Summer 2005
Delighting in His Will
Nancy Warner

The passion of my heart is to be able to say, “Yes Lord,” regardless of the situation, circumstance, or challenge. It is essential for us to know and to yield to the “workmanship” of God within us, both individually and corporately, if we are to grow in our walk and relationship with the Lord. This requires a trust and submission to the Lord in the daily circumstances of our lives.

“Walking” in a place of submission involves our taking the “calling and understanding of His ways” that He has given us and not becoming possessive of it, but saying, “Lord, I submit all this back to You.” This will open the door for us to hear more, and be led further.

Abraham knew that he had heard from God. The Lord told him to take Isaac up the mount to sacrifice him. If Abraham was not open to hearing further, he may not have noticed the lamb in the thicket that the Lord provided as a substitute sacrifice. Abraham having an attitude of “submissive dependence” enabled him to enter the fullness of the Lord’s plan, which he only understood in part at that time.

Jesus is the potter, and we are the clay. We are in the process of becoming that which He sees us to be. He is all knowing, and knows the end from the beginning. Therefore, we must fully trust Him regardless of what our perception or thought might be.

There have been many adjustments in my life. I also think of the testimony of my father. Many times the Lord spoke and he thought he knew what would happen. Down the road, when it turned out to be quite different, he rejoiced that what the Lord had intended was much better than anything he expected.

A teachable spirit that loves the Lord, and continues to trust and submit, will bring us through to the full intention and purpose of our Lord - His highest and best in our lives. We are always to maintain a position of submission to the Lord, knowing that we need the continued leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

The Song of Solomon is a story of submission. There is an awakening to the love song of the Lord that brings an initial hunger for the Lord. From our initial hunger comes a continued hunger, which will open the door for the inward working of the Lord. The Bride did not turn aside from seeking the one she loved (Jesus), because of any difficulty she faced or solace offered by others. Because of this, she found Him.

“It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found Him whom my soul loves: I held Him, and would not let Him go.” Song of Solomon 3:4a

Through all that she experienced as she sought her heavenly Bridegroom, she was brought into a place of desire for Him alone, and as a result, found her place of participation with Him in His purposes.

The Lord is calling us today into this same place of intimacy, submission, and participation with Him.

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20

It is after we “hear the voice of the Lord, and open the door,” that we are enabled to hear the “sound of the trumpet” that leads to a revelation of the One sitting on the Throne, and an unfolding of things to come.

“After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up here, and I will show you things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the Spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.” Revelation 4:1-2

The desire of the Lord is toward those who desire Him. There is much emphasis today on doing, but there is a desire in the heart of the Lord for those who desire to “become” that which He would have them be. There is to be an outward expression, but it must spring up from the inner touch of His presence within us.

There are situations that the Lord uses as “tools” to work His image and likeness into our being. The very service or ministry that the Lord calls us into may be an instrument to change us.

Like Paul, I am to press toward the mark for the prize - the fullness of God in my life. As Charles Haun taught, “We will go as far as our surrender will take us. We will be filled with as much as we can empty.”

There are times when we are given assignments, where we try to be “strong for Jesus.” Even in these areas, there is a submission to the Lord that allows the working of the Lord within, and the intervention of God on our behalf.

Katherine Kulhman would say, “Lord, if I had been more yielded, would one more person have been healed?” The key to the power in her ministry was knowing and yielding to the Holy Spirit - not becoming strong, but submitting and yielding, along with the great love and compassion that the Lord put in her heart for people.

Rees Howell went through tremendous dealings in his life that brought him into a place of yieldedness. In this place of yieldedness, the Lord was able to use him, and those who were joined together with him, to intervene in international events.

The Lord is calling us into a place of intimacy and participation with Him. It is a place of yieldedness, submission, hearing, and of being led by the Holy Spirit.

My prayer is for an increase of the inner working of the Lord within each of our lives. It may not always feel good, and we may not like or seemingly appreciate it, but in time we will recognize and see that His inner workings are intended to bring us to His highest and best.

Lord, help us to realize this, and then yield and submit.