Father Heart Unlimited - April Newsletter - Jeanne and David Costello

April 2014 Newsletter ♥

We have known Ian for many years now and always love to be around him. He carries an amazing presence of God, great love and compassion. Ian has spent much time in Mozambique with Rolland and Heidi Baker ministering to the poor and hopeless and spreads The Lord's sweet anointing wherever he goes, ministering at a deep level to those in need of physical, emotional or spiritual healing. He is an excellent teacher, we have attended some Father Heart schools he has taught in Canada and Europe.

"Your Will or My Will" by Ian Ross

The Father has been asking me this question for a long time.

As I have been pondering this for the past while, I have got in touch with:

"How strong-willed I really am."

I was not really in touch with this.

When I got down to it, it is as if I thought I knew myself what was best for me, I can decide for myself. I don't frankly need outside input.

I really wanted to do, what I wanted to do, thank you very much. I wanted to be in control. If I am in control then I can manage my fears.

Then the Father showed me the heart of Jesus towards His Father (and my Father). Jesus has always been a perfect example to us of how to be a son to His Father.

Hebrews 10:5-7 (Amplified Bible)

5 Hence, when He [Christ] entered into the world, He said, Sacrifices and offerings You have not desired, but instead You have made ready a body for Me [to offer];

6 In burnt offerings and sin offerings You have taken no delight.

7 Then I said, Behold, here I am, coming to do Your will, O God-[to fulfill] what is written of Me in the volume of the Book.

When Jesus was facing the crisis moment of His life anticipating the cross, He comes to the Father at Gethsemane and pours out His heart. Three times He asks His Father in Mathew 26 "is there any other way?"

He is not balking at going to the cross, He is:

1. Determining if it was the Father's will for Him to face the cross at that specific time.

He wasn't trying to escape the will of the father, but to establish it.

2.

As a man, He then needed the strength to do it. He obtained grace, the ability to face the cross and all that it meant.

He is strengthened by the Father's affirmation, coupled with the Father's clear will for His life.

He can now rise up and go to the cross. He said in Mathew 26:42 "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done." And then

in Mathew 26:39 "Yet not as I will, but as you will."

I have been brought to the place where I have to finally make a clear cut decision, whose will do I want to follow "my will or my Father's will".

Jesus was totally Father focused:

John 5:19 (Jesus speaking) I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by Himself, he can only do what he sees the Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son does also.

John 5:34 "My food" said Jesus is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work.

John 8:28-29 So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claimed to be, and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me, He has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases Him."

Jesus only did what he saw His Father doing, that He lived to do His Father's will. The Son's will and the Father's will have become one.

How then can I, as a son of my Father, continue to live my life, where my will rules? The battle was on, my will or His will. Battle it is, because in my flesh, I want to rule.

When I have to have my way it just doesn't work. I have been ruined by love, I am not my own for He has purchased me. I keep coming back to the place of submission to that great love. I live for His abiding Presence. In that place I have peace, rest and perspective, even when I don't know where things are going. It is like I don't need to see everything because He is trustworthy.

John 16:33 (Amplified Bible) "I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have perfect peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer (take courage, be confident, certain, undaunted)! For I have overcome the world. I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.)

Through an amazing encounter with God, I got in touch with my pain, disappointment and discouragement, which really came out of having my own way. I had to resign as my own Messiah as it were. But interestingly to me I felt no rebuke from the Father but instead He gently led me, in His unconditional love to the place where I could pray the following prayer:

"Father, forgive me for just seeking my own will, I have come to the place, finally, after all these years where I can pray from the depth of my being, the prayer that Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, "Father, yet not as I will but as You will."

Suddenly I was filled with a great sense of peace and rest, a sense of well-being I had not known before. It felt like the battle was finally over. There would be skirmishes as I sought briefly to re-establish my will but I would remember my prayer and lay down once again my will and to take up His will. We will continue to battle the flesh but the outcome has already been settled in our hearts.

In the garden Jesus, once He had laid down His will and taken up His Father's will, then the strength came for Him to rise up and then go to the cross.

I believe the Father will do the same for us, as we relinquish control, let go of our will and then take up His will, then we will have the strength to do whatever He asks of us.

Are you ready to pray that prayer?

"Father, help us, bring each one of us to the place where we are willing to lay down our will and take up you will. Be a Father to us, as we abandon our hearts to such a great love. We trust in your unfailing love. We believe that your will is perfectly fitted for each one of us. Amen."

Ian Ross

Scarborough, ON - Canada

Fatherheart Ministry