#464 Writing With Power

Welcome to Kingdom Writers, where we help equip and empower Christian writers of all genres to share your unique gifts with the world. We're your hosts, C.J. and Shelli Hitz.

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Welcome to the Kingdom Writers Podcast. My name is Shelly Hitz, one of your hosts. This episode is an excerpt from our virtual writing retreat we host every month inside our membership Christian Book Academy. You can join us with a special coupon code just for podcast listeners and this will get you 50% off your first month. Use the coupon code podcast and this way we can help you take a step of faith and finally finish your book. So go to ChristianBookAcademy.com and enter the Coupon Code Podcast at checkout for 50% off your first month. Come join us at our retreats and all the other things that we offer throughout the month. And I pray that the encouragement from.

This episode blesses you. So today we're going to be talking about the theme of the power in our writing. So writing with power. How many of you want to write with power today? You want your words to not only, like, have impact, but like to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. And so we're going to talk about how God shows us up when you feel least ready. And as I was preparing for this, God brought a story back to my mind and wanted to start with that. But have you ever sat down to write just knowing there's more in you, there's more words, there's more impact, there's just more that God wants to do through your gift of writing, through your calling, through what he's asked you to do. But the words just aren't flowing, flowing. Maybe it feels like the power is gone. Anybody ever been there before? And you just are like, what's going on? I. I'm not feeling anything right now. And some people, you know, sometimes we call that writer's block, right? Sometimes we call that writer's block. Sometimes it's just life. But I think we've all been there before. And so a few years ago, I got a vivid picture of what that can look like when we're still. When we were standing in the garage of our jeep and it wouldn't start, it was completely dead, no power. And this had actually happened a few times. We were wondering, like, what is going on? This, this jeep is working well, we have it, you know, going. But every time we would need to get A jump. We would need to have the. The battery jumped. Or one time we even needed to get a new battery. But. But what happened was we were in a season where we actually didn't need two cars as often. And so we just weren't driving the Jeep. It's a gas hog, and so we're saving a little bit on money. But it often sat in the garage unused. And so as a result, the battery would drain between uses because it wasn't engaged. And God was reminding me of this story because it's. It's like a picture of power unengaged becomes power unavailable. And I've been meditating this week on Ephesians 1:19-20. In the new living translation, God has actually had me to. To start memorizing it. So that's why I wanted to share on this topic today, because I feel like God's doing this in my own life right now too. But in the new living translation, it says, I also pray. Oh, my goodness. I feel like I'm going to start crying. I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that Christ that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms. Does that ever happen to you? You're meditating on something so much that like, there's. It's so deep and there's so much meaning that you start reading the script scripture and you just start tearing up. But I think I'm also just tearing up because I. I see this for so many of us, for myself included, that the power is there. Right? But I'm praying that today that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's power that's available for you. It's available for your writing today. If we would just believe him. C.J. and I were joking because he said in the King James Version, it says God's power for us Word. You know, the King James uses all these words, us Word for us Word who believe him. And yeah, so I. I just really believe there's more for you. Kingdom writer. I believe God has more for me. And it. It starts with this whole concept of understanding the power. Right? I think most of us do that it raised Christ. God's power raised Christ from the dead. That's available us. But for those who. What? For those who believe him. And God showed me recently this picture of unbelief that it's like a box and it keeps us boxed in to thinking small, to doing small, you know, And God wants to destroy that unbelief. He wants to destroy that box so that his power can be revealed, so that we don't just stay small just because, you know, we think, oh, we need to be humble. We don't want to be, you know, seen. We don't, you know, or people have told us, you're too much or whatever it is. But Paul didn't pray for more power. He actually knew the power was already there. He prayed that we would see it, we would understand it, and we would believe the power that's already within us. And so just like that Jeep in the garage, God's power in us must be activated, right? And so today I will share with you 4B's. I love alliterations or acronyms. You know me. So it's four Bs if you're taking notes to write with power. And the first B we've already kind of covered is believe. So we're, you know, we're relieving the power that you