In His Likeness w/ AntTBri

I enjoy going to the movies. Visual imagery and a great storyline (executed correctly) strengthens/stretches my own creative flare/flow. I frequent the movie theater to break up the monotony of everyday occurrences and to attempt some type of balance in my enjoyment of the literary world. On most occasions, words in and of themselves can create a vivid enough depiction for me to get the point but there are times when the visual imagery of a scene playing on the big screen arrests my attention in such a way that cultivates/ challenges my perception of God, myself and others. It’s the ah ha moment of the big screen…the authors actual intent juxtapose to the derived meaning ascribed when there is no visible imagery to reference or grabs my attention.    I have great appreciation for the expertise of a beautiful mind and the skillful use of a pen in print or on the big screen.  It’s like 4th of July fireworks marvelously spectacular and stimulating at the very same time.   If it challenges my mind the message will capture my heart and seer my memory.

I experienced one of these type moments while watching the recent release of “King Arthur”.  It’s a great movie, you should see it you haven’t.  It dawned on me, while watching it I don’t just like warrior type heroes (Troy, Spartacus, The Last of the Mohicans, Gladiators, 300, DJANGO  and the likes)…I’m drawn to, have an infinity for…no I’m disposed to loving these type of heroes…but I think it’s really the character depicted through the portrayal of  these heroes. If I was a director, a remix of the chorus of TPain’s “I’m in love with a stripper” would be cued in right about now (lol) “I’m in love with a warrior…he’s my king, he’s my king, he’s my king”…you get the point, right?

Wait a minute, King? What? Big K or little k? Jesus you’re my King! I already have a King!  What’s this thought process, heart posture? What’s up with this list of reasons preventing me from even considering this as a heart posture towards humanity buffeting my cognizance. I started to asked myself is it necessary, a requirement of love to vision our particular roles differently.  Must I see “him” as King?    

Seriously, that remix playing in my head combined with the scene playing on the big screen at the time  prompted such reflection that I’m still searching and seeking out its meaning. Talking about challenging my perspective, prompting thoughts and forcing me to interact with the script in a practical, pragmatic way. I was there.  The scene I’m referencing stirred up a whirlwind of discovery. It’s like God himself reminded me “you have to see him as king”.  Honestly, up until that point I could see myself successfully loving one or the other. My mind, heart never even attempted to embrace or vision the roles being one in the same, applicable to both.  Do I even know how to address, appease, appreciate, accommodate and applaud the complexities of humanity?  Why is the promise of love so detailed and intense?What does it really require from us?

Back to the movie…
Arthur (the warrior) in the throws of fighting his uncle, right before he finishes him, tells him in essence “You created me”…”I’m here because of or as a result of your efforts”. He thanked him for making it possible for him to become King. It’s a powerful scene. Arthur the man after dealing with his internal turmoils, became more skilled as a warrior but it wasn’t until he was able to defeat the force determined to kill him from within and without that he became King. Typical gladiator story right, yes but not really let’s look deeper.  As I sat there thinking I realized I’ve been visioning the weapons of his warfare wrong, fearing the fierceness of the tools used against him instead of focusing on the lesson to be learned based upon the particulars of the attack against him. I began asking questions of prior scenes and appropriating these same questions to the spiritual understanding awakening in me and playing on the big screen of my own reality.  Why hit/attack the hero there? What was the enemy after (trying to steal, stop and show him about his self? What did his depiction cause me to think and feel in terms of his person, passion and purpose? What exactly doesn’t the enemy want me to see, speak to or share in, (real life) when God gives me a warrior king ? Why all this effort to obstruct my ability to accept, acknowledge, appreciate and applaud this role of king? Why discredit, discount and dissuade it in my eyes? What’s the point/goal/objective of the distortions playing across the big screen?
It was in that moment I could clearly see why I have an affinity for the warrior and was gaining a growing a healthy acceptance, admiration, and appreciation for the role being depicted as King Arthur. The attraction to this type of character has been and remains a constant (strong) even with the distractions, deterrents, dissuades and delays because I can relate and see myself through his efforts to become who He’s purposed to be. It’s that imprint (knowing), image and visual depiction that an authentically portrays  the hero/warrior/king (queen for that matter).  Its when he or she bows or takes a knee (surrenders) to a power greater than him/herself and becomes something more…bigger, brighter and better than they were even aware of in their own strength. 

Outside of the movie, witnessing the hearts surrender to God moves me to new realities. There’s something inspiring, invigorating and intriguing about visioning a man bowed in reverence to an all powerful God. When Arthur went down in himself and came up into he was always purposed to be my minds view saw the getting up of a king.
I could visibly  fathom the magnitude of God’s immense power as it infuses our purpose and propels us to do and be what is His will and good pleasure. The power source, persistence of kingly attributes, our growth and develop is steadfast, secure and sure shows up and out because even when it’s not apparent and it looks totally  opposite we commit to believing in the God outcome for ourselves and each other. God purposes for you and I will prevail. That one thing affirms and secures our specialness, significance and splendor as life and love plays out across the big screen in all scenes. Our belief, dependence and love of God keeps us seeing ourselves and each other in terms of His royalty. It’s the story line of our vey being. That if nothing else can sustain us and is worth believing in, defending and fighting for. It’s the X factor that gives every promise, prayer and acclimation of love its credence. It’s how we continue to see him/her as king and queen in every situation and scenario. Our commitment and objective to honor God in all things is extended through our depiction of the God kind of love.

