I left my career and family to follow Jesus-
I got rid of my car, my possessions, stopped renting my apartment.
People thought I was crazy.
My mom told me she thinks I’m smart but I don’t use it. It’s sad that the world judges people by accomplishment versus authority. Someone who has authority in Christ does not use if for anything, they use it only when God says. I used it to feed sheep. I left everything to follow Jesus, it was a huge sacrifice to leave my career and family for sheep. Why would anyone go and leave everything for people they don’t even know. It’s the burning love of God, saying I’m not leaving the lost sheep behind.
8-9 For the third test, the Devil took him to the peak of a huge mountain. He gestured expansively, pointing out all the earth’s kingdoms, how glorious they all were. Then he said, “They’re yours—lock, stock, and barrel. Just go down on your knees and worship me, and they’re yours.”
10 Jesus’ refusal was curt: “Beat it, Satan!” He backed his rebuke with a third quotation from Deuteronomy: “Worship the Lord your God, and only him. Serve him with absolute single-heartedness.”
11 The Test was over. The Devil left. And in his place, angels! Angels came and took care of Jesus’ needs.
Why would anyone be tested by Satan in the wilderness. Why would I have almost starved to feed the sheep. To find sheep. To be seasick, have diarrhea, to have fevers, to throw up on a plane, to have $5 left, to eat ramen, to not know where I’m going to sleep until God said. Why would I arrive in a foreign country without knowing where I was going to sleep because I was supposed to meet a divine appointment somewhere before landing or during landing and God would lead me to that person.
The compelling grace and love of God that said to me- nothing else but Jesus, I’ve tried everything else in my life and it led me to disappointment.
God alone fulfilled the empty void in my heart that I tried to fill with anything else.
Jesus alone. Filled my heart and so I went and shared Jesus with others.
And yes those who didn’t understand the worth and love of Jesus thought I was crazy. They wanted me to be stable, they wanted me to be like everyone else, to have a normal job and a normal life.
Oh but the blood of Jesus. The blood of Jesus. They did not see the blood of Jesus- the worth of Jesus. They wanted his money, not his crown.
They wanted his blessings, not his presence.
He was beat to pulp for your sake, yet you throw his garments out to sell it for a meal.
I went through the fire. I went through the fire. I held his hand and went through the fire. Now the demons are scared because they know I know the power of the blood.
I will not bend for the glory of the world. I have been tested In the wilderness. The glory and fame, the money and “appearances”, trying to gain worth from external things, people pleasing- it’s all trash compared to Jesus.
The test is always –
What are you willing to give up to follow Jesus.
Do you see His worth?
Or is He just there, a backup Plan?
Are you married to Jesus or are you dating Him?
Do you have other lovers?
Is it a guy, your career, your plans?
Sow-
Rebekka Lien 