Technically I wrote this several days ago, just thought I’d share it with you.
STAY FOCUSED…FINISH STRONG
(© Copyright B. Dwayne Hardin)
(© Copyright B. Dwayne Hardin)
I just hung up the phone from a powerful interceding and gracious woman of God. She and I have been friends a long time and I’ve observed her dedication, perseverance and love for the things that concern the heart of God. Thank God for these types that runs to the frontline in disciplined, learned and wise intercession.
She’s assigned recently the task of finding a group of intercessors who would continually cover me and my assignments in prayer/intercession. In her quest to assemble a group she encountered something that has concerned me about people who long to be considered spiritually gifted, discerning and anointed to pass judgment.
THE ATTACK
One of the things we ignore in the church is the power of the frontline. Please observe that whenever a war wages the main goal is to destroy the command center. In the case of the US it would be to get our president and simultaneously destroy all sources of concise communication. In church terms, go after headship gifting.
The attack must successfully penetrate to the leader or the head, for then you leave the body in a state of immaterial functionality.
In times of old the kings would literally engage in warfare on the battle field…they would fight with their troops. The early goal of the opposition was to get to the head so that strategy and order would be brought to confusion. Always remember, there is no functional authority in confusion.
When 911 occurred, the strategy of Osama Bin Laden was; hit the financial structure, confuse the central command center (the Pentagon) and incapacitate or kill the commander and chief. If you’re unsuccessful at getting to the head then chances are you will not succeed in your attack.
THE REALITY
You know it’s interesting to see how critical people are of men and women of God, especially when there is some form of failure involved. We are often non-discerning or operating in “improper gift usage.” In other words, we don’t use discernment to strengthen but to minimize validity, expose failure, castrate assignment, disclose information…then we say God did it.
The reality here is that these voices of the Lord don’t set out to displease and/or
dishonor God in their actions and character. Not only are those who have avoided visible failure to be applauded but also those who rise from the humiliation of their public disgrace.
Another reality is that the camp was penetrated. Packed in that statement is something most religious people don’t want to confront, because it will mean self-confrontation. The implication of penetration is that someone didn’t do their job, wasn’t on post or wasn’t watching.
The person anticipating judgment must understand two things. The first being the failure is the leaders, yet 2) it affects and/or infects the entire camp. Before rendering your judgment on the head, check out the frontline; observe “camp penetration.” In fact, check yourself!
HAVE YOU CONSIDERED?
Prior to your criticism did you consider that your intercession was not meant to open the door to the enemy but to hide the access points of headship (the command center)? Have you considered that you’re proclaiming assumed facts prematurely uncovered your point of strategy, which is your headship gifting? Note that this is the same person who is anointed in strategy to push you into your destiny fulfilled, and you are handing them over to ungodly judgment.
Consider the old adage “running around like a chicken with their head cut off.” Maybe this would be the reason you are running without any results…maybe you gave your head away and now you’re headless (without a command center).
TRUE DISCERNMENT
Your discernment was to expose you to secrets (as in the military expression of Psalms 91) that you keep and protect and through intercession bring deliverance. Please note that when you expose the things God has revealed to you in secret He is not obligated to shadow/cover you as the Almighty unless He orchestrates the revealing.
You will not be able to call Him your refuge and strength and neither will He give His angels charge concerning you. These things He does for those He trust with secrets.
You will not be invited into the secret place with an inability to keep secrets…and even if you get in you will be dismissed when you expose the secrets that are secret. Selah.
WHY SECRETS
Often the things we think we discern come in part, you get a little here and possibly a little there…for we know and prophesy in part. We may see something that isn’t but can be if we know how to handle it in effective prayer, intercession and simple practical wisdom…I think we forget wisdom is also a gift of God.
Note: Fools reveal much…the wise covers much.
