HomeS-O-U-L-E-D OUT!
Walk With Me, Spiritual Growth January 16th, 2008A life “S-O-U-L-E-D OUT” is one of great value to God. It is one in which his power can flow freely. It has the potential to deeply impact others. Its fruit is eternal. A “souled out” life brings the will of God from heaven to earth. Are you “S-O-U-L-E-D OUT?”
Seems like a simple question, or at least we want it to be, but there are some subtle actions in our lives that may actually reveal a different picture. Many times we think we are when we are not. Here is where the grace of God kicks in. It is God’s desire that we be souled out. He wants to help us get there by causing us to answer some tough questions. Take a moment to answer the following questions. They may help kick start your process of discovering how souled out you really are.
Do you blame God for not being able to do things? Sounds a little strange I know, but keep reading. We often want to do things other than what God would have us do. In those circumstances, we say things like, “I can’t do this or that because God says not too.” On the surface it sounds nice and spiritual but it may reveal that your will has not become one with God’s. Looking a little deeper at the “I can’t because God…” statement may reveal what you would do in the absence of restraint or boundaries. It’s sort of like the child who says, I can’t play with matches because my mommy said not to. They have not learned the power behind the prohibition. The child lacks the understanding of the power and impact of their actions. If that boundary wasn’t there they would probably play with the matches. Don’t misunderstand here, I thank God for restraint and boundaries when we just don’t know what to do, yet spiritual maturity is demonstrated when have learned the power of obedience and choose righteousness for righteousness sake.
Do you repeat your prayers after having received an answer? Most think this is persistence in prayer; but really, it is a stubborn insistence on your own way. Once God has revealed the answer to you, trust him, and move in the strength of that truth. Seeking a different answer only reveals that you are moved by your soul and not the Spirit of God.
Do you entertain things/people/thoughts/ that you shouldn’t? Many times we hold on to things that are not profitable or beneficial for us when we should let them go. There is no room for compromise in the life of the one who is “souled out”. Stand firm and in agreement with the thoughts, decisions, and ways of God. God has set a standard for your life, embrace it and prosper spiritually and naturally.
Today, make a decision to infuse your spiritual walk by being completely S-O-U-L-E-D OUT. The effects of your surrender will cause every area of your life to improve. Later this week, I’ll share a few secrets of the S-O-U-L-E-D OUT to help further support your decision. Until then, I’d love to hear from you.
Blessings today and always,
MC
This post is an excerpt from the message “S-O-U-L-E-D OUT!” If you would like to hear more on living a powerful Christian life go to www.mikaelacade.com
February 5th, 2008 at 4:11 am
What do I want to be when I grow up? What career should I choose? These questions have dominated my thoughts for the majority of my life. This is not a fact that I am proud of, but it is true. If you are like me, you probably find yourself in a job because you just “happened to fall into it.” It wasn’t a conscious decision that you made based on what God was calling you to do, but rather a “sure and risk-free” option. When other people ask you why you do what you do (occupation), you tell them because the Lord led you. While this may sound nice, you know in your heart that it is not the case. You applied for a job because it was what you were qualified to do and because it was the responsible thing to do, not necessarily because God led you to it. Does God really have a calling for each of our lives? Does He want us to be an astronaut instead of a soldier, or would He prefer that we be a missionary instead of a government employee? How do I know God’s will for my life?
I have been dissatisfied for the majority of my working career primarily because I have not felt that God has called me to do what I have done; by the way, I came across a quote written by Dough Sherman & William Hendricks that expresses this exact dissatisfaction: “Unless you can make a connection between what you do all day and what you think God wants you to be doing, you will never find ultimate meaning in your work or your relationship with God.” Moreover, I feel that I have not made conscious decisions regarding my career choices. However, in the past three years, as I have begun to ponder God’s will for my life, I have come to several realizations.
