An Elephant in the Room!

A few months ago, I had heard it was time to poke the bear and stir the water. I realized this meant it was time to speak God’s truth even if it irritates someone and stirs up trouble. Jesus did this when he healed on the Sabbath and threw out the money changers at the temple.

What is an elephant in the room? It is when everyone can see a problem, but no one is willing to speak up and address the problem. I was cleaning my elephant bookends when I heard the word “Trojan.” I thought, Trojan is a horse. The Trojan Horse was used to infiltrate the enemy’s stronghold and bring their destruction.

So, what does Trojan have to do with the elephant in the room? This is a season where the enemy’s strongholds need to be torn down. God will give us hidden ways to go into the enemies’ camp and address the elephant in the room to remove these strongholds. It will stir up the water, bring the muck to the surface and will poke the bear and agitate people. It is not to cause problems but to bring to light the elephant in the room that has not been dealt with. Below is a stronghold that needs to be torn down.

Intellectual Elitism

Intellectual Elitism is a dependency on our own intellect and abilities. We are taught to depend on ourselves and on our own hard work to make a place in the world.

It seeps into our thinking by learning to be a responsible individual to make our own way in the world. Without realizing it, when we reach the end of our journey, we become blinded by our successes. It causes thoughts like “I have the answer” or “If you would do it my way.” These thoughts cause us to become callous to the needs of others and shut down other people’s solutions to problems. It removes compassion and drives us to become self-righteous and practical instead of relying on God’s wisdom.

An example of this is Saul of Tarsus. He was a scholar of the Torah, who was filled with religious zeal for God. He knew the Word of God and lived it in his life within the strict religious boundaries. His intellect was his greatest asset and his greatest hinderance. His reliance on his knowledge led him to be a witness to the stoning of Stephen, a Christian, who laid down his life for Jesus.

Serving Verses Self Reliance!

As believers in Jesus’s sacrifice for us, we have learned not to address the elephant in the room because it might offend someone. We went through a season of religious judgment that condemned and tore people down instead of seeing God’s buried treasure that needed to be developed.

Jesus fought this intellectual elitism by being a servant to everyone. Jesus took on the role of a servant and washed the disciples’ feet. Jesus was revealing the power of a servant which opens the door for God’s blessing. Serving, in the name of Jesus, taps into God’s power to deliver people. Jesus served Father God by doing what God showed him to do.

Thinking we know the answer causes us to not to rely on God’s supernatural power. We forget to make room for God to work. Could this be why we are not seeing miracles and healings in our Christian events? Many people love God but have relied on their gifts of teaching and education instead of inviting the Holy Spirit to interrupt their agendas. The lie of not offending and having to have order has superseded the law of love. Do you think Jesus turning over the money changers was not love? How else could he get the attention off the love of money which was being used to cover their sins?

God’s love is much different than our view of walking in love. As Stephen was being stone, he willingly forgave his executioners.  The Passion Translation Bible in Acts 7:56 says “Look!’ Stephen said. “I can see the heavens opening and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God to welcome me home?” Stephen knew it was God’s timing to laying down his life by being stoned. When we choose to walk in love and forgive people it allows God to work in those who oppose us. This was the lynch pin that allowed God to knock Saul off his high horse and turn him into Paul the apostle.

If you want the power of God in your life, you need to invite God into your daily walk. It is letting go of your own plans and your own way of thinking. That can be scary to us organizers and fearful mothers. But letting go and inviting Holy Spirit to guide you leads to a supernatural life filled with victory and adventures.

Are we willing to lay down our lives to serve others that God directs us to? It will produce a harvest of souls. Many times, we think we need the answers to people’s problems when all they need is someone to love them. Being a servant for Christ opens the doors of heaven to meet people’s needs.

Prayer

May God open our eyes to see where we have trusted in our own abilities and intellect. As we learn to follow God’s direction and release our expectations, may God’s power be released in us to help others. Show us and train us to tap into God’s power and resources as servants of Christ. Holy Spirit, reveal any hidden mindsets that have trapped us into relying on ourselves.

I Corinthians 1:27-29 TPT

“But God chose those whom the world considers foolish to shame those who think they are wise, and God chose the puny and powerless to shame the high and mighty. He chose the lowly, the laughable in the world’s eyes—nobodies—so that he would shame the somebodies. For he chose what is regarded as insignificant in order to supersede what is regarded as prominent, so that there would be no place for prideful boasting in God’s presence.”

Scriptures

Mark 3:1-6, Matthew 21:12, Acts 22:1-21, Acts 8:1-3, Acts 9, John 13:1-17, John 12:49