Name some unique traits or interests that you remember having when you were younger:
Examples: Unique ideas or inventions, building things, taking things apart, making people laugh, helping friends with homework, caring for pets, etc.
Other Traits: exceptionally sensitive and empathetic, compassionate, attentive to detail, energetic and enthusiastic, strong-willed, etc.
What was the most common use of your imagination when you were young?
For example: Developing new and better ways of doing ordinary tasks, writing stories, creating artwork, playing musical instruments, singing, inventing new games, improving old games, developing team strategies, etc.
Are there unique qualities and talents buried inside you that God is telling you to call back to life?
In the natural realm, we knew that all dead things did not fossilize. Some decomposed and turned into fuel. We realized it was no different in the spirit realm. We had spoken the words of God to our hard hearts and fossilized past. We watched as He brought our dead dreams back to life.
But we were also faced with the dilemma of what to do with the decomposing compost heap of our past, which should never be called back to life? What of the crimes, the addiction, the lost relationships, and wasted years? We certainly didn’t wish to see those carcasses rising up like zombies from the swamp.
Through this conflict, we discovered the significance of fossil fuels. As the hardened skeletal remains were good for a resurrection, the fossil fuel, made from decomposing waste, could be purified, and used as fuel to propel us into our destiny. A criminal history could be transformed into the fuel which would activate a prison ministry. A struggle with addiction and relapse could fuel a new recovery program. A failed relationship could provide the energy for personal growth in matters of romance and respect…
In time, we became willing to enter our own valley of dry bones (Ezekiel 37) to speak life over what had been dead for so long.
We found the lifeless remains of enthusiasm, which had been suffocated by disappointment. We found fossils of unfinished projects, which might have been profound, had we not given up. We unearthed splintered fragments of gifts, talents, and abilities which had become casualties of our own sense of inadequacy.
Rather than viewing the carnage as evidence of a wasted life, we began to see it as dry bones coming back to life. By faith, we saw a powerful future rising up from the wreckage of our past.
In our New Normal, we spoke life over anything which reeked of death. In our New Normal, we commanded our dead dreams to rise up in service to our King. We did not think this was too much to expect, for we had been given the resurrection power of Christ. We had been urged to follow in the footsteps of our Creator, who…
“Gives life to the dead and calls into existence things that don’t yet exist.” (Romans 4:17)
We felt as if our emotional center resembled an excavation site; filled with bulldozers, backhoes, and caution tape. Once the surface-level layers were removed, the process became more meticulous and precise.
An archeological dig often begins with heavy equipment, but the expert precision near the treasure is done with a toothpick and tiny brush. So too, our soul dig went through a transformation. It seemed as if it had begun with a total upheaval of our surface level behaviors and lots of changes to the landscape. But eventually, the progress slowed, and we got discouraged. We didn’t realize God needed to use a lighter touch as He sifted carefully through our broken fragments.
His work was so quiet and gentle, we sometimes wondered if He was even doing anything at all. We loved the big, dramatic, exciting changes which we passionately recalled to anyone who would listen. However, the small, hidden changes were tedious and exhausting. They were not nearly as noticeable. At times, we wondered if we might lose interest, or worse, perhaps God might…
In the original language of the New Testament, the phrase “It is finished,” was translated from the Greek word Tetelestai. I was introduced to this word one day when I was well into my fourth year of permanent healing from addiction. I didn’t realize at the time that I was entering the phase of my recovery that would prove to be permanent.
It was through this word that I started to delve deeper into the power of the last words of Christ “It is finished.” I discovered the power of Tetelestai, during a year-long court battle which had been a residual consequence from my old life. The day I appeared in court to hear the verdict and receive my sentence, I claimed this scripture and the word Tetelestai over my case. I was relieved by the peace it held and became willing to accept whatever God had in store for me, even if it meant a year in prison.
I prayed this scripture and acknowledged the fact that God had already redeemed me. He had made me a new creation by healing me from addiction. As I was praying that morning, God was working on the judge. He gave the judge an insight into something that no one else had seen. To everyone’s surprise, he dismissed my case, and I walked out of there a free man.
We all knew that Jesus, my advocate, was at work in that courtroom. I also know that He delivered the insight into my judge’s mind around the same time my wife and I were praying that morning. When the verdict was given, it seemed as if Jesus said, “’It is finished! Let my servant, Marc get back to handling the work I’ve given him to do.”
I suffered from anxiety all my life and didn’t know what to call it. I self-medicated with drugs and alcohol, which only made the problem worse. I ended up hitting bottom in the worst way and was facing prison. Thankfully, I didn’t run. I did my time and that is where I met Jesus. I continued progress after my release and recently celebrated 17 years clean and sober.
