Welcome back to Part 2 of Our Series:
How to be Released from your Past, Stand in the Present and Prepare for your Future.
Let’s recap part 1 we looked into the importance of being released from our past and how we do this. Now let’s look at part 2: How we Stand in the Present and Live in the Present.
I am continually surprised by the number of people who live either in the past or future, not the present. It made me wonder why. Why is their conversation around things that have already happened or going to happen, not on what’s happening at the moment? Simply why can’t they be in the moment and Stand in the Present?
I’m sure as you’re reading this some faces or names are coming to your mind, of those who live in the past or future. Maybe you’ve sat with them in business meetings, café catch ups, or at their homes, and they’re not 100% present with you and available to the conversation. They are wonderful people who have the best of intentions, but their attention and focus is frequently geared elsewhere to checking their phones, talking about yesterday’s troubles or camping out on future events that have not yet occurred.
I’ve been invited to meetings to help someone but with all the distractions and interruptions happening, I’ve walked away with the thought what was the point, did I actually help? I think this is the same with how we meet with people and especially how we meet with God. When we come and focus on what we’ve done wrong or had done to us or others then we’re living in the past, and when we come and focus on what’s to happen or what we want to happen, we’re living in the future. Why don’t we simply come as we are to share what’s on our heart, hear what’s on His heart, and what’s happening in our lives right that moment?
Now the Word says, “share your burdens” which we like to do, but remember the next part says, “each one must carry his own”. We are to talk with trusted ones yes, but we are not told to stay, remain or get stuck in them. Instead, we are to seek God and give our burdens, worries, fears, to Jesus in exchange for His peace, strength, joy and trust that we have in the PRESENT with Him.
Please hear me I am not saying this to shame, blame, or say this is wrong, but I do think we need to be aware and accountable to the amount of time we dwell in the past or future, so that we are not missing the amazing gift the Present is.
The famous saying “Yesterday is HISTORY, Tomorrow is a MYSTERY,
Today is a GIFT, that’s why we call it the PRESENT” Today is a Gift, the Present, we get to open it up, enjoy it and be with it, isn’t God so good?
God is calling, beckoning and challenging us to be in the Present and REMAIN there, with our focus, attention, heart, emotions, and spirit, in the Present, because that is where He is, Jesus is and Holy Spirit is, all are Present there, and woo us to be ALL there with them and others.
God is Relational through and through. He is Relationship, He desires Relationship, He created us by Relationship and for RELATIONSHIP.
Think of any significant relationship you have with God or others. How does it remain healthy and thriving? Yes, it’s when you are in the Present, in the moment. and here and now with conversation sharing with God or with the person.
Truth is relationships can only GROW, Be BUILT or STRENGTHENED in the here and now, not the past or the future.
The Lord reminded me of this verse over the past few months, and it has started to become more apparent now,
Matthew 7:22-23 (NIV)
“Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and, in Your name, perform many miracles? ’Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”
Here’s the points:
The people did the work of God, but they did it without Him being present. Ouch! We can think of times I’m sure when we’ve felt God calling us to do something and stepped out and done it but have, we INVITED Him to be with us as we are doing it, and INVITED Him to lead us as we are doing it? Good food for thought for you to talk with The Lord about.
Jesus does not need to be present for a miracle to happen as there is POWER IN HIS NAME. Have a read of Luke 9:49, Mark 9:38 to see this. Do you agree? We sing the songs of Praise & Worship which says there is POWER in the NAME OF JESUS and we Pray in the Name of Jesus, we Bless in the NAME OF JESUS. Yes, there is TOTAL power in the name of Jesus, and we have seen miracles happen because of and in the NAME OF JESUS.
JESUS needs to BE PRESENT to build a relationship with.
The verse above shows us that standing in the present is crucial, because the present
is where Jesus is, and it will be what He uses to judge us in our future.
