This article is written in hope it will help you with the areas of life in which you too, are learning to lean.

The January 06 issue of Real Women! Was entitled “Learning to Lean”. What a year this has been. There have been times when I have been sure I have progressed in these lessons, and at other times have been frustrated and discouraged to the max. However, I know that He who is faithful will continue and has continued to set up situations to show me my leaning stance. Is it on Him? Or on myself?

God uses many different situations to teach us to lean. He has been showing me that in order to truly lean on Him and His ways, we must grow in our trust of Him in the depths of our soul. His loving-kindness brings us to opportunities to confront the issues of our hearts. Do we trust Him or not? It would seem at first glance that would be an easy question to answer. True trust is revealed in how we handle the circumstances of life that come—both good and bad. It takes courage to examine where our trust is actually seated. As we learn to lean, we must know deep in our heart that God is trustworthy and then to learn to draw on that trust. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding Psalm 3:5. I have been re-learning that it is difficult to trust in the Lord with all my heart. My own understanding (thoughts and desires) keep trying to find a way to insert themselves in between Him and my circumstances. However, He who has begun a good work will go on to complete it.

It is of no surprise to find out that these “leaning lessons” are a life long course. Once we enroll in these classes, they continue. We can choose to enjoy them, or be frustrated by them. One of the God’s leaning lessons for me has had to do with my health. I appreciate our medical brothers and sisters and all their abilities to help bring health and wholeness to our bodies. Some of you are aware of my struggles with allergies etc. After prayer, we have come to believe that this is a spiritual issue, not necessarily a physical one. This has been difficult for me and for those who love me, because many have encouraged me to seek medical help (for which I would, if I felt a release in my spirit to do so—I am not opposed to doctors by any means, and am still open as He leads).

While we were in England in October, I had a recurring battle and was frankly discouraged. I could see how these issues were affecting my effectiveness to communicate and had a heart to heart talk again with the Lord, asking for further revelation on just how I should continue. A few hours later we left to minister at River Church in Plaistow. I had to leave the room once due to a coughing attack and felt the frustration of dealing with these issues once again.

After we prayed for the responses to the message, Pastor Roger Grassham called Darryl and I forward to pray for re-filling and blessing as we had poured out. He began by speaking directly to me. He said that as he had been praying for me he felt God showed him that this physical attack was a generational bondage that was coming from my family history. Immediately another fellow, (his name is Steve and though I had seen him at another meeting, I had never talked with him, so he was not aware of any adoption issues) came and began to share a picture God had given him concerning the things Pastor Grassham had shared. Steve described the picture the following way.

I see an orphan spirit sitting on your shoulder. He has been harassing you for a long time, but you have ignored him and continued to go and do the things God has called you to do, but through Neglect and his brother Infirmity these things have attacked you. He continued to encourage me to fight against these things because I was valuable to the Kingdom. He then proceeded to minister to us concerning our future ministry and its expansion.

I cannot remember everything in detail, but as we talked later, he continued to encourage me to fight this spiritual battle and let it be finished. The reason I am sharing this story with you is that it has everything to do with leaning. Am I going to lean on my own understanding and fight a spiritual battle with physical means? Or am I going to trust the Lord to show me how to use His weapons which are strong and mighty to the pulling down of all things that exalt themselves above the name of the Lord? Each of us face challenges in which we must decide are we going to walk by faith? Or by our own “sight”?

Paul writes some amazing revelations in Romans 3 and on into 4 concerning faith and belief. I have read this account of Abraham many times, but this passage really caught my attention.

“Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promised of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. Romans 4:19-25.

In learning to lean on the Lord we do not have to live in the land of denial, but as Abraham faced his own truth, we must look at the facts but choose to look at them from God’s viewpoint, not our own. In other words, Truth becomes more real to us than the “apparent facts’ given to us by our natural minds. Abraham was very aware that he and Sarah’s bodies were “dead to childbearing” and yet he found grace to rise above that belief and believe God for the promise to be fulfilled. I recognize that my body is currently susceptible to allergens which my body in its natural state reacts. However, I believe that by God’s grace, my body will come subject to God’s will and the spiritual forces that are working against me in this area are being defeated.

Abraham was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God because he was fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised. I must admit that during this learning process, there have been times when I have fought double-mindedness. What a humbling revelation to realize that that becoming fully persuaded has not been easy. Rampant thoughts, well meaning friends, my own desire for “a short cut” all have caused me to wander and wonder. Is this a bad thing? No. I believe that He is using these very things to help me become fully persuaded, in my own heart, not just my head.

I asked the Lord to help me understand just how do we become fully persuaded? He woke me up with the scripture 2 Corinthians 10:5 bringing every thought captive. The emphasis was strongly on the word every. Every means Every. As I meditated on this scripture, I recognized that this takes discipline and determination to bring every thought into captivity. No self pity, no what if’s, if only’s, nothing short of His truth is to lead us. We must examine our thought life and cause it to conform to His Word. When we find something that does not conform to God’s Word, we must cast it down. The Holy Spirit showed me that I was catching the major lies, but allowing the more subtle thoughts to escape. I am working on capturing every thought, though it is not easy.

God has given us power over the enemy. Being rooted and grounded in our position in Him, knowing the Truth and being constantly filled with His Spirit will allow us to gain victory over those things that beset us.

As we travel across the body of Christ I am aware that He is bringing circumstances into many lives which are forcing His children to rely and walk in the Truth rather than simply giving mental assent to it. Nothing new—but we have met so many people who are in the process of moving to a deeper level in their walk with Him and this is definitely part of it. Learning to lean on His Word and follow in Obedience takes courage and honesty. I have faced the fact that I need new lessons on how to sit, fight and stand to win this battle. Winning my battle is not simply for myself, but for those in my family and in my sphere of influence. I have determined to learn the lessons needed. He is true to His Word, and will be faithful in helping me walk in Victory.

Written by: Martha Rodman