Being prepared to do what God is calling you to do and not look at what others are doing is a scary challenge for most people. I am finding out when I am casting out demons, calling on the Name of Jesus doesn’t always work for me. Sometimes instead demons come out when I am simply praising God. I might not even be thinking of demons at the time. Some other time is just stating a truth about Jesus character and that will do it. It seems God wants variety from me. He seems to want spontaneous declarations that come straight from my heart.

I remember I was casting out a demon that came to me through God’s enemies cursing me. (There is so much of that going on, most people have no idea.) I did what the books told me to do. “In the Name of Jesus I cast out….” Nothing much happened. And for some reason I got side tracked and just started talking to God and I happened to say “the one in me is stronger than the one in the world.” I was just praising Him and forgot all about the demons. When I said that they just piled out of me rapidly. I wasn’t expecting it.

I think God is unpredictable for a reason. He doesn’t want us to get into a rut. He wants genuine praise from our hearts. It isn’t meant to be just routine. True praise always comes from the heart. It is love talking. Love is creative and affectionate. He wants us to grow and learn more about His love for us and the power of His love for us and His faithfulness to us. God is infinite and there is much to learn. So basically we serve God according to what He puts in our hearts. It doesn’t matter if we are the only ones doing it that way. God has a plan and we need to learn to listen to Him not our preacher, teacher or best friend. We have to learn to trust Him and be brave enough to step out in faith. We are His children and He wants the world to know about it. We do need direction, by praying about it and sometimes fasting is also needed on those occasions when we are not sure if it is God speaking to us or not. Though at other times we know it is God, because He has spoken so clearly to you that their is no room for doubts. When you know and you don’t do what He is saying to you, you are straight out disobeying God’s will for you. Many of us for some reason think we have a choice. One hand we do. We can choose to disobey, but there is always a price to pay for disobedience. When we choose to obey there is so much joy, when we accomplish His will, it is more than worth it serving God on His terms. The payoff for serving God on His terms is eternal life with so much to look forwared to. It is worth all the discipline and acts of self-denial and suffering it can demand at times. The reward is so great that when we are in heaven we will wish life on earth was so much harder so we could receive even more incredible and amazing joy.  One woman died and appeared to her Mother Superior and said I wish I could come back down to earth and say one more ‘Hail Mary’. She said everytime you say a ‘Hail Mary’ your place in heaven is so much higher and of course the joy that goes with it is so much greater too.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.