“Are You Invested or Divested?”

Over a month ago, as I was thinking back over all that has happened this year and truly was debating in my heart on whether I wanted to keep pursuing the call of GOD on my life, writing books and doing media being at the top of that list, I felt the LORD ask me a question, “Are you invested or divested?”

I immediately paused and considered what He was asking me. To me, being invested into something meant pouring everything you have into a thing, but to divest? My mind went to finances… “to withdraw funds from an investment.” Could that have been what He meant? I couldn’t settle myself on those definitions so I did a word search.

As it turns out, that’s not what those words meant at all. According to Oxford Languages, these are the meanings of Invest and Divest:

Invest: mid 16th century (in the senses ‘clothe’, ‘clothe with the insignia of a rank’, and ‘endow with authority’): from French investor or Latin investor, from in- “into, upon’ + vestige ‘clothe’ (from vestis ‘clothing”‘). (Oxford Languages)

Divest: early 17th century: alteration of divest, from Old French desvestir, from des- (expressing removal) + Latin vestige (from vestis ‘garment’). (Oxford Languages)

I was shocked! What the LORD was asking me was far deeper than, “Are you physically going to pour yourself into the Kingdom?” That wasn’t what He was asking at all. He knew my thoughts and my heart, knowing I was offended by the trials we have been through this year. I believe He was asking me if I was going to remove the Kingdom garment He had given me. It was such a “Selah” moment.

The Bible speaks of vestures in the following two verses:

“I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my GOD, for He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of His Righteousness.” – Isaiah 61:10

In Matthew, Jesus speak a parable to His disciples describing what the Kingdom of Heaven is like:

“But when the King came in to see the dinner guests, He saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, and He said, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without wearing the wedding clothes that were provided for you?’ And the man was speechless and without excuse. Then the King said to the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him into the darkness outside; in that place there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.” – Matthew 22:11-14

Is Refusing GOD’s Will For Your Life A Sin?

The Word of GOD says:

“Therefore to him that knoweth how to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” – James 4:17

Is refusing GOD’s will for our lives a sin? I believe it is. I believe it falls into the realms of failing to believe GOD and of willful disobedience. Both of those were occurred in the Garden of Eden. GOD has given each of us the choice to accept His invitation whether it’s for salvation or to carry out an assignment. He gives us garments when we accept salvation through His Son, Jesus, and He clothes us with robes as we willingly follow Him and walk in His ways. Added to those garments are various crowns we can be endowed with based on our accomplishments here on Earth, such as the Crown of Righteousness, the Incorruptible Crown or the Crown of Life, to name a few. We must live a life of consecration and holiness, putting away from ourselves everything that defiles us and we must equally guard our hearts when life’s issues arise if we are to successfully win our race.

When the LORD asked me, “Are you invested or divested?” I realized this was a flag planting, life altar-ing, marked moment for me. In a sense, it was another day of decision. I felt a sternness in the question and a sense of holy awe at the same time. It was a question that required a response. I recognized the crossroads I was standing in front of in that moment. I had to come back to the altar. I had to choose to let go of the offense I was harboring toward the LORD for what had happened and had to choose to keep moving forward. As much as it was for me, I also felt this encounter might could help others too and thus, I’m sharing.

Have You Ever Been Offended At The LORD?

Have you ever been offended at the LORD for things you have gone through? We find ourselves asking, sometimes even shouting, “GOD, WHY?!” We face an adversary (the devil) who is constantly looking for a way in to our lives to cause utter devastation any way that he can. He uses doors that we leave open through temptations, offenses, even pride. We are also in a Refiner’s fire, being purified continually. This is not the devil’s doing, but the LORD’s. Much like silver and gold are purified with fire, we are also. It is meant to cause any impurities deep within us to surface and be burned out of us. It is crucial that we stay on the path that’s before us and be careful of the choices that we make along the way. When we mess up and things surface in us, we must allow the Holy Spirit to do His work in us.

We can never take for granted what GOD has endowed us with, allowing our garments to get stained up or that we get so frustrated with life that we altogether remove the garments GOD has given us because we have “had enough”. There is a cost to be paid in following Jesus and it is a daily decision we must make to live a life surrendered to His will and His leading. However difficult the days we face may be, we also have promises from the LORD:

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” – Romans 8:18

“But as it is written: ‘Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which GOD hath prepared for them that love Him.'” – I Corinthians 2:9

We may not fully understand why things happen but we have a promise that we don’t have to walk through this life alone. The Psalmist David made these statements:

“The LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures: He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul: He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies: You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” – Psalm 23:1–6

“I will lift up mine eyes to the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.” – Psalm 121:1-2

Jesus said:

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28

It doesn’t matter how much darker the days get or what we may face. We must remember who we are and Who’s we are. We must remember that He is ultimately and totally in control of everything surrounding and concerning us. Much like the question the LORD posed to me, we must each choose whether we will remain invested or divest. Remember Saul. Remember Judas. Think of however many others you may know that have walked away. May you and I be counted among the faithful on that day.