LEADERSHIP IDEA—August 2008
By Starla Dawn Holley, Senior Pastor’s Wife, Harvest Temple Church of God, Albany, GA

Walking Confident, in Grace and Truth

WHAT KIND OF STRIDE ARE YOU TAKING?

Have you ever noticed how a confident woman of God carries herself?  Have you ever taken note of the confidence with which she strides across a room?  I challenge the women of God who are reading this article to take a second glance in the spiritual mirror—you know the one that we should be mirroring, that is, God’s Word!  I don’t ask you to do this to focus on your physical appearance.  However, our focus, in this glance, will be on the way that you carry yourself!

CONFIDENT IN STILLETOS OR SNEAKERS!

We, as women of God, should have so much of the Word of God dwelling in our minds that we exude with what I would like to call, “God Confidence.”  It should just be spilling out from us as we walk, whether we are sporting a classy pair of high heel stilettos or a comfy pair of sneakers!  And for this, a “renewing of the mind” must take place.  While this article seems to be focusing on our feet and the steps that we take, the reality is, the real battle is in our heads!  “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”(Romans 12:2, NIV).

A WALK THAT SAYS “I KNOW…”

Wherever she may go, we might see a woman of God who walks with a gait that tells us, “I know where I’m going and who is taking me there!”  I’m not speaking of a “cocky” “mightier than thou” attitude that one would boast of what one does in her own talents and abilities.  What I am speaking of is, rather, a good, balanced, secure confidence of“knowing who I am in Christ Jesus!” Others will not only be encouraged by this walk, but they will feel more secure around the one who carries herself in this way.  Her “God-confidence” becomes contagious!  This woman of God also walks with a purpose each day.  Her priorities are affected by aligning everything in her personal life with the Word of God and realizing that she is a part of the furtherance of the fulfillment of the kingdom of God.

DON’T COMPARE YOUR SHOES TO HERS!!!

The mighty woman of God may be distracted as she looks at the magazine covers and sees the smiles of nameless faces of women with toned bodies, organized households, color-coordinated décor and well-behaved children.  She then looks at herself and her life and does a terrible thing that all women do at some time or other—the inevitable…she COMPARES HERSELF to others!  She especially does this with those whom she may never meet, and whose real life she may never know.  The reality is, she should not compare herself to her fellow women around her, but rather she should compare herself to her God given potential—the best that she can be!  “…He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion…” (Philippians 1:6, NIV).

THROW DOWN AND STOMP ON THE LIES OF SATAN!

We must do our best to keep our lives in alignment with God’s Word.  We are to be obedient and submissive to His commandments and to those whom the Lord has allowed to be placed over us in authority.  Then, we must learn to recognize the lies that Satan tries to hurl at us, those false accusations that don’t line up with God’s Word.  We must aggressively recognize them and cast them down!  “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5, NIV).  We must not allow these accusations to attach themselves to us nor to weight us down!  This is a vital part of being able to walk freely in grace and truth!

BALANCE “THE BOOK” IN YOUR HEAD BEFORE YOU WALK!

God has given scriptures about being of good courage (2 Chronicles 20:15).  He has told us that there is not a burden that He will allow to be placed on us that we cannot bear (1 Corinthians 10:13).  He assures us in His Word that He has made us more than a conquerors in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:37).  He has reminded us that He who began a good work in us is able to complete it (Philippians 1:6).  The promises in His Word are “yes” and “amen” (2 Chronicles 1:20).  It is OUR CHOICE to take these promises and declare and decree them over our lives daily!  So in other words, instead of the old-fashioned charm school that taught us to balance the book on top of our heads striving to walk with grace, I challenge us to a new technique.  This exercise is balancing the Book—God’s Word “in our minds” daily to equip each of us to dwell in and walk out His grace and truth.  Are we not—as Christian women of God—striving to emulate Christ Jesus?  God’s Word describes Jesus in John 1:14 (NIV).  “We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”  The truth is we are saved by His grace.  And this, my sister, is how we can walk confidently.  We can boast as long as our boast is because we walk in HIM and the fact that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.  We can then hold our heads up high and take those long strides!

KEEPING IN STEP WITH THE SPIRIT!

In Galatians 5:22, 23, God’s Word also tells us that we should be striving to bear the fruit of the Spirit, namely:  love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and self-control.  That, in itself, is enough to keep us “exercising in our sneakers” and striving to keep our lives in alignment with His Word.  But the Word of God goes on to tell us how to continue to walk out our lives!  In verse 25, Paul goes on to tell us in the NIV, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”  This reminds me of when I was a child.  My mom and I would walk side by side, arm in arm and she would take the lead step.  As she took a step, putting her right foot way out to the right, I would do the same with my right foot.  Then she would put her left foot in front of me way to the left, as I followed her lead with my left foot.  We would start out slow, but get faster and faster.  It was only a small, enjoyable pass time in my memory, but God has since shown me that this is how He wants us each to be led by His Holy Spirit.  If we are walking this close to Him, arm in arm, we are spending time with Him daily, meditating on His Word.  Then if we will follow His lead, the Holy Spirit will guide the way.  We will be so tuned in to Him that we will quickly respond to those “spiritual nudges” that He gives us, thus we will be keeping in step with the Spirit.

PUT ON YOUR SHOES, FOLLOW HIS LEAD, AND WALK IN GRACE AND TRUTH!

My prayer for you is this, dear woman of God, whether you are wearing pretty summer sandals with painted toe nails, or a classic pair of pumps and nylons:  Stand in the reality of knowing who you are in Christ Jesus!  Recognize Satan’s lies and stomp them out!  Balance the Book—God’s Word “in your head” daily, so you can dwell in and walk out His Word!  Speak His decrees OUT LOUD over your life and over your loved ones!  Spend time “arm and arm” getting to know your Savior.  Keep in step, as the Holy Spirit prompts you!  Walk out your vital, chosen path in grace and truth, and walk with purpose!  He wants to take you to uncharted territory and He wants to take the lead!

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