Your intercession, not your judgment saves and delivers. Our lack of love and wisdom exposes and brings destruction, for love covers a multitude of sin. 100% of the time you should question peoples love for you when they seek to judgmentally harm you, speak against you (even if it’s true) or simply act as a Jonah in exposing you to destruction when they can save you from it. See, Jonah knew God would deliver, and so does those who refuse to cover in love through intercession and wisdom.
In an attempt to bridge possible qualification gaps to the aforementioned, you have to know your points of authority in exposing people or things regarding people. You have to know your rank of authority before you think you have right to rebuke.
Nathan did not disrespect the rank of David in his confrontation to him regarding Bathsheba and Uriah. He was not flagrant, accusative, “the prophet”, neither was he disorderly. He had no crassitude in his presentation.
You’re responsibility to cover is as crucial in exposure as well as in secret. You cant’ uncover when exposing. You expose principle, not individual, and the individual will effectively be convicted by the truth of that principle. This, in turn, will give them a way of escape from the bondage of that thing. It now becomes their choice not your abuse.
However there is no human glory in this concept, for human glory requires the demise of another. The more excellent way requires wisdom, truth and love.
JUST A FEW QUESTIONS
What is your functionality to the Body of Christ? How many times have the leader been hit and maybe even destroyed because you were busy believing for God’s “judgment” after He’s shared His secret with you regarding that leader?
How often have you accused a David of being a Saul and miss-judged a Saul for a David? In fact, how sharp is your gift of discernment in determining who is who? Did you know that integrity is not determined by your perfections but by how you deal with your imperfections?
What if your prayer engagement could have shielded them from sexual immorality? Have you even discerned that your intercession could have annihilated that lesbian affair without public exposure? Did you even think that your song instead of your accusation could have calmed the evil spirit in the king (headship gift) had you only sang it? Or maybe you were the Saul that needed the song? Selah
Was that really Jezebel because she was pretty and sexy or is Jezebel the disguise of “holiness” who seeks for every opportunity to destroy the voice of God? Come on really now, the power of Jezebel is not sex but seduction to turn away from the voice of God, and you must silence or make ineffective the voice of God’s prophets to hush His voice.
Please think what the church would be like if we were not accusers of our brothers and sisters. The first thing God did for Adam after helping him spiritually relocate himself was cover him. What are we doing to each other people of the Kingdom, with our self-righteous selves? Just a few questions we should ponder.
THE CLOSE
Upon closing, the aforementioned phone conversation this wise intercessor detoured judgment, exposed the love of God and embraced her intercessory assignment. She finalized it all by saying with great profundity, “Stay Focused and Finish Strong.”
So my friend, you who has lost focus, please recapture your focus and finish strong. Dear person who has become judgmental and accusative, come back to the secret place and be trusted of God…regain your focus and finish strong. Repent everyone who seeks, even in prayer the demise of headship gifting, for whatever reason, and embrace the God kind of love which covers a multitude of sin.
I hear someone say “but this or that just isn’t right.” You’re probably right but be bigger in your declarations and intercession…call those things that be not as though they are until they become what they are supposed to be.
At this point I’d tell you, if we were in church…lol, look at your neighbor and tell them, STAY FOCUSED and FINISH STRONG! I’d take my seat and hope my homiletics were fruitful. Peace!
Finishing Strong,
B. Dwayne Hardin
pleased
confident
I was just here reading this article. I am a new beleiver. GOD has done some wonderful t hings in my life as well as my children. I am a single parent mom and enjoying my single life. I just want to say. GOD have been giving me dreams and revealing me things and I share the dreams with other people, is that wrong for me to do that. i don't want god to be angry with me. I had to go back and repent to him about it. Am i back in right standing with him. All this is new to me. I am getting GODLy counsel from my chruch. I just want to say I'm I "m on the right track. I still learning. It is so crazy when I pray for people it comes to pass right away. GOD has been really using me to pray and interceede for people and I know it is GOD. I am afraid of what people might say or think of me. I have already lost friends and family members just because I follow GOD now. I just get so excited what GOD reveals to me. I would appreciate if you would e-mail me back for some advice. y767@hotmail.com
Awesome Word!!!