Navigating the Journey to Spiritual Maturity, with Dr. Sheila Jackson

Finding God in Our Pain

Summary:

*Faith and Surrender: Both speakers highlight the importance of faith, surrendering one's will to God, and trusting Him even when it requires personal sacrifice and letting go of one's own desires.

*Discerning God's Voice: Identifying God's voice involves aligning it with Scripture and recognizing the fruits of the Spirit, while being cautious of one's own desires potentially deceiving them.

*Spiritual Dreams and Visions: Dr. Sheila explains that dreams and visions connect believers to the spiritual realm, can be used for personal guidance or intercession for others, and should be journaled for clarity and interpretation.

*God's Unfailing Support: The conversation concludes with the affirmation that nothing is impossible with God, and He is always willing to go to great lengths to support and guide His followers, even in their most challenging times.

INTRO TO THE EPISODE:
Life can throw some seriously tough curveballs. When it does, it’s our spiritual foundation that can make all the difference. My guest Dr. Sheila Jackson is an intercessor, a prophetic voice, Biblical teacher, and an Associate Pastor. Additionally, she founded the Wind Spirit Soul Prophetic School in 2006, dedicated to training prophetic vessels, people just like you and I.

In this episode I had the privilege of sitting down with her to unpack what it really means to be spiritually mature, how to hear from God, and why faith and prayer are so crucial. We had a very relaxed conversation exploring God’s Word and His heart for us as we pursue an intimate relationship with Him.

Dr. Sheila opened up about the journey to spiritual maturity, describing it as a process of developing a deeper relationship with God and transforming into His image. It's about embodying the character of God, showing love, patience, and kindness, and living it out. It’s not just about knowing these virtues intellectually. It’s about putting them into action. Being the hands and feet of the Lord.

Dr. Sheila shared her struggles with submitting her will to God. Boy, can I relate to that! Dr. Sheila, someone who’s always made things happen, found it tough to let go and trust God, especially when His plans didn't align with her desires. She candidly admitted that it’s easy to obey God when His will matches ours, but the real test comes when He asks us to give up something we deeply want. It’s in those moments of surrender that we grow the most.

We also delved into the intricacies of discerning God’s voice amidst the noise of our own desires and the enemy’s deceptions. Dr. Sheila emphasized that God’s voice always aligns with Scripture and is rooted in love and truth. Yet, when our desires are strong, it’s easy to be deceived. She shared personal stories, including a poignant one about almost marrying the wrong person because she mistook her own desires for God’s will. It’s a humbling reminder that we need to constantly renew our minds and seek God’s guidance with a pure heart.

We touched on the mysterious realm of spiritual dreams and visions. As we talked about discerning God’s voice from the voice of the enemy in the context of dreams and visions, I share my experience with a dream that until now, I’ve only told my sister about. It has to do with satan injecting himself into my dream and God breaks the communication.

But these spiritual dreams and visions aren’t just for the prophets of old; they’re a way God communicates with us today. Dr. Sheila encouraged us to journal our dreams and visions, as they often contain messages from God meant for prayer and intercession, not just for the sake of knowing. It’s a practice that connects us to the spiritual realm and helps us align our lives with God’s purpose.

If you’re a Christian who gets uncomfortable with the thought of moving in the spiritual realm; you have a spirit; you’re already part of the spiritual realm. As you pursue the Lord, and you receive discernment from the Lord it is of the spirit. A relationship with God is spiritual so there’s no reason to fear it and besides In Ephesians 12 it tells us who we battle. We do not fight against flesh and that the real fight is rooted in, and based on the spiritual realm.

So the journey to spiritual maturity is about constant growth, surrender, and the courage to seek God’s will above our own. It’s a path filled with challenges and detours, but also with profound revelations and deeper intimacy with God. As Dr. Sheila so beautifully put it, “There’s nothing impossible with God.” And that’s a truth worth holding onto, most especially as we learn to grow in relationship with God. So no matter where you are on your spiritual journey God delights in us as we journey to His heart.

Lived Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com

Connect with Dr. Sheila Jackson:
Facebook: https://www.facebook/joshua2715
Email: [e-mail]
Email: [e-mail]
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-sheila-jackson-ed-d-99116a29/

Bio:
Dr. Jackson holds an Ed.D. in Transformational Leadership from Concordia University and an M.S. in Business Administration from Central Michigan University. After nearly 15 years as a Corporate Buyer for General Motors, she transitioned into education and ministry. With over 20 years of ministry experience, Dr. Jackson has served as an intercessor, prophetic voice, Biblical teacher, and Associate Pastor. She founded the Wind Spirit Soul Prophetic School in 2006, dedicated to training prophetic vessels. Dr. Jackson also expanded her ministry internationally and is a staff instructor with The Prophetic Empowerment Network. She is a mother, grandmother, and spiritual mentor to many.