One Time is Enough, Right?

Warriors Arise: May 28th, 2020

"Jesus said to her, ’Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren ands ay to them, I am ascending My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her." John 20:17-18

Mary Magdalene has had quite the day. We have taken a couple of weeks to dig for the gold in John 20. But in reality this all happened within a matter of hours. Could you imagine what her day was like? No wonder her emotions were a rollercoaster. What if tomorrow when you got up to have your God-time and an angel met you with a message? Totally not what you were expecting. He tries to tell you to not be alarmed. You hurry out of the room to go deliver the message. That same day, a few hours later, two more angels are in the place you do your God-time. They speak to you, after you respond to them, you turn around and Jesus is in front of you. Can you imagine?

We really do not know how Mary is handling all of this other than she was weeping outside of the tomb where Jesus was supposed to be dead but He is standing in front of her, breathing, calling her name, and sending her back to the disciples with a message.

Honestly, I might pull a Moses here: “What if they don't listen?“ Moses was concerned Pharaoh would not let God's people go. He was concerned Pharaoh would not listen to him. God was pretty upset with Moses for asking how he would be able to convince Pharaoh. But Moses was chosen from birth to be the man to speak to Pharaoh and lead God's people to the Promised Land. Mary, the woman who pursued Jesus, encountered three angels on two different occasions and then Jesus returns to help her grasp the reality of His resurrection. Now, she is being sent back to the disciples again. We know they are not all together. She had to go from house to house to tell what happened and what Jesus said. We know they are not together because Scripture tells us Peter and John went to their own homes after the tomb.

Mary Magdalene, Mary and Salome had told the disciples what had happened early that morning. There were three of them, for something to be validated they often looked for two or three to confirm. Now Mary was going alone. Why would the disciples listen to her?

Mary would have to find a way for the disciples to really hear her, to listen to all that had happened that day. This time the message would be different because Jesus Himself was sending her. It had to be different.

There are times when I have shared the Gospel, my salvation experience, my testimony and invited people to come to church or our Bible study group but they turn a deaf ear. When I know they don't want to hear my testimony of what God has done in my life and how His love is for them as well, I tend to not try again. I have to overcome the "one-time-is-enough" mentality. Sometimes I just don't want to put myself out there.

I had to learn it wasn't about me; it was about God. If they didn't receive my testimony or accept my invitation to know Jesus, they weren't rejecting me they were rejecting God. When I understood this, then asking people to come to church, sharing my testimony, and talking about my relationship with God became a whole lot easier.

Father, it has always been in Your heart that all people to be in relationship with You, fellowship with believers expanding Your kingdom, and live the victorious life Jesus died and lives to give us. You sent Jesus to save us from a life of demonic torment. You sent Jesus so when we pass from this life, we are with You in heaven. You sent Jesus to show us how to overcome the enemy of our soul. You sent Jesus so we would know the truth and be set free from the truth. You sent Jesus so we would know how to commune with You, how to pray and release Your will here on earth. I ask for You to give me boldness to ask again. I want to have Your heart for people. When I have Your heart then I have a love for people that gives me boldness to share my testimony. I ask for courage to take a stand for righteousness in the midst of a world who relishes in darkness and evil. I no longer want to live with excuses and watered down Christianity. I want to be vivid and alive in Christ, to share Your love with people. I ask to see where You have specifically intervened in my life, so I can share my testimony with others. Many times when I share my God experiences I know it seems beyond what people will believe. Now I know because You are God, just about anything I testify about is going to be beyond what people believe. Because a God experience is not a natural thing, it is a supernatural thing. I ask for You to bring people To me with whom I can share my testimony. I ask for the hearts and minds of people to be open to engage in a relationship with You and become an active part of Your family, the church. I ask for You to bring them into the church so each one is discipled and grounded in the Word of God. I ask for each one to take their place in the body of Christ and fulfill their God-given destiny. I ask for their gifts and talents to be used to expand Your kingdom here on earth. I ask for each one to embrace the church body and learn to build each other up in their calling. I ask for You to make Yourself known to the people all around the world. I ask for people to align themselves with You through confession of their sin and belief in Jesus Christ as the Messiah, Emmanuel, King of kings, and Lord of lords. Jesus is the first and the last, He is the Alpha and the Omega, He is the Prince of Peace and the Wonderful Counselor. Jesus is and will always be the One whose blood will heal them from sickness and whose courage will strengthen them to walk through the storm to a place of peace. I ask for You to use my testimony to lead people to Jesus and the expansion of Your kingdom here on earth in Jesus’ name amen.

A Warrior in the Lord’s Army,

Veridee Joy

My hope is for Believers in Jesus Christ to join together each day to pray, to push back the enemy as we release God’s power here on earth against the coronavirus. The prayers will be listed each day as Warriors Arise. I will put a date with it so we can keep them straight. If you have any questions please feel free to make a comment or private message me. If you would like this to come to your email directly please go to verideehand.com and subscribe.