Because I love you, I’m going to remain committed to believing in the God outcome for your being…until you can see it and want it (apprehend it) for yourself…until your motivations are fueled by the purity of God’s intent and no longer are hampered by your fears, frustrations and feelings about what it took to bring you into agreement…until you can touch the sword and not choose to look away and disregard what God has been trying to show you…until you stop evading and excusing away why the enemy has been able to render you powerless in vital moments of life and love  my expression of God’s heart toward you is going to love you in all your manifestations…adequately addressing the abandonment you endured, the aggressive attacks against (God’s gifting), the unfair and even justified accusations made against your humanity…those things that were wrongfully taken or withheld from you…the things that beat, bruise and often bombard your mind and heart…making you see yourself as unworthy, not good enough, lacking in pertinent areas…those strong holds that keep you circling and choosing the pit when you are meant to live and love in the palace. My love will keep showing up, screaming out and strategizing to help you be the best version of your self.  Be you in the throws of a (internal, spiritual or physical) battle or walking into a new dimension/discovery  of your role as king. Until you can not only hear and see my effort but respond in the affirmative to God’s heart expressed towards you my portrayal will declare that With God you will overcome, overtake and obliterate every weapon being used to grow your person. I’ll remain confident, courageous and crazy even to oppose the forces of darkness in the strength of the Lord. I’ll close my natural eyes until I allow my spiritual eye to visualize what the Holy Spirit desires to do and move for you to bring about God’s purposes. Then with everything that has been entrusted within me I will call those things into being.

It was in the throws of this moment, while feeling the intensity of all this scene opened up to me that my mind began to inspect this pressure to see you as king and my heart begin to ask the Holy Spirit how to intertwine my devotion to the warrior with the loyalty required to love you as a king. Maybe the lesson isn’t about the title or roles we’re called to but in seeking to understanding our acclamation. The altering of our perspective would then equip us to execute a more skillful and strategic warfare WHEN life and love presents it’s many contradictions, challenges and conflicts. It could very well be empowering us to cover, comfort and communicate necessary TRUTH to the warrior within that forgets or doesn’t even want to accept the responsibility of actually having to be a king/queen.

So to the sleeping, scared, and stunted warrior king and queens this depiction of love reaches may this discourse  serves as a reminder that it’s in us to fight (battle), but why we fight is solidified only by what we allow ourselves to see and feel about God, ourselves and others. Fighting isn’t the sign of good warfare, perfectly executed warfare is when we’re able to vision God correctly in all of life and loves situations, scenarios and scenes. If we’re strategic, skilled and Spirit led our Christ centered expression of love towards each other will help us accept, acclimate and adapt to the strength of God as it is highlighted through our  individual and collaborative weaknesses. This in and of itself explains and expounds upon the pressure  to see him as king and her as a queen.
In essence our steadfast ability to see the light of God’s glory (belief in who we are in Him) grants us the opportunity to come/grow into it. It’s our belief, willingness to stand with, alongside and in defensive of God’s glory as it is depicted (visualized) through each other’s expressions that interconnects the complexity of our becoming. So maybe, just maybe I’m in love with a warrior that helps me vision the warrior within myself …and he’s my king, he’s my king, he’s my king because his process helps me vision the opportunity to love in God’s stead as his queen, the image I don’t always readily see apart from the warfare…you get the point.
So, the movie King Arthur started my heart pondering if it’s being groomed to accompany or play alongside this type of character. Is there a warrior  king fashioned just for me? If so, it means God is trusting my heart, life and love to a warrior King and I in turn must be his warrior queen because two can’t live or love together unless they agree. If that’s the direction, path, way we will take I’m in agreement and able to vision him correctly with the help of the Holy Spirit. My hearts designation (destination) requires I correctly execute (image) God’s heart towards him) with the actualities of current pressures.

This is the opportunity of love as it’s been depicted throughout humanity. It’s the question asked of every display of life and love (in all it’s manifestations) …are you, is your life and love bringing honor to the King? Of course, there’s a spiritual application. You didn’t think I’d build my case on a movie, my infinite understanding of life and love or end this discourse having just discussed a movie scene and secular hip hop song  to reactivate the creativity of my pen?. No the pressure to see Him as King brings us to a vital point. This theme began long ago and has since been depicted through the significance of entering into a personal relationship with the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It then extends and is expanded upon through our interpersonal relationships with others as they deepen.  First, WE (you and I) grow to understand and see Him (JESUS) as the ultimate Warrior King. Then after, coming to the place where we correctly vision Jesus as the Exalted KIng we begin fathoming how to vision ourselves and others in light of that truth. In this light, awareness it’s not hard to live and love considering, compassionate and caring about how we’re visioning HIS kings and queens as we live and love aware of the complexities of our humanity.

May we be able to see us in light of Him that changes perspective on how we’re to vision life and love as it’s being played out and depicted across the big screen. I whole heart love you and applaud the process of your becoming. The pain, pressure and promise on your life and love best displays the magnificence of His glory. The visual depiction is similar to 4th of July fireworks just as spectacular and stunning as every other way humanity expresses its celebration of a victorious win. My heart towards you replicates heavens applause and appreciation of a risen King. Rise Up and Emerge from this station Zion is calling you and I to a higher depiction of His glory~AntTBri