What He opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open. -Revelation 3:7
I was just thanking God for all the no’s that He’s spoken over my life. For all the times He’s held me back, for all the times He’s prohibited me, for all the times He’s put roadblocks in my way, and totally shut the door in my face!
The scripture says that all the promises of God find their “yes” in Jesus, but it also says that Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and a Good Shepherd cares enough to say “no”.
When Jesus says no, it’s just as important as when He says yes. One is not better than the other. Often times it’s because Jesus says no that we’re able to actually come into the yes that He has for us.
Many of the things that Jesus has said no to in my life were actually decoys presented by the enemy of my soul.
Oh how the enemy loves to dangle a glittering lure before our eyes!
There I am. Totally deceived. Praying and praying for Jesus to give it to me! I want it so bad. It feels so close I can practically taste it. I’m just about to take the bait and it’s gone!
What happened? Where did it go??
To put it bluntly, Jesus knows that I’m about to take the bait- hook, line and sinker. So He either yanks the fishing pole out of satan’s hand, or He takes His staff, puts it around my neck, and jerks me back!
When He does that it can feel severe! It’s jarring! But it’s no different than a mother yelling at her little boy who’s about to cross into traffic and suddenly grabs his arm and yanks him back. The child is merely going along his way. Maybe he sees something that grabs his attention across the street and he goes running for it. His mom springs into action and suddenly it feels like his arm is going to be dislocated! Does he like it? Hardly. But he gets to live another day because of it.
We have no idea what God has spared us from. Sometimes He whispers no, sometimes He shouts it, but it is never without reason!
I’m convinced some of the greatest blessings in my life have been because God didn’t give me what I wanted. He simply said “no”. Most of the time He didn’t bother explaining why. He just refused me, closed the door, and that was the end of it.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD -Isaiah 55:8