL HARM YOU!!! The next time someone gives you the opportunity to share about God's goodness, we should begin by saying "my name is written in heaven"!

PRAYER:

Most Holy God, as we begin this Lenten Season, we seek your guidance and presence in our hearts, minds, and souls. We are longing for a closer walk with you and a fresh move in our lives, in our families, on our jobs, and in this world. We believe that we can experience wholeness and healing through Christ, so help us to be prepared to experience it. We believe that this Lenten Season will be like no other as we continue to see You in a whole new way. In Jesus' name-Amen.