One of my favorite movies of all time is The Matrix, the story of Neo, a man on a mission of discovery about himself and the world he inhabits. Neo is told by Morpheus that he is "The One", the person who was born to win a war against the machines and set humans free. Neo is naturally skeptical of this information and is taken to visit the all-knowing Oracle. The Oracle, aware of Neo's disbelief, tells him "you have the gift but it looks like you're waiting for something." Later in the movie, Morpheus is captured and Neo works to set him free, but he himself is trapped in the Matrix. Confronted by the nemesis agent, Mr. Smith, Neo has two choices; run or face Mr. Smith. He opts to stay and fight. When Morpheus is asked what's he doing, Morpheus says "he's beginning to believe." --- Hearing versus believing. Do we really need to line up at the altar Sunday after Sunday for the Man or Woman of God to tell us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made? Do we need to continuously, month after month, hear that God has a purpose and a plan for our lives? That the thoughts He has toward us are good and not evil? That before we were formed in our mother's wombs He knew us and set us apart? Year over year hearing the same thing over and over and over? At some point, we have to move from hearing to believing. We have to simply know that it's true. We have to walk in this belief because otherwise we will forever "be waiting for something". Waiting for a different Prophet to speak a word over us; waiting for a different person to teach bible study; waiting for the perfect circumstance to arise so that we can finally begin to listen. No. The time is now. The truth is the truth and no one needs to tell us anymore. We have to begin to believe that through Christ all things are possible; that God's grace is sufficient; that the joy of the Lord is our strength; that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, of love and of a sound mind. --- When Neo confronts Mr. Smith, he puts up a good long fight. But he doesn't win. It is only after Neo dies that he comes into full knowledge of who he is and the power he possesses. We have to die to self and let the Spirit of the Lord take over. It is only then that we can fight the war to set the captives free; only then can we be atmosphere changers and life changers. Just like Neo, we were born to be "The One" but there is a process. First we hear. Then we believe. And finally we die to self, reborn to walk in the Spirit, exercise the power of the Spirit; overcome by the Spirit and finally live in victory. In love, Mona