already carry. You already have it inside of you. So when we look back to Ephesians 1:19 to 20, again, this is really where your power, your writing power begins. It's not with feeling ready. It's not with being qualifi. Feeling qualified, but with believing. So Paul prayed for the revelation of that power, the understanding of that power. And oftentimes, revelation will precede manifestation. And that word power in Ephesians 1:19, 20 is the word dynamis in the Greek. It's actually referring to miraculous power. Anybody feel like you need miraculous power today for your manuscript? If so, it's available for you, right? It's available for you. It's miraculous power or ability is that word. And as Kingdom writers, we believe in God, we serve God, We. We love God, right? But I want to challenge you today because I've been challenged myself by the Lord this week. Do we always expect his power to show up practically in our writing life or whatever he's called us to do? Honestly, I don't think so. You know, I think there's moments where it's like we're sitting in a Jeep with a dead battery in a garage trying to write in our own strength, and we're just not getting anywhere. And we're like, what's wrong? What's. What's going on? Did God really ask me to do this? Am I really called to do this? Is this ever gonna. Is this book ever gonna get done? We wonder why it's so hard to finish our book, right? So my question for you today is, are you writing with spiritual power or are you operating on a drained battery? And the battery might not just be drained, it might be completely dead, but there's hope because we can always get the jump start right. We can always call out to Jesus. We can always ask for his power. We can always ask him to give us that jump start that we need. And so number one is believe. Number two is behold. And it's about the presence of God that will transform you. So I've also been meditating on Second Corinthians 3, 16, 18. And in the new living translation, it says, but whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. For the Lord is the Spirit. And wherever the spirit of the Lord is, there is what? There's freedom. So all of us who have had the veil removed can see, see, and reflect the glory of the Lord. And I believe many of us reflect his glory in our writing. Amen. So when we are beholding his glory, and we see it, we're reflecting it, and you're reflecting it in your writing many times, but we can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord, who is the Spirit, makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. So we're always growing, right? We're always. We're always being changed and transformed, and there's always more until we reach heaven. There's always more for us. So whatever you behold long enough, whenever you look at long enough, whatever you put your attention on long enough, you become like. So what are you beholding lately? Is it social media feeds? Is it Netflix? Is it your Bible? I mean, is it. Are you beholding these thoughts in your mind, these racing thoughts, these anxious thoughts of like, oh, I could never do this. Da, da, da, da. Like, what are you really beholding? What are you looking at? Are you looking at other people? Are you. Are you turning to Jesus? Are you beholding Him? The glory you behold in the face of Jesus becomes the glory deposited within you. And Kingdom writers, that means that that glory within you is what's going to be able to flow out of you through your writing. And so that is exciting, right? And then just a little bit later in the next chapter, 2 Corinthians 4, 6, 7, Again, the new living translation says, for God, who said, let there be light in the darkness, has made his light shine in our hearts so that we could know the glory of God. And where is that glory of God? It says, it's the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. So Corey Russell talks about, like, we need to have eye contact with Jesus in prayer, right? And I think so many times I get distracted. That's been my big, biggest. My biggest battle this year is distraction. I love to, you know, just do all the things and looking at this and looking at that. And yet when I turn and I'm beholding the face of Jesus, I'm making eye contact with him. Then I can see, I can reflect that glory. I can know the glory because I have my eyes. I'm beholding Jesus. We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars, right? The jars of clay. There's a music group that that's called Jars of Clay. But we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. What's the great treasure? Christ. The glory of God in Christ. But that this makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. So there's the power again when we are. Because we are the jars of clay, right? You carry a treasure in a clay jar. And when you are weak, his life becomes visible. So it's like we're this cracked jar. You know, you think of Kintsugi. Have you guys heard of that? It's like the Japanese art where there's a broken pot, they don't throw it away. They put it back together with the gold and it becomes even more valuable. But that cracked jar, clay of jar or jar of clay or however you want to say it, those cracks are allowing God's glory to be seen through us, for him to be visible. I don't want people to say, oh, wow, Shelly did all these great things and da, da, da, da. She's this and that. No, I want people to say, wow, something's different about her.

