Grasshoppers

Late 2005 we had a visiting speaker come to address our congregation. He had been invited by our eldership because he believed he had a 'message' for our church.

This pastor spent a few weeks preaching on various topics to do with Grasshopper mentality and facing our Giants. This was definitely a message for me as it had been a personal struggle of mine for many years.

During this series of teachings the Lord was convicting me about one area of my own 'Grasshopper' thinking. It had to do with my small minded thinking, particularly in my marriage relationship. We often fall into traps with those close to us of nit picking, and not having a big picture view of things- well at least I do!

One day I remember having an argument with my husband about something obviously trivial and unimportant because I can't remember the topic. I could feel the Holy Spirit begin to convict me of my nit picking, nagging, grasshopper mentality.

As this happened out the corner of my eye I saw something small on a bench in our living room. I walked over to it and found a grasshopper sitting on top of some books. I chuckled to myself about coincidence. Wondering how the little fellow got inside and marvelling about a grasshopper showing up in the big city. I quickly tried to recall when the last time I had even seen a grasshopper, but couldn't accurately recall.

The second time a grasshopper payed me a visit, our family was driving in a car to a local shopping centre. Again I was arguing with my husband about something as equally unimportant as the first time. I was getting quite upset by whatever it was and my own failure to win this argument! As I reached for a tissue I again saw something that caught my attention.

A grasshopper (bigger than the first), slowly started to call across from the middle of the windscreen to my passenger side of the car. It stopped right in front of my line of sight and then preceded to walk to the left hand corner.

This time my sense of humor had vanished and I was not at all happy about such a visual reminder of my sin and struggle! I was not at all interested that day in the Holy Spirit convicting me as I was wallowing in my hurt and sin like a pig in mud.

Over the next couple of days the Lord began to gently deal with me again, and I repented of my bad attitude and sinfulness. Many times over the next couple of months the Lord would bring those two grasshoppers to mind any time I began to battle with the giant in my life.

August 2006 saw us move house and it has 'ALWAYS' been my experience with every new house we inhabit that the Lord deals with me about some issue in my life. Not all of them negative, some very positive things as well.

About a month after moving here Anthony and I had been discussing something. I hadn't even gotten out of bed before the 'grasshopper' thinking started. However this time I had, had enough. I renounced those thoughts bringing them captive to the obedience of Christ. I told myself (and any 'evil spirit') listening that I was NOT going to think that way any more by God's power. I was finished with grasshopper thoughts and I wanted to think big, remembering that God is a VERY big God and was able to help me overcome ANYTHING through the power of His Holy Spirit, through the death and resurrection of Christ my Lord. I covered my mind with the helmet of salvation and covered my thoughts with the blood of the Lamb.

With that I got out of bed and walked into my kitchen to have breakfast. As I reached to open the cupboard to find a bowl I saw the biggest, greenest grasshopper I have EVER seen in my whole life, sitting contentedly on my cupboard door. After calling my son to relocate the 'giant' grasshopper to our garden, I praised God for His work in my life. I praised God that we no longer have to be captive to our mind. I praised God that there was victory for those who choose to overcome by the power of the Holy Spirit.

A small battle was won that day in the 'spiritual realm' and in the fertile ground of my mind!

A door had been unlocked and freedom was nigh!