1. Jesus Christ wants us to find our joy and peace through him.
I found myself in a job that I didn’t particularly like, but I grew a lot spiritually. I learned the real meaning of joy, and I am now able to distinguish between joy and happiness. Happiness depends on happenings and circumstances, while joy can only be obtained through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I must not allow anything on this earth, whether it may be my job, my physical health, my emotions, a mean person, or any other earthly condition, to steal my joy. I should be as joyous digging ditches to earn a living as I should be working at a job of choice. In the most deplorable and horrific chapters of history (think slavery or wrongly accused prisoners on death row) there are documented stories of people who lived with great victory and joy through Jesus Christ, despite of their earthy conditions. I absolutely believe that God is more concerned with who we are than what we do; therefore, how relevant is our occupation after all? Nonetheless, I still find myself asking the question: God, if it is true that I am to be joyous no matter what the circumstance (job in this case), does it really matter what I do in my occupation? Lord, do you have a specific will for my occupation, or do you want me to stay in a job that I don’t enjoy?
2. It is not a requirement that we enjoy our job.
God tells us, through the apostle Paul, that we must die to ourselves and be, as this blog points out, all souled out. I absolutely accept that the Lord orders the steps of a righteous man; if I am obeying God in ALL areas of my life, then I should have confidence that God sees me as righteous. Therefore, I should humbly accept where I am located. No matter what my circumstance, I should learn to be content in all circumstances. Often times, we want to pursue a certain vocation because that is what would be pleasing to us, something that we would enjoy, which is really only appealing to my selfish motivations. However, would we truly lay our own personal desires down to live according to God’s purpose for our life? After all, if we are soldiers in Christ, we must do our duty too. God is our boss, and with this attitude, we should enjoy working for Him. We may not like the job tasks that the job requires of us, nor the choices that management is making, but we should still enjoy it. Furthermore, God may have placed us in an unpleasant condition to do a work in us (help us to grow spiritually-perhaps to learn that our job is not the priority, but instead our relationship with Jesus is) or to work through us to affect someone else in the office. Even if we aren’t qualified to do a job, God will provide us with the qualifications that we need.
3. What about our gifts and talents?
Ok. So I have already established why I feel that it is not a prerequisite that we use our gifts and talents in our job-God may want to use us in a different way that what we think or maybe He wants to develop new gifts in us to prepare us for something new. HOWEVER, there is another important element to consider. I, as a free acting moral human being, have choices. When it comes to choosing a career, I have the power to choose what jobs I apply for and where they are located. This is my question: on what do I base this decision? Why did I choose to apply for this current job in which I find no enjoyment? Should I have applied for a job that matched my gifts/talents/interests, even if I wasn’t qualified? Should I go back to school to learn the necessary skills to pursue what I would enjoy? If I find myself disliking a job, the responsibility rests with me, because after all, I was the one who applied for the job in the first place (assuming, of course, that the Lord had not told me to apply for the job). Life is funny in that we often make decisions at a very young age that will affect our career down the road. When we made these decisions, though, did we really KNOW what we wanted to do at 20 years old when we had to choose a major in college? Based on my life, I have discovered my talents and gifts after living. Life goes by so quickly (a vapor, a puff of air), and before you know it, you find yourself kind of stove piped in a job in which you don’t like but qualified to do based on past decisions.
4. Seeking the answer through prayer.
I know that the Holy Spirit talks to us through the Scriptures. The Word is a lamp to our feet and it guides our path. What happens though, even after prayer and reading the Word, if don’t hear a clear word from God telling us what to do? After all, there are certain topics, such as occupation, where the Bible doesn’t give specific guidance. If I haven’t heard from God telling me to choose a specific vocation, am I being selfish if I go after a job that I would want to do, while considering that to whom much is given much is received?
March 24th, 2008 at 10:45 am
I was very blessed by this when I read it back in January. Based on the teachings I have been receiving through your ministry, I now know how important it is to be Souled Out to God. I found out that I was not close to being souled out based on the questions you posted in this blog, and the teachings I’ve received thus far. As I read this it revealed to me the true meaning of being souled out, there shouldn’t be any doubt, lack of trust, or unbelief in the power of God. If I am being led by my soul verse being led by the Holy Spirit I am living a non profitable life in Him. Thank you for the knowledge that you have inparted in me through this posting and the message preached on this topic also. I am learning everyday to live a life of power and authority and to do it there must not be any compromising of God’s word but to stand firm on it and be completely S-O-U-L-E-D OUT TO HIM.