The Secret Is, There Is No Secret!
- Joni Ames
I recently took my two older grandkids to see the new kids' movie, "Kung Fu Panda." It is very entertaining, and the "surprise ending" (i.e. answer/moral to the story) is GREAT! - NOT in a "Kung-Fu-ey" way, but a God way.
There is a lot to the story, but basically, the big Panda had a calling and destiny on his life, and was very "down" on himself. There was an enemy, and he tried to learn Kung Fu to beat the guy. A goal was to get the scroll from the mouth of the lion, because it held "the secret." Well, Panda gets the scroll, and it is blank!
About then, he goes to do his favorite thing (eat) and asks his friend for the "secret recipe" of what he made, and the friend says, "The secret is, there is no secret." - Everything kind of snaps into place in Panda's brain and spirit, and he realizes it is the same way with that scroll and the battle he has to fight.
So what does that have to do with you and me?
Well, the bottom line is, there is no secret formula for "winning" in life, or for operating in the anointing and power of God. It's about Him, not us. In our weakness, He is strong.
Proverbs 23:7 says, "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he."
That verse brought great deliverance to me, personally, many years ago. I realized that most of the bad stuff that I believed about myself created what happened to me in my life. When I began to choose to believe in what the Lord had to say about me, and to wash myself in the water of His Word, I began to believe I could accomplish more in life. I took better care of myself, and was more eager to believe in success instead of failure. And I decided to "go for it." - Trusting in God that He will work all things for my good.
A lot of what happens to us depends on what we believe about God and ourselves. Also how we perceive things. Do we see obstacles or opportunities?
I'm not talking about a "power of positive thinking" thing, or a new age thing. I'm talking about seeing what the Word of God (Jesus) has to say, and believing that.
The truth is, I have very good friends who are more gifted, better looking, and certainly better off financially than me. If they would have believed God and walked in their destiny, they would most likely have succeeded further and faster than me. But they didn't. I've grieved over the fact that they didn't. I've done all I can to try to "talk them into" going ahead and "going for it." But some have said they don't want to "pay the price" for it. - They are afraid they will have to lead a life like mine and don't want to just rent a small apartment and drive a 10 year old vehicle. They tell me that they want to have the security of a owning a nice home and new car, and not have to "trust God" for everything like they have seen me have to do.
But we are coming into times when trusting God is what we will ALL have to do in EVERY area of life. And we need to know that the bottom line is: NO ONE HAS THE KEY OR THE ANSWERS EXCEPT JESUS! He (Jesus) holds the key to everything, and ONLY HE opens doors no man can close and closes doors no man can open. (Rev. 3:7) The fact is, JESUS is the ONLY way! Only HE truly IS the key!
There are many times people ask me how they can get into their ministry. I tell them, "Go for it and trust God." They don't believe me! How can it be that simple?
Well, the truth is, we don't have to be professional, just available! - It's so strange that we try so hard, yet don't have to. - It's funny enough to make us laugh ourselves silly and fall on the floor! Truly, it is so simple, it confounds the wise! We think, "It can't be that simple!" - But it IS!!!
As I'm typing this, I heard the Beatles song, "Do You Want to Know A Secret?" and feel that is the Lord's song over YOU today! - And this is what He is singing over you:
"Listen, do you want to know a secret
Closer, let me whisper in your ear
Say the words you long to hear
I'm in love with you."
He loves you and is drawing you closer to Him in this time. He wants to reveal hidden things (His 'secrets') to you. Here are some of His promises for you from His Word:
"He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." (Ps 91:1)
"The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant." (Ps 25:14)
"I will give you the treasures of darkness And hidden riches of secret places, That you may know that I, the LORD, Who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel." (Isa 45:3)
"His secret counsel is with the upright." (Pr 3:32b)
"I will give you the treasures of darkness And hidden riches of secret places, That you may know that I, the LORD, Who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel." (Isa 45:3)
"I have not spoken in secret, In a dark place of the earth; I did not say to the seed of Jacob, 'Seek Me in vain'; I, the LORD, speak righteousness, I declare things that are right." (Isa 45:19)
"He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, And light dwells with Him." (Da 2:22)
"I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world." (Mt 13:35b)
"For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light." (Mr 4:22)
"You have heard; See all this. And will you not declare it? I have made you hear new things from this time, Even hidden things, and you did not know them." (Isa 48:6)
"The mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, now has been revealed to His saints." (Col 1:26)
"In Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." (Col 2:3)
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PRAYER
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Thank you, Father, for Your Love, for being You, and for Your Son, and Your Holy Spirit. Thank you that you will not keep secret what it is that we need to know, but are constantly revealing more and more aspects of You Love and Goodness to us.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
- Joni Ames
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Permission is granted (and you are also encouraged) to reprint this article in hard copy form, as well as sending them to your own email lists and posting them on your own web sites. We ask only that you keep Joni's web site, email contact info, and author contact information intact.
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