Wow.

Like God is doing something. Like, what is that? You know? So when you're weak, his life becomes visible and his presence rests on you, you know, just like that jar of clay. So I just want to remind you, everything you need for today's writing session is already inside you. Amen. And so we have number one, believe. Number two, behold. And number three, bow. This is where we surrender to God's strength inside of us in our weakness. So Moving on in Second Corinthians 2 Corinthians 12, 9 through 10, says, each time he said. And this is Paul saying that God was talking to him. Each time he said, my grace is all you need, my power. And that's that same word dynamismy Power works best in weakness. So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ can work through me. That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. And we all know this one, right? For when I am weak, then what? I am strong. And you know, we know this. And yet, like, we resist it. I do at least. I don't want to be weak. I want to be strong. But then the crazy thing about it is I get the strength through the weakness, right? But power doesn't show up through strength. It shows up through admitted weakness. And humility is a deep weakness revelation of your need for God. How many of you really, like, you know this every day? Like, in order to finish this book, in order to do the writing, in order to market the book and reach the people, God's called you to reach. Like you can't do it on your own. Like, you already know that. But oftentimes the enemy takes that knowledge that we can't do it, and he turns us into either perfectionism and trying to perfect it, to try to make it better to. Or shame feeling like we aren't good enough, or pride just trying to like, oh, I can't do it if I just learn more, if I do more, if I. Whatever, you know. And yet God just wants us to, to. To sit in that realization, like, we need God. And weakness defeats our number one enemy, which is pride. And that's the number one enemy of spiritual power. And so God's strength is manifested in weakness. So I want to ask you today, what weakness are you resisting that God wants to use? What weakness are you resisting that God wants to use? And you may be waiting for strength, but I believe for many of you, God is waiting for your full surrender. Full surrender, right. So we have number one, believe, Number two, behold number three, bow or surrender. And number three, breakthrough his power through your weakness. And so his power is here. His presence is here. Your writing calling is here. But if you never surrender to God's way and turn the key, your writing may stay parked in the garage. And I know many people have come to us and found us and said, you know, I, I know, I knew God told me to write this book years ago, you know, and there could be a divine delay, there could be a reason, but sometimes it's just, you know, really relying on his power. And you can think of it like, faith is the ignition, obedience is turning the key. So we do still need to do things you know, even though we're weak, even though we're admitting we're powerless and we need God, we still have to cooperate with him and partner with him. That's what we teach you in Christian Book Academy is to partner with God in your writing. So I was thinking about it this week and I was like, how do we really embrace weakness and humility? Like what, how does that really show up in our lives? How does that, you know, what does that look like? And I feel like one of the ways is through Jesus's example of, of washing the disciples feet, right? He humbled himself and in washing their feet, he was serving them. So many of you are servants. You're already doing this, you're serving your family, you're serving your spouse, you're serving your church, you're, you're doing things in humility and serving, washing the feet. But you know, I've known for several years now that one of the fastest ways for me to embrace humility is to fast from food. Now I know, I know I've resisted it and I, I've made like, you know, all these little excuses and all these, said all these different things. And I know for some of you, you have to, you know, ask your doctor and make sure medically that this is, you know, something that is good for you. But sometimes the obedience of turning that key, of, you know, showing our complete dependence on God looks like fasting. So fasting weakens the flesh so the spirit can rise. I've heard someone say that it puts our flesh in the backseat and God's spirit in the front seat, right? And so of a car. And even if you're, you know, when your mind feels foggy, because it usually does when you're fasting, your spirit eventually becomes sharper. So I've also, I also heard and experienced like the residual effects of fasting. So like after you fast you may not feel anything right at that moment, but then later you start to feel it. And to be honest, like I said, my whole life I've resisted fasting. Like CJ's actually been better at fasting food than I have. And he's done several different fasts over the years. One time when we were in the country of Belize as mission missionaries, we got there and the missionaries were happy to have us there and host us there, but we just didn't know what we were going to do yet. And you know, they just told us to start praying and you know, just kind of see what happens, you know, and we're like, oh gosh, Here we are, you know, all these people are supporting us, like, what are we going to do? So CJ really felt led to do three days of fasting. Um, I think it was water only at that time. And, you know, his. The quote that God gave him during that time is, prayer's the proof we're relying on God. And so after those three days, miraculous things happened. Doors opened that we could never have figured out. We could have never opened. CJ Ended up speaking in, I think, over a hundred different schools and sharing the gospel, you know, because there's no separation of church and state. And it was a door that opened after that fast. Um, God opened a door for me to practice as a physical therapist there in exactly what I wanted to do. I was able to train someone. And she still is working and helping people and doing things with the training I trained her with over 20 years ago. Talk about multiplication. But, you know, that happened after a time of fasting. And so I've seen it. I know the power, and yet I still resist it. Or I'll be like, okay, I'm going to fast for this time. And then I'll, like, start. Stop early, you know, And I'm like, oh, I'm feeling a little dizzy. Or I'm, you know, whatever. Or I'll be like, oh, I'll fast. But I'm not gonna fast everything. I'm just gonna fast this one thing or whatever. And those are fine. You have to do what God's calling you to do. But I'm just telling you, I've resisted it my whole life. But recently, the Lord's been speaking this message to me again. And he's like, shelly, do you really want the power? The power comes through weakness. And so recently, I did. I felt like I was supposed to fast for a specific thing at our church, a specific reason. And it was three days. And it was the first time I ever did three days of water and tea only. And I thought I was gonna die. I thought, I won't make it. How am I gonna do this? But I kept praying. The prayer. Corey Russell talks about, you know, this prayer for fasting, and he says, just pray, God, I ask you for the grace of fasting. Your strength is made perfect. In my weakness, I commit myself to prioritize weakness so your power can be manifested. And I just kept praying that over and over again. Lord, give me the grace for fasting. And not only did I survive and finish, but a couple days after I finished, I felt the power of God. I felt the joy of the Lord, so strong. Like, I literally thought I was going to explore, explode. Like I've never experienced anything like this before. And I thought, you know, the pain and the sacrifice and all of that, it was so worth it. Anyone who's given birth to a child, and I have not had that privilege, but anyone who's given birth to a child probably feels the same thing, right? You get that child and you're like, oh, it's all worth it. And so I just want to encourage any of you that have resisted fasting. You know, it may just be a thing where you fast one meal a week and, and pray for your writing. Pray for the power of God to come on your writing. Pray for the people who are going to read your book. Pray for breakthroughs for those you know, pray for connections with marketing. Pray for open doors. Pray for God's favor that you will partner with God's favor. There could be something else that God's calling you to. Maybe he's calling you to fast from social media until this book is done right, or fast from Netflix until it's done. Whatever it is, for you, only God can tell you. But I will tell you that when we humble ourselves and when we. When we choose weakness, that's when we really will get the power. That's when it will come. And God has one weakness. Do you know what God's one weakness is? It's humble people who turn to him with their whole hearts. God's weakness is when we're humble, he will rush in like he will not even, you know, delay.

