Have you ever heard God speak a phrase or word to you that was so out of the blue and profound that you remember where you were standing or what you were doing when you heard it?
That happened to me a couple weeks ago. I was washing my dishes standing at my kitchen sink and I heard
“I’m teaching you to navigate the victory”
It was so out of the blue that it caught me off guard. I wasn’t praying and I can’t even tell you what I was thinking about at the time…but it was so clear in my mind that it definitely got my attention.
Instantly I was reminded of earlier in the month texting with my friend Jenny. I was telling her how I felt like I was in a storm of unknown territory…that a situation in my life was scary and beautiful but hard to figure out. She asked me if I could describe it to her. My text read something like this…
“I feel like I’m in a tiny boat on a raging sea with my fist in the air holding out a scroll of the testimonies of what God’s done my previous battles. Letting the enemy know “ I may not know what to do in this yet! But my God’s gonna annihilate you just like He did before!”
Honestly it was that quick, I heard Him say “I’m teaching you to navigate the Victory” and then I flashed on the memory of me in a tiny little boat with a crazy little fishermans hat on( like Paddington the Bear) my fist in the air waving it like a flag in battle…
It was funny and felt real all at the same time…
I had to look up the definition of Navigate so I could get a deeper idea of what He was speaking to me…
The definition said:
To plan and direct the route or course of a ship, aircraft, or other form of transportation, especially by using instruments or maps.
to make one's way over or through
to sail over, on, or through
As I read the definition I could hear Holy Spirit say “See! I’ve given you the instruments of my Spirit, the testimonies of previous victories, the fruit of a life hidden in Me and the weapon of the worship it’s created as well as the map of My Word to help you sail through this! It may feel like uncharted territory but I’ve given you exactly what you need to navigate the victory…
You see, I know how to contend in prayer, I know how to hold onto the promises of God and believe Him for the impossible. I have learned how to navigate heartbreak, disappointment, battles and opposition. I have faith to believe God for a victorious outcome no matter what it was… knowing that victory looks different in every situation.
But if I’m honest I hadn’t thought about what to do when I saw the answers to the prayers that seemed impossible become reality.
BUT MY GOODNESS! He keeps His promises and sometimes it can feel like ridiculous new uncharted ground. Each victory is new ground, and each situation a new opportunity for deeper trust.Even though as believers it’s what should be normal reality for us, to continually be standing in the fulfillment of His promises… It is still new and different every time.
I’m watching Him do what He promised and redeem what ONLY He could…
I’m talking about restoration and redemption in a way that messes up any theology that puts God in a tidy neat little religious box!
What was impossible just bowed its knee to the God of “All things are Possible”
So He’s teaching me to “Navigate the victory!” as a way of life
Because inside His faithfulness, inside His promises, inside the victory there is MORE victory waiting!
When we learn to navigate victory well, there is more victory waiting, more promises fulfilled…for generations, for those watching, for those who doubted, because He is just that good!
Learning to navigate victory well releases hope and faith to those who need it…The testimony of His goodness and faithfulness is strength to those who are in the midst of the battle of believing He will show up in their impossible situation. And it also reminds the enemy that HE HAS ALREADY LOST!
Jesus has never lost a battle.
So let me just wave my little fist in the air grabbing onto all the faithfulness of God and say out loud!
TAKE THAT ENEMY!
Let’s be people that learn to navigate victory well, not just how to Navigate the battle well
So that the world sees, knows and experiences the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living
and we see His Kingdom is released victory after victory!
