SCUBA DIVING IS ON MY LIST OF ADVENTURES TO DO IN LIFE. SCUBA MEANS: SELF CONTAINED UNDERWATER BREATHING APPARATUS. I WAS ALWAYS FASCINATED BY THE ABILITY TO SWIM DEEP IN THE OCEAN AND EXPLORE FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME BEING ABLE TO BREATHE INDEPENDENTLY FROM OUTSIDE SURFACE AIR.
WHEN I WAS A CHILD, MY SIBLINGS AND I TOOK SWIMMING LESSONS ONCE IN A WHILE OVER A COUPLE OF SUMMERS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD POOL. WE WOULD GO TO THE POOL OUTSIDE OF LESSONS FROM TIME TO TIME. WE ALWAYS STAYED IN THE “SAFE LEVELS” OF THE POOL UP TO 5 FEET. I WOULD GO UNDER WATER FOR A FEW SECONDS AND SWIM A COUPLE OF FEET THEN COME UP FOR AIR ….. I HAD EVEN LEARNED HOW TO KEEP MY EYES OPEN UNDER WATER. AS A BEGINNER SWIMMER YOU COULD NOT TELL ME I COULDN’T SWIM EVEN IF I DIDN’T VENTURE OUT INTO TO THE DEEPER PART OF THE POOL. I CAN TELL YOU TODAY AS AN ADULT, I AM STILL A BEGINNER SWIMMER. AS A MATTER OF FACT, ASK ME WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME I’VE ACTUALLY GONE SWIMMING AS AN ADULT LOL.
ALTHOUGH I HAVEN’T GONE SWIMMING IN A LONG WHILE AND MAY BE HESITANT TO ACTUALLY TRY TO SWIM IN DEEP WATER IN THE NATURAL, I AM CHALLENGED TO GO DEEPER IN THE SPIRIT OF GOD. I HAVE BEEN WALKING WITH GOD FOR A LONG TIME BUT THERE IS STILL SO MUCH MORE TO KNOW. THERE IS ALWAYS A NEW LEVEL OF GLORY, STRENGTH AND FAITH TO GET TO. INTIMACY WITH GOD KEEPS US FOCUSED, IS REWARDING, AND FULFULLING TO THE SOUL. TRUTH BE TOLD AS LONG AS WE LIVE WE WILL ALWAYS LEARN NEW THINGS ABOUT HIM. HE IS VAST LIKE THE OCEAN.
NOW THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A POOL AND THE OCEAN. WHEN YOU ARE IN THE POOL WEARING YOUR REGULAR SWIMWEAR YOU CAN ONLY STAY UNDER WATER FOR SO LONG AND IT IS ONLY SO DEEP AND YOU ARE CONFINED TO A MANMADE CONTAINER. THE OCEAN IS NEAR ENDLESS SPOKEN INTO EXISTENCE BY OUR GOD THE CREATOR. IF YOU DESIRE TO GO DEEP AND LINGER AND EXPLORE WHAT IS IN THE DEEP PARTS OF GOD YOU WILL HAVE TO BE LIKE THE SCUBA DIVER AND GEAR UP. SCUBA DIVERS HAVE FULL SUITED EQUIPMENT GEAR THEY WEAR TO PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM DROWNING AND FROM THE WATER CREATURES AROUND THEM. THEY HAVE THEIR FULL BODY WET SUIT THAT COVERS THEM FROM HEAD TO TOE, THEY HAVE PROTECTIVE GOGGLES, A MASK, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PERSONAL OXYGEN TO HELP THEM BREATHE INDEPENDENTLY, THEY WEAR SPECIAL BOOTS AND FINS ON THEIR FEET TO HELP THEM NAVIGATE EASILY AND EFFICIENTLY THROUGHOUT THE WATER JUST TO NAME A FEW. I CALL SCUBA GEAR THE ARMOR OF GOD WETSUIT…THE WATERPROOF VERSION OF THE ARMOR OF GOD.
