Worship

“Closer” by Bethel Music and Steffany Gretzinger

Scripture

“Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” -James 4:4-8 (ESV)

A Personal Journey of Healing

To so many precious ones who have shared with me of your brokenness and your broken heartedness recently, this is written just for you. You know who you are, and I just have to say that I love you. I bless you to receive these words with grace upon grace as you take one step closer.

I am on a flight home from seeing our daughter, Emily, who lives in Virginia. She is working as a nurse and dating her boyfriend, Patrick. My oh my, is she ready to get engaged!

But she has had this perpetual case of strep and needed to have her tonsils removed. Mike and I arrived the day before her surgery to get her groceries and new soft sheets and love on her before her journey of pain began. (With four daughters, I think these one-on-one times are some of the most valuable in their precious lives.) You see, she had a root issue that had to be removed in order for her to walk in her healing. And she had to comply with some pain in order to walk in freedom from her affliction.

Surgery took place, her tonsils were removed—just a quick 45-minute procedure—and the healing process began. Mike and I stayed nearby. We prayed with her, played games with her, held her, cooked, and shopped for her and just stayed present. We couldn’t expedite the healing in her throat, but we could love her in the midst of it. We could comfort her and hold her. But the hour-by-hour, day-by-day time and healing process could only be what her body and Jesus determined.

Surgery took place, her tonsils were removed—just a quick 45-minute procedure—and the healing process began. Mike and I stayed nearby. We prayed with her, played games with her, held her, cooked, and shopped for her and just stayed present. We couldn’t expedite the healing in her throat, but we could love her in the midst of it. We could comfort her and hold her. But the hour-by-hour, day-by-day time and healing process could only be what her body and Jesus determined. Now that the root issue was removed and dealt with, she had a brand-new road of freedom to run on! The opportunity for sickness to ensue has been removed. She’s on a new road of freedom from an affliction she has dealt with for a while now. Funny thing, both my mom and my husband had this same affliction and had their tonsils removed at her age. Perhaps we could call it generational or inherited and be accurate in that.

As I awoke this morning and was praying, the Lord placed these words on my spirit:

Come closer.

Christ’s Compassion

I knew what that meant to me with Him, but as it relates to this devotional, I want to unwrap another angle. There He is, having taken our sin and our afflictions on His own body, bearing the pain for our healing. He beckons us in all compassion and all grace to come closer. Emily didn’t need to run and hide any more with strep for that root had been removed. We don’t have to run anymore in brokenness for that was paid for on the cross. If we could just see ourselves as He sees us—whole, healed, delivered, redeemed, sanctified, lovely, and righteous. You are no longer seen as a sinner but as a saint who sometimes sins. Your very nature changed at the cross with your resurrection (Romans 6). So now, He’s loving you in your healing process, no matter how long it seems to take. He’s not ashamed to call you His own, and He’s not ashamed of the process. His timelines may be faster or slower than you expect. He is not disgusted with your metaphorical bad breath, greasy hair, or bed sores—you belong to Him, and He’s embraced this road of healing and rebuilding for you. Would you just take one step to come closer? What if the very things that you think are hindering you in your freedom and healing are the very things that are the conduit for your intimacy, dependence, and surrender? Would you be OK with it then? Could I be the one to give you permission to be OK with the process of healing, as hard as it is to walk out? God is in the process, and this really matters to Him. You really matter to Him. He wasted nothing to give His whole life so that you would be whole and free. Can you even fathom the depth of that sacrifice?

“Just a reminder: struggling does not mean you are failing or weak. It means you are trying really hard. Sometimes you have to have a breakdown before a breakthrough.” -Dr. Caroline Leaf

The lepers who encountered Jesus, the woman caught in adultery, the stressed-out disciple who denied Jesus, the bleeding woman, and the blind man all needed an encounter with Jesus. Every last one of us have needed this. And He met them, never with a word of condemnation for their state of affairs, but rather with great affection, love, and affirmation. They would be the ones He would die for. He was getting ready to bear their sin and affliction on His body, and He knew it when He laid eyes on them. They were so worth it to Him. You are so worth it to Him. Today, instead of resisting the process for your rebuilding, would you be OK with not being OK and let Jesus come closer and bring another level of healing? Move your heart closer and closer to God, and He will come even closer to you.

There’s this beautiful ministry located just a few miles away called SixOne. Many I have loved, including myself, have gone there for inner healing ministry. (Some do it in person and others need to do it over Zoom because of proximity to Flower Mound, Texas.) This team of trained ministers partner with the Holy Spirit to go layers deep to identify root hurts or places of vulnerability to the enemy so that the love of Jesus can heal and set free. If you can, dare to make an investment in your life so your process of healing can either begin or be expedited. I would encourage you to dare to go there. The enemy seeks opportunities to get a foothold in past woundedness so he can come and squat on the blood-bought territory of your life. It’s time to claim the victory of Jesus and take hold of all He died to give you.

