That Ain't My Box!!

Over this past weekend, I purchased something that I thought I needed but really didn't. After getting it home, I decided that I'd take it back because I wasn't happy with it. I had opened it, got it out, looked at it, and thought, "Nah," lol. Between the time I opened it until I decided to return it, my son threw away the box it came in.

I was a little worried because I knew to get a refund it I had to have the original box. Well, the box was not able to be salvaged and so he came up with a plan of putting it in another box. I told him I couldn't do that because that ain't the box it belongs in. He told me it didn't matter because they would fix the problem when it was returned to the store.

So off I went trying to shove the thing in the box that he gave me. It wasn't fitting properly. I told him, "son it's not gonna work because that ain't the box it belongs in". Of course, he kept trying and trying to make it fit. He pushed it down as if he could shrink it from the size it really is, lol. I could almost hear the thing screaming, "that ain't my box!! I ain't gonna fit in there".

Finally, after a few minutes of torture trying to get the item to fit in where it didn't belong, I gave up and let it go. I figured it was better to return it and tell them sorry about the box instead of trying to put it somewhere that didn't work.

That incident reminded me of something that happened a couple of weeks ago regarding a friend I've known for many years, who is really like a second mother to me.

Since my life-changing encounter with God in July, (and I refer to it as that because He truly changed my entire life), I've been following the leading of the Holy Spirit. He's taking me in new directions, new paths and I've been blessed to meet some life changers along the way. God has seen fit to link me with those who are changing the world for Him. He has given me divine connections with those who have the same desires that He's awakened in me. I couldn't be happier and more willing to follow His lead and do what He wants me to do.

God has placed in me a gift to write for Him and so with that gift, there is a calling upon my life to go where He chooses. I've asked for His will and His guidance for me and I will go where He says to go. I have already experienced more in my short time working for God than I did my whole life in "attending church". So, needless to say, I'm thrilled at what my future holds.

But with those new dreams and prophecies coming to pass, there are those around me who have said, "What? Where do you think you're going?"

The reason is this.

Whenever God gets ready to use you, believe me, the enemy will send whoever he can to try and stop you from moving forward with God.

At first, it was a "friend" but I quickly recognized that spirit and shut it down. I had to remove this person from my circle because she was allowing satan to use her on a daily basis to try to take me back to the bondage that God had brought me out of.

No way!!

I didn't want to separate from her necessarily, but I had to. If you are following God and others refuse HIm, then you can be their friend and pray for them, but you can't run with them anymore. You have to realize that you are on two different paths in life. Always be there to shine the light for them, just make sure you don't allow them to pull you back into the darkness they walk in.

I could no longer allow her to try to put me in the box she wanted me to stay in.

Why?

Because that ain't my box!!

At one time I fit in that box, but God changed me and I no longer fit in that box anymore.

Then it was the naysayers in town who said, "God wouldn't use someone like you". But the Holy Spirit showed me what that was and I shut it down as well.

Whatever the enemy threw at me to try and dissuade me from being used of God, I saw and refused to accept it. You see, I know who has called me and so I pay no attention to those who the enemy uses to try and keep me down or keep me in the place I used to be.

So after having fought me in those two areas and not gotten anywhere, what did he do?

Hmm, let's see.

He tried to use a very close friend who truly loves me and really wants the best for me.

A couple of weeks ago, I was telling her about a trip that I had taken to a church conference and how wonderful it was and the prophecy given to me concerning my writing and what I'll be doing for God. (This man had no clue who I was, so it was thrilling to hear God speak through him and share a snippet of what's to come in my service to God.) So I was sharing it all with her and another conference coming up next month.

I was saying how I'm excited to be doing great things for God and how we can reach and impact the world when suddenly she said something that brought the conversation to a screeching halt.

She told me that I don't need to worry about all that stuff, that all I need to do is find a small church and go and just be happy there.

What?

Did my ears just hear what I thought they did?

Yes, I had heard her correctly.

NO!!

That is NOT what God has called us to do for Him.

God has called us to go into the world and take the message of Jesus to a very lost and very broken population.

I immediately recognized the spirit that was trying to work through her and I shut it down by binding it in the name of Jesus.

Now, don't get me wrong. I understand that my friend is a good Godly woman and she was saying what she felt was best. But just because she's lived her life in a box, doesn't mean I'm going to let her put me in a box.

Why?

That ain't my box!!

I'm called for something greater than just sitting in a little box singing a hymn once a week. We ALL are. But there are some who get comfortable with just attending service and going home.

What are you doing for the Kingdom of God when you do that?

What impact are you making in the world when you are taking your weekly trip to church to be counted present when others look around to see if you're there?

I"m not judging her in any way whatsoever. Like I said, she's probably THE most Godly woman I've ever met. She and her husband have been a huge part of my life. I expect that when they both go on to be with Jesus, they will have so many jewels in their crowns that it will hard to wear. But I'm saying that sometimes the enemy will use the most well-meaning people in your life to try and keep you in a box that doesn't belong to you.

So I quickly told her "NO!! I don't accept that".

I told Satan right there to "get thee hence, that I refuse that to be small-minded thinking and negativity to be hung on me and spoken over my life".

Because that ain't my box!!

There will be people who come to you who want to keep you on the level they are on. They refuse to go any further in life or any higher with God because that's all they see, they will try to put weights on your feet to keep you down as well.

REFUSE it!!!

Don't allow it!!

God has called you for greater things than just sitting in a seat for an hour on Sunday to be seen.

Tell them that ain't my box!!

Remember when Moses sent those men to Canaan to check out the land? They all came back and gave a bad report to him that if they went, they would all be killed because the inhabitants were big and strong. They wanted to stay in the box.

Well, Joshua and Caleb were like, "we'll go and see'. They came back and told Moses, "Don't be afraid, God is with us, we can take the land."

You see Joshua and Caleb didn't want to stay in the box, because they knew that wasn't their box.

It was NOT where God wanted them.

Don't allow the enemy to come against you in your mind, through your friends or even through haters and mockers to try and keep you in a box that you don't belong in.

God has called you out of the box!! He has called you to change the world with HIs message and His Word!!

Pray for direction. Ask God to bring you in contact with those who share the same dreams and desires to reach the lost and hurting as you have. And then watch Him do it. He will cause divine connections and opportunities to come to you.

Don't stay in a box.

That ain't your box!!

Work hard for God and Dream Big for Him!!

Much love,

Christy ©

Helpful Verses:

Mark 16:15; Jeremiah 1:7; Romans 10:14; Matthew 28:19; Acts 1:8; 1 Peter 2:9; Luke 4:18-19; Numbers 13