Mountain View - Receiving from God By Paula Friedrichsen
Writer Author Church On The Mountain
Christian Column
:
Bible Teaching
- Fiction No
Have you ever struggled to receive something from God? Maybe you read in the Bible that God desires to heal the sick, or provide for material needs, or bring restoration to broken relationships. You’ve seen His promises clearly in His Word, but sometimes you feel like you’re standing just outside the door…never quite able to fully enter into all He has for you.
I’ve felt that way before too. Convinced that the Lord had His arms stretched out to me, gift in hand, but I was unable to grasp it for one reason or another. Whether it’s a feeling of unworthiness hanging over my head like a dark cloud, or a superficial understanding of Scripture (and me unwilling to dig deeper and seek God with passion and direction), the failure to receive from God has been an issue for me from time to time.
But I experienced a significant breakthrough in this area when I studied the word “receive” in Scripture to find out exactly what it meant. I’ll share my discoveries with you:
John 20:22 “And with that He [Jesus] breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.’”
The word “receive” in that particular Scripture comes from the Greek word “iambano”. It means; to take in, to get hold of, to have offered to one, to seize or remove, accept, be amazed, attain, catch, have, hold.
Honestly, it seems so simple. When I read that definition I was left with a picture of myself simply taking a gift from God’s hand. Just reaching out in faith and taking hold of what He wanted to give me. “Catching it”, so to speak….
Isn’t it wonderful that one of the words used to define “receive” is, “be amazed”. How perfect! This is exactly what it felt like when I received healing from Lyme disease eleven years ago. Exactly what it felt like when I received my long-awaited baby girl sixteen years ago. Exactly how it felt the times I’ve received financial provision from God over the years.
“Be amazed” is exactly how it feels to receive from God!
I also really love that many of the words used to describe “receive” are action words. For example: Take. Seize. Accept. Catch. Hold. The lesson for us in this word study is that a) God expects us to do our part, and b) Our part isn’t too awfully difficult. I mean, come on, anyone can “catch” or “hold” or “accept” a gift from God, right? Just like a child doesn’t struggle to accept a gift on Christmas morning—we don’t need to struggle to accept a gift from God. The child doesn’t torment himself with thoughts of unworthiness when he sees the gift under the tree. No, he giggles with the thrill of it, and tears into the present with anticipation and gratefulness.
The other Scripture I studied in relation to the word “receive” was Acts 9:10-12 “Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, ‘Ananias.’
And he said, ‘Here I am, Lord.’ So the Lord said to him, ‘Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.’”
The word “receive” in that Scripture comes from the Greek word “anaplebo”. It means; to look up, to recover sight, to cause to arise, make rise, spring up, to look at, behold, perceive.
Do you need fresh vision? As much as you desire this, God longs to give it to you. Just receive. Look up. Arise. Spring up with faith and perceive that He comes to you now to open your eyes, to fill you with His Spirit, and to reawaken you to His love, His purposes, and His promises.
Receiving from God is not as mysterious and unattainable as it may seem. The secret often lies in us becoming more uncomplicated and childlike…. more trusting and simple and needy. Although we often hear the saying that “God helps those who help themselves”— God’s word proclaims that “God helps those who cannot help themselves.” So come to Him with arms wide open, heart expectant, looking up, ready to receive (catch, hold, and seize) all that He has for you.
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About the Writer Author
State:
California
Country:
United States
Email:
Paulafriedrichsen@live.com
Website:
www.churchonthemountain.org
Profile:
Click here!
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