“We practice inner healing not only because it is effective, but also because it provides a loving way to minister to the wounded. I am constantly in awe of what Jesus does when we simply invite Him to come and minister to those who hurt. Time and time again, He shows up in powerful yet tender ways, touching the deep wounds within people in ways we could never imagine. He alone knows the deep pain buried within the hearts of those to whom we minister. When we call upon the Holy Spirit to guide, He usually leads them from the less painful events to the more painful ones, healing each as He goes along. As this takes place, the person’s trust in Jesus and intimacy with Him are established or restored. Trust and intimacy become the basis for their overall healing and for fighting the demons and their lies.” -Charles Kraft, “Defeating Dark Angels”

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” -1 Peter 1:3 (ESV)

The Promise of New Life

This truth of His mercy and grace upon grace is yours today. It’s not earned; it’s freely received. The Lord is doing a deep work in my heart to rewrite His theology of love that is independent of my performance. After 42 years of walking with Jesus, He is wrecking my theology, and it’s beautiful. I pray it will forever transform my life, my words to you, and my ministry to others with even deeper compassion and grace.

“You came into the year wanting to launch and step out into the new thing but have just still been feeling battle-weary, but this is a very crucial process right now where God is detoxing you and flushing your system from everything you have been carrying.” -Nate Johnson, prophetic word

Beloved, will you come closer in this season and just say, “Yes,” to His process of healing? To those who are battle-weary, broken, and brokenhearted, the Lord sees you. You are coming out of the desert, I promise. You will encounter your El Roi—the God who sees you—and you will take hold of your destiny and His abundance He has declared and promised. I can speak spiritual encouragement as I receive it week after week from the Holy Spirit. But I can also speak very practically to you. SixOne will expedite inner healing with the partnership of Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit. Christina and I are leading a study on identity and authority that will make a deposit in your life. You can join me there on Tuesday nights at 7 p.m. CST (details are below.)

“We are going to take hold of our identity so we don’t have to circle this mountain again.” -Christina McCracken

Your safest place is with Jesus. Your process of healing matters, and He’s committed to it. The world, the flesh, and the devil can wreak havoc, but in Him, You are an overcomer! He has begun your healing, and He’s happy to do so.

A Prayer for Those in Need

So, Lord, I ask for an anointing of grace to be deposited in the ones needing this word today so that they would believe You are in the process of their healing and rebuilding. Many are weary on the battlefield of this season. Would You fortify and strengthen them in their innermost being so they can finish their race with their faith intact? I pray they would see You across the room with Your arms outstretched, Your nail-pierced hands in view, calling them to come closer. You don’t have a look of disappointment or disgust in Your eyes for their story or their journey—only eyes of love and compassion. When the enemy tries to tell them to mask their root affliction, hide in their suffering, or sweep the pain under the rug, I pray You would meet them with invitation and courage to embrace a road of healing. Set them on higher ground, and let them view life from heavenly places, where they are seated with You as kings and priests. Let their faith to run to You even in pain, heartache, or struggle be worship to You. Receive it as such. And while they come closer, I pray for love to be deposited in every cell of their bodies to know the Lover or their souls, who has placed all attention and affection on them. Thank You, Jesus, for Your indescribable love released for us! In the powerful and mighty name of Jesus I pray, amen!

A Few Key Notes

• Join us for a course called “Our Identity: Releasing the Voice of War to Roar.” Christina McCracken and I are co-leading this course to help you understand your identity, authority, and inheritance. We will meet in person and over Zoom every Tuesday from 7-8:30 p.m. In person attendees should arrive by 6:45 p.m. at 2001 W. Plano Parkway, Ste. 3000, Plano, TX 75075. Email me at [email protected] to RSVP.
• Save the date for an Arise luncheon on February 15! We will hear from prayer warrior and pastor Mary Jo Pierce. Join us from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at The Hope Center in Plano, Texas. Tickets are $10 per person for the in-person luncheon. Visit www.eastwest.org/ariseluncheon for in person tickets or to register for the virtual option.
• Spark a movement within your friends by hosting a table for you and six guests! Sponsorships are $150, and only 10 tables are available to sponsor. Visit www.eastwest.org/ariseluncheon to sponsor a table. Email Stacy Riddick at [email protected] for questions.
• Join us for a time of prayer from 10-10:30 a.m. on Fridays. We will hear from a sister working in one of the hardest to reach places. Email Allison Despres at [email protected] for a Zoom link.
• Tricia Wilson’s passion is encouraging and equipping followers of Jesus to fulfill the Great Commission by engaging their neighborhoods, schools, and communities with the gospel. Join Tricia on February 24 for a lunch and learn to explore her creative tips and ideas, gathered from years of hosting hundreds of children and adults in her home. Email Tricia at [email protected] for more information.
• Join us March 19-26 for our Arise mission trip to Latin America! Email [email protected] for more information.
• There are only two more spots available for the Arise Extreme Trip to South Asia, April 22-May 1. Email Julie at [email protected] for more information.