He.

He loves. It's like he's like a magnet to our humility. And that's when he will rush in to the humble. And yet what does he do to the proud? Over and over in scripture it says he resists the proud. So kingdom writer, humility is our weapon, right? Humility is our weapon. Not our talent, not our expertise. Not getting cert in publishing contracts, not getting college degrees in English or whatever else you feel like you need to be qualified. Those things are all fine. Those things are. Are all good. He's given us talents, gifts, abilities. He's given us expertise. Sometimes, you know, he'll give us those publishing contracts, and other times we'll self pub sometimes, yeah, we may have that college degree, but if you want God close to your writing, I encourage you to stay low, right? Because weakness, embraced in humility, becomes. Becomes a landing place for his power. So I want you just to pray this prayer with me today. And just pray, lord, I bring you my weakness. So Just take a moment. What is your weakness today? What is that thing? And just ask the Lord to bring you or that you, you're. You're bringing him your weakness. And let him know, say I can't do this without you. I can't finish this book. I can't write this, I can't market this thing. I can't do any of this. I can't do this without you. And then if you want, you can open your hands and just ask him to fill you with his power today. So Kingdom writers today, your weakness is not an obstacle, it's an invitation. When we write from dependence and not striving, that's when the power comes. So all you need to do is turn the key. The Jeep is in the garage. You've got the key, you're sitting in the Jeep. Let's actually take it for a drive. Let's not just pretend, let's actually turn the key, take it for a drive and not allow the power to be drained out of the battery. Let his power meet you on the page and let his words you let, let the words you write carry more than your skill. Let them carry his power. Amen. So let me pray for all of you today. So God, we just thank you so much that we're not in this alone. We are partnering with you and there are times that we just, we just let the jeep sit there and then the battery's dead. But we know right now that we can get a jumpstart from you. And God, if you have something for us right now, I just pray that you would just give us the jump start we need. If we need to humble ourselves and if maybe it's through serving and washing others feet, maybe it's through fasting, maybe it's through something else. Maybe it's through generosity and giving away the money we have instead of holding on to. Lord, whatever it is that you have for us, Lord, would you show us? Would you speak to us? Would you lead us? And Lord, may we humble ourselves so that we can see your power manifested in our writing, impacting lives. And that like we never, it just, we never even struggle with taking credit because we know it's not us, we know it's not what we're doing. We know it is 100% completely you. So Lord, I just pray for a jump start for those who, who need that jump start. I pray for those who just need to turn the key and they just need to get going. I pray for those who may need to, you know, experience some fasting and or maybe it's in a different way. Maybe it's fasting from technology or fasting from food. So Lord, I just pray that you would do something today, that this is a turning point moment and we just pray this in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. All right, if you're ready to take.

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