DID YOU KNOW THE ENEMY WAS THE PRINCE OF THE AIR? WHEN THERE ARE ATTACKS FROM THE ENEMY ON THE SPIRITUAL SURFACE (BECAUSE THAT IS ALL IT IS)…ARE YOU ABLE TO GO DEEP UNDERNEATH THE SURFACE OF THE OCEAN OF LIFE INTO THE SPIRITUAL REALM WHERE GOD CAN SPEAK AND MINISTER TO YOU? OR DO YOU TRY TO FIGHT BACK WITH YOUR FLESH AND OUT OF YOUR OWN STRENGTH (THIS WAS ME MANY OF TIMES… AND THE MORE I WOULD TRY TO HELP AND FIX THINGS THE MESSIER THINGS GOT). I HAD TO LEARN TO TAKE MY HANDS OFF. LIKE THE SCUBA DIVER, DO YOU HAVE THE EQUIPMENT GEAR TO GO DEEP BREATHING ON YOUR OWN ALONE BY YOURSELF INDEPENDENTLY FROM THE SURFACE AIR? I’M TALKING NO ONE BUT YOU AND GOD DEPENDING ONLY ON HIS OXYGEN THROUGH YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM?
HANGING IN THE POOL AT WAIST LEVEL..NECK LEVEL..OR GOING UNDER FOR A FEW MINUTES AND COMING RIGHT BACK UP WILL NOT GET YOU THROUGH NOR BUILD YOU. GOD WANTS TO BRING INCREASE IN YOUR LIFE. GEAR UP…GET OUT OF THE POOL AND GET INTO THE OCEAN AND EXPLORE AND ENCOUNTER GOD. GOING DEEP MAY SEEM RISKY. YOU MAY FEEL VULNERABLE. LOTS OF THINGS ARE EXPOSED IN YOU AND IN OTHERS. YOU MAY FEEL LIKE YOU ARE ALONE BUT YOU ARE NOT BECAUSE GOD IS WITH YOU. GOING DEEP IS ENDLESS WITH NO BOUNDARIES. BUT YOU CAN TRUST GOD WITH EVERYTHING YOU ARE. GOD WANTS TO REVEAL THE HIDDEN THINGS HE HAS FOR YOU AND GOING DEEP IS THE ONLY WAY TO GET TO THEM. THE TREASURE OF EXPERIENCING HIS UNFAILING LOVE AND ACCEPTANCE AWAITS, THE TREASURE OF HEALING AND WHOLENESS AWAITS, THE TREASURE OF BEING STRENGTHENED IN YOUR SPIRIT AND YOUR HEART AWAITS, THE TREASURE OF JOY AWAITS, THE TREASURE OF THE TRUE PEACE OF GOD AWAITS, THE TREASURE OF KNOWING YOUR NEXT STEP IN YOUR JOURNEY AWAITS, THE TREASURE OF HIS POWER IN AND THROUGH YOUR LIFE AWAITS, THE TREASURE OF FINDING THE AUTHENTIC YOU AWAITS.
REMEMBER YOU ARE SAFE WITH GOD SO SPEND TIME WITH HIM. YOU ARE HARD TO LOCATE BY THE ENEMY WHEN YOU DWELL IN THE SECRET PLACE. YOU ARE HARD TO LOCATE WHEN YOU RUN INTO THE STRONG TOWER OF THE NAME OF THE LORD. TAKE YOUR NATURAL EYES OFF THE OPPOSITION THAT SURROUNDS YOU AND THE PERSONAL ATTACKS THAT COME AGAINST YOU. DENY YOUR FLESH…GET IN THE SPIRIT WITH WORSHIP…PRAYER…READING THE WORD OF GOD…. AND GO DEEP.
PRAYER: GOD I LIFT YOUR NAME TODAY. YOU ARE AMAZING IN YOUR LOVE TOWARDS ME AND HELP ME TO LOVE. I WILL NOT FEAR TO GO DEEPER. REFRESH ME. INCREASE MY FAITH. I TRUST YOU. I WILL NOT DEPEND ON ANYONE’S OXYGEN BUT YOURS. I LONG TO BE IN YOUR PRESENCE FOR IN YOUR PRESENCE THERE IS FULNESS OF JOY. THANK YOU FOR DIRECT ACCESS THROUGH YOUR SON AND THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT. IT IS MY DESIRE TO DRAW NEAR UNTO YOU. IT IS MY DESIRE TO KNOW THE HIDDEN THINGS YOU HAVE YET TO REVEAL TO ME. SHOW ME YOUR GLORY.
SCRIPTURES:
1 Corinthians 2:10-16 (KJV)
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
Exodus 33:18Amplified Bible (AMP)
18 Then Moses said, “Please, show me Your glory!”
Ephesians 3:17-19 (KJV)
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.
Joshua 1:9(AMP)
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified or dismayed (intimidated), for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
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