ACCESS DENIED
EXCLUSIVE ACCESS HAS BEEN DENIED
We live in times where the world has everyone striving to take the coveted prize for having the largest number of followers with the most number of likes and quite frankly the largest circle of friends. Perhaps such a goal does provide instant gratification for a little while but at what expense is the real question? Could it be that as a peculiar people God never intended everyone to have access to us on that level? If you are struggling with the concept of people who were once your friends but no longer desire to be connected to you for one reason or another, let’s start celebrating. I know you may be wondering why the celebration? It is largely because your destiny is dependent upon who you are connected to. As such you are far too precious to King Jesus to be in close communion with every person who says hello or likes one of your photos or sends you a direct message. I have learned to give God thanks that certain people walked out of my life, in fact I have thanked God so many times for even my devastating divorce in spite of the turmoil and heartache it all cost me! The closer I get to Jesus the more I realize that not everyone is meant to have exclusive access to my life and personal space. 1 Peter 2:9-10 reminds us “But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted. (MSG)
If you are one of those treasured vessels who once beat yourself up because certain people left you when you felt you needed them the most, let not your heart be troubled anymore. You see certain acquaintances are for a season and may require limited access to certain parts of who you are. In other words too much access + too soon + too freely can bring forth disaster as spoken so eloquently in “The People Factor” by Pastor Van Moody. I encourage everyone to pick up this awesome literary piece. Keep diligent watch over who you give out too much, too soon to by allowing the Holy Spirit to lead you concerning those who need VIP level access to your life. You do know you are a VIP child of the Most High GOD bought with the precious blood of the one and only Jesus Christ. It is always a good idea to take inventory of whom you are connected to for short term goals, long term and future projects. It is better to have 3 trusted covenant partners who are vested in your success and kingdom purpose than 15 acquaintances who are merely there for what you can do for them.
As a child growing up in Africa, I recall close friends were considered to be those who would carry my trusted confidential information to their graves. There was no such thing as divulging information just for the sake of it or to gain popularity. Perhaps it is significant of a cultural difference but I would like to believe our parents passed along to us the importance of exclusivity with respect to the deepest and most intimate parts of our lives and whom we carefully chose to share them with. Listen I have made mistakes along the way by granting people who should have had limited badge approved access to certain parts of my life and I paid the price for that. But once beaten, twice shy and these days such exclusive access no longer exists for those individuals. Not that I do not pray for them as we are called to do and wish them well. The main point here is that life experience + The Holy Spirit combined with the word of God have taught me that exclusivity is necessary in order to continue to accomplish my purpose in the kingdom while focusing on those friendships which truly matter. So if you are one of those who struggled with letting everyone into those close aspects of your life - you have the authority to declare “Exclusive Access Has Been Denied”. Remember, you were made for such a time as this and those you are connected will either help to further your purpose or derail the hard work you have put into getting better. Just remember – you my friend were made for such a time as this.