Since leaving prison, God has placed people in my path who would help me in my journey. One was a doctor who understood addiction and provided me with safe, legal, non-addictive medication that relieved my anxiety. Later, God brought a man into my life who was also in recovery. He had found Jesus and sobriety while incarcerated several years earlier and was currently hosting AA and NA meetings in our local jail. We eventually married and now enjoy a life that is better than we ever imagined possible. We owe all credit to Jesus who gathered up our shattered lives and restored us to sanity.
Through our journey and subsequent prison ministry, we wrote the book, Tetelestai Recovery: It is Finished, which details our journey into the freedom and recovery found in the final words of Jesus, “It is finished!”
“So, the floodwaters gradually receded from the earth.”
(Genesis 8:3)
There are times when you are ready to move into a new phase of your journey, but you have not been given the signal that it is time to move forward. Like Noah waiting for the water to subside, you may have to be patient and wait before taking the next step.
As the anticipation about an exciting new project build, the wait can sometimes seem unbearable. However, without a signal from God that the time is right, an otherwise successful mission might become a disastrous mess.
If Noah had skipped the waiting period and began unloading the ark as soon as the rain stopped, the passengers and animals might have all perished in the flood waters.
While the ark was not the most desirable place to be, it was the safest. It may have been quite smelly and dirty, but it was the right place for Noah to wait. In time, the waters receded, but it was a gradual process which required great patience.
Even though the waiting might have been tedious and boring, it was necessary. Noah may have been ready, but the earth was not.
Similarly, you also experience times when you are ready to take on a new assignment, but the new assignment is not ready for you.
Although waiting is often more difficult than the work itself, it is an essential element in your success.
“With praises from children and infants you build a fortress, silencing your enemies. All who turn against you God, are left speechless.”
(Psalm 8:2)
Praising God creates a solid force field of protection around you, no matter what the circumstance. You know that simple, childlike praises are often the most powerful.
Based on this verse, the praises of a His children are the building blocks from which God constructs protective barriers.
You know that praises do not need to be wordy, well-written or complex. A simple, “Thank you God,” “I love you Jesus,” or, “What an amazing sunset you’ve created!” is all it takes to silence the enemy and render the forces of darkness speechless.
Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid. Do notgive up.”
(Joshua 8:1)
Your tenacity and determination may cause you to be labeled stubborn or hard-headed. While it might not always seem like a gift, this character trait is a valuable asset that God has instilled in you for your particular journey.
When others may get discouraged or give up, you continue to persevere. You do not see quitting as an option. You find your greatest success comes from the simple practice of persistence.
You encounter seasons of struggle, but the difficulties never get inside your head. God has protected your mind with an unyielding resolve which enables you to resist both internal and external pressures.
There are times in your life when fear may seem to be the logical response. Other times, discouragement may cast its shadow across your path. But you have been designed by the Creator of the Universe and He has constructed you with a supernatural ability to withstand such forces.
“When Moses saw the burning bush, he was amazed. He went near to look closer at it. Moses heard the Lord’s voice.”
(Acts 7:31)
You have always known that God has a special plan for your life, but the questions of what, when, how, and where, remain unanswered.
Like Moses, you have a burning desire to have an impact on the lives of others, bringing social justice to a world filled with inequalities. You faithfully spend your days tending to the duties of life, while watching for opportunities to make a positive difference in the lives of those you encounter.
When the time is right, you will experience your own ‘burning bush moment’. It may come in the form of a dream, an event, a chance encounter, or an angelic appearance, but when it happens, you will know. The encounter will be powerful, surprising, and life changing.
When your burning bush moment comes, you may feel insufficiently equipped for the task God is asking of you. Don’t worry. Moses had the same response. Thankfully, God in His divine wisdom and mercy, already had a helper picked out for him. Aaron was called by God to help bolster Moses’ confidence and help him succeed at the mission for which he’d been called.
In the same manner, you too will be aided by others whom God has called to assist you in your call. Keep watching for these helpers as you continue your journey. They will cross your path, sometimes at the least expected moment, bringing clarity and confidence to your mission.
Your call is genuine and out of the ordinary. God’s plan for you is exciting, terrifying, and fulfilling. Your life on this planet will impact the lives of many who don’t even know you.
Your burning bush moment is sure to change the trajectory of your life and give you a divine sense of purpose. Wait for it. Be prepared to do whatever God asks of you, even if you feel inadequate or unprepared. He will empower you to pursue your call and give you the helpers you need to make it a stunning success.
Finding Total Recovery in the Words of Christ, "It is Finished!" 