The Lord asks me to ask this question to most of the people I mentor or counsel. He told me the answer to this will amaze me and them by His answer from His Spirit to them..
This was the question:
Father God, do I currently stand in the past, present or future? Thank You Jesus.
Everyone sat shocked after asking the Father this question, as the answer was The Past.
Now the reason they were shocked was they never had thought or contemplated the idea that they were standing anywhere than in the present, the here and now.
But as they surrendered to the Father, through and by His Grace, He led them out of the past and positioned them into the present. Which to their surprise and delight allowed amazing transformation to happen in all areas of their life, personally, family, work and ministry. Today they give testimony to what a Loving Father wants to do for anyone who want to be standing in the Present – He wants to bring TOTAL TRANSFORMATION in your thinking, planning, living and freedom. As the Word says “if the Son sets you free, you are free indeed” “”
When we look at the Ordinary People of the Bible who said yes to God and became Amazing Men & Women of Faith, I believe this was the key they all including Jesus understood and applied: each chose to stand and remain standing in the present. Although Jesus prophesied of things to come, He chose deliberately to stand in the present in all situations with all groups and cultures. He chose to not be distracted, but to be focused on the ONE thing, which was on BUILDING & MAINTAINING RELATIONSHIP with His Father and man.
Here’s your INVITATION if you want, to start standing and living in the present. CHALLENGE TIME: Find a space and time where you are free of distractions to ask the
Father these questions and write down His responses:
1)Father God, do I currently stand in the past, present or future? Thank You
Jesus
PAUSE for a moment. What was first word you got? Past, present or future!
Remember the Father only provides answers like this as an invitation & opportunity for freedom (which He paid the cost at the cross for)
A. If He said you’re standing in the present great. Prayer: Father, please guard my heart and mind from past experiences or future interruptions. Help me be all You created me to be and do all You created me for. In Jesus name. Amen.
A.If He said you’re in the past or future. That’s ok too, we carry on through His leading with questions in prayer, so He can bring you back into the present where you can be more effective in all you do.
2) Father God reveal to me why I am standing in the… (past or future)?
This next part is a bit tricky and normally I would do it one on one, but through the Lords
Grace and leading, I believe we can do this remotely.
3) Father God I give choose to give You (insert what He showed you is the reason for
you standing in the past or future) what will You give me in return?
I find this method works and an effective way of self-deliverance, that leads to you
making a choice:
4) Do you want to remain where you are, in the past or future, or move to the present?
Once you know your answer and want to see change say this prayer:
5) Father God I choose today to lay down (say what was holding you in the past or future) and instead choose to pick up what You showed me I can have (insert what He showed you) I plead the blood of Jesus on this area of my life. Thank you, Father.
6) Father God now can I move out of the past/future into the present, Yes or No?
• If He says Yes go to 7)
• But if He says No it’s simply the Father wanting to do an even greater work in your life. Since the Lord is always into and about TOTAL TRANSFORMATION. Don’t grumble, feel disappointed, give up or feel failure. No now is the time to press in and get all that the Father has for you. This will be the case for many of you, who will need to go back several times and ask questions 2 and 5 and WRITE his replies. Please know that I and others will be praying and cheering for you.
- Hallelujah! you have dealt with your past/ future and now it’s time to transition into the present where He created you to be.
Father God I choose to leave the past/ future and STAND IN THE PRESENT. Thank you Jesus Amen.
Let’s end with you giving Him your Worship & Praise simply because He is Good, does Good and deserves all Glory, Honour and Praise from us. Our job is to trust Him, enjoy Him in the Present and enjoy our lives, all these bring Him glory.
Father, thank You for all Your revelation today, which has led Your children back into the present. Please would You guard their minds and hearts from the enemy’s every scheme so that they can keep building an ever-increasing relationship with You. In Jesus Name. Amen
Craig and Winnie Patten
Itinerate Pastors /Apostolic Leaders
Encounter Ministries
