Meeting Up in September
It's All About You, Jesus

'Water off The Otter', by Barb Twigg

Friends, today we have a treat: Barb Twigg, one of our long-standing community members is sharing a word with us. So without further ado, I will hand over to her:

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I’m in school….with the Holy Spirit! I’ve not graduated, He keeps teaching me. I’m almost embarrassed to say why has it taken me so long to get all this?  I’m not embarrassed, that’s negative talk and I don’t partner with the dark side ever! But why has it taken me so long to understand these verses? I’m certainly not saying I 100% fully understand but I’m starting to get it now. Barb Twigg

For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. ‭(Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭3‬-‭8‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬)

"Who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit" -- That’s it right there! We have a body, we have a soul and we ARE spirit. Once we said yes to Jesus Christ as our Savior our born-again status was awakened in our spirit. We are now spirit to Spirit with the Triune God! Our minds are now “set on the Spirit”. 

Here’s how I walked this out last week. All of the sudden my husband started having bursts of anger. Now, I was going to complete that sentence with “towards me” but after a second outburst the Holy Spirit got my attention. Let me back up here. These last few years I’ve been repenting…A LOT! And that’s such a good thing because repentance means to turn from. It’s not just a “sorry I won’t do this again.”  No, it’s “forgive me I don’t like this part of my flesh, change me from the inside out!”  One of my areas of repentance has been don’t be offended and overreact. I felt the Holy Spirit is teaching me when I’m offended and overreact I’m trusting in my pride, which is another repentance area, and not trusting the truth. And we know who the truth is! Jesus! 

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. (‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭6‬ ‭NASB1995)‬‬

Getting back to the outburst. When it happened the second time I grumbled to the Lord. “You clearly see what he’s doing. He’s not treating me with….etc”. You know what I’m talking about! But in that instance I had a thought:

“Let it roll off your back like water off the Otter. I’ll deal with him.”

HA! Say what? The Holy Spirit just shut my mouth and train of thought with that statement. “Water off the Otter” would’ve never come out of my mouth so I know it was Him. I laughed and told Him that’s pretty good! I continued the conversation because I really didn’t want to be treated poorly or be the one in the line of fire because of what he was apparently dealing with! I got the indication to take authority over this anger that entered my husband. So I did! I called it out, bound it up and forbid the spirit of anger to come around US!  Next day I was reading a devo and the Bible verse was:

To grant [consolation and joy] to those who mourn in Zion–to give them an ornament (a garland or diadem) of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment [expressive] of praise instead of a heavy, burdened, and failing spirit–that they may be called oaks of righteousness [lofty, strong, and magnificent, distinguished for uprightness, justice, and right standing with God], the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. (‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭61‬:‭3‬ ‭AMPC).

Oil of joy illuminated off the page. I got up and blessed olive oil, rubbed it in my hands and anointed all things husband! I blessed him as I went through his areas. Knowing that God our Father hears me and sees my husband. I was expectant for the anger to be gone and it was! No more bursts. I figured out a possible cause with my flesh mind but more importantly my spirit was listening and receiving from the Holy Spirit. I needed to love him through this. It wasn’t personal.

My lesson was don’t react so quickly and take up immediate offense. That’s probably just good marital advice regardless! But instead ask the Holy Spirit what’s going on? We walk in the spirit so that should be my first reaction not offense which is from the flesh. The end of the Romans verse says those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Boom! There it is. I want to please God first! Now don’t get me wrong here. It’s not all fixed and now I know better and won’t do that again. No No! It takes practice. Just like working out your salvation, working on your relationship with Christ, your spouse, your kids! It takes practice to walk in the Spirit.  I’m a willing vessel and God gets all the glory! Are you a willing vessel?

Water off the Otter!

Be blessed,

Barb

Barb Twigg is wife to Rick of 33 years. They live in sunny south Florida and are enjoying retirement. She was born to teach and encourage.   The Lord led her to the book Winning Him Without Words and she found her beloved SUMites! She loves to encourage in the Lord and operates in the gift of faith. If you have doubt, she’ll lead you to belief! She’s always willing to learn from the Holy Spirit and God's Word then teach it to others. She is active in her church and community to reach the lost and walk out her God given assignments. 

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