Digging Deep

My first post of this year, Working the Land, ended up setting the pace for many areas of my life. I haven’t talked about the prophetic here yet, but I didn’t even comprehend some of the things that were spoken over my own life by me. I didn’t grasp how deep God wanted me to go.

First a brief aside:

What is Prophecy?

But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, encouragement, and comfort

1 Corinthians 14:3 (NKJV)

A prophecy is often a word of encouragement, guidance, or warning from God. Prophecy is for the edification (strengthening), exhortation (encouraging or the urging of someone to do something), and comfort (soothing) of the body of Christ. It doesn’t have to be extremely profound but, it does have to be rooted in the Truth (with a capital T, meaning scripturally sound) and offer insight.

Here are my first two bullet points from Working the Land:

Time to break and remove the artifacts of the old you from your land. Don’t expect to do it all at once. Piece by piece, take the stagnant behaviors and habits, and toss them out. Clear away the old that won’t allow anything new to grow.

Pull out the weeds of bad people and burn the hazardous influences in your life that soak up all your attention and energy from the good things that need it. Effectively, you’ve been killing off the good in favor of the bad.

Miles Spann Working the Land

I knew that I was writing what God told me to write but I didn’t know the magnitude of it over my life. A friend told me that he believes that I should keep digging deeper into what God said and now things are starting to become clear.  

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

James 1:5 (NKJV)

I refocused my entire life in the last two months. I started off the year with a 21 day fast with my church which changed my diet, habits, and relationship with God. It was a combination of intermittent fasting and the Daniel Fast. I did no water or food from Midnight until 6pm and then ate according to the Daniel Fast for the rest of the evening. I gave up certain things like secular music, podcasts, and partying. I began cutting back on cursing and pledged full celibacy from even sexual media. I made it 21 days but by then something had already changed for good.

Things that seemed normal suddenly started to feel weird and foreign. Music didn’t sound the same. Situations caused frivolous fallouts or made me question their value. I didn’t want to go back to certain behaviors when it was done. I cut down on meat and pray everyday before my day starts and bed at night. The change was so deep that conversations, images, or even items in my house made me physically ill.

I had to make a choice.

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live

Deuteronomy 30:19 (KJV)

I chose to go deeper into Christ.

I’ve never explained on here how sin felt to me, but it was noise. Everything was noise. It was distraction. Every time I sinned, more thoughts about each sin crowded my head until I couldn’t think straight. I couldn’t hear my thoughts from the doubts, fears, lies, and confusion I felt. I’ve felt amazing release since then but things still had to go.

God told me I had artifacts in my life. I had to get rid of the objects that connected to my former battles with Lust, Abandonment, Performance, Fear, and Anxiety. I fought against it originally but just like when I decided to try an learn more about Christ; things weren’t working before, why not try something else. I had to take guidance from others, but most importantly God. Who was going to be right? Me or God? I’ve been wrong before but God has always been right.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

I was using people and things as crutches. If I had a bad day, I knew I could rely on X or Y to hold me over until I felt better. Even after being healed from past wounds, I still had my crutches to lean on. I could avoid facing the necessity of strengthening myself right away. I had to have a real hard look at myself and decide that whatever wasn’t baring fruit, needed to be cut. I had to protect my heart.

I had to stop planning to lose.

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

I ended up throwing away four bags of stuff and five more that are being given away. Clothes that no longer fit or wouldn’t fit for much longer. Articles I won’t wear anymore. Papers and notebooks that I haven’t looked at in years. I still had things from multiple girlfriends ago sitting in my apartment. All these things reminded me of the past versions of me. I was cemented to the past versions of myself, the lost, confused, anxious, lonely, and nervous me.

We’re incompatible now. Everything must go.

This purging went as deep as habits. My social drinking? Done. My old Tumblr and my wandering on the dark side of Twitter? Finished. Old Conversations and language? Changed. Life? Revitalized.

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Romans 12:2

The importance of digging deep is to remove the roots of the weeds, artifacts of the past, and to get to the most fertile soil of your life. It is hard, back-breaking work but I’ve already started preparing to plant new, healthier things in their place.

I feel new. I’m lighter than ever (literally and figuratively). I lost 20lbs, am running and stretching. My mind is clear and I’ve been more productive than I’ve ever been. I have so many ideas to make manifest, things to try, and connections to build. I’ve had clear visions about my future that I am excited to see and I’ve been working on all cylinders to get a new business off the ground while building my resume. It’s amazing what more God has given me in exchange for the weight I’ve held.

God was right again.

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Matthew 11:30 (NIV)

Turn Your Brightness Up!

#BeMagnificent🔆