Shifting gears is synonymous with shifting perspectives; it’s an exchange of one mindset for another. Choosing to see and do things God’s way: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the Heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. – Isaiah 55:8-9

At the closing of my previous post, I briefly mentioned the phrase ‘shifting into 1st gear’, it refers to a heart posture rooted in Matthew 6:33. Originally I wasn’t intending to write this specific post quite yet, or even at all, but I felt an emphasis from Holy Spirit to follow up from the last post with what this meant.

‘Let’s shift into first”, or ‘shifting into first gear,’ are phrases that my husband and I use in our home when we’re referring to the process of slowing down and lifting our eyes up to Heaven for help. This terminology was birthed through a dream I had about a year ago. The original context of the dream applied heavily to the concept of the slowing down in the middle of the busyness of everyday life and choosing to walk through the process of emotional healing.

Dream 2024

In my dream I was driving a car on the highway after sun down; the road was two-lane like most rural roads are. The problem, however, was that every time I shifted the vehicle into drive, the engine would shift into reverse instead of moving forwards. This was unexpected. I was caught off guard, because drive is supposed to make you move forward, not backwards. It made no rational sense why this function was reversed, so fought it with my understanding of how the vehicle works. Because of this, I had difficulty staying in my lane while shifting between gears, back and forth, back and forth, hoping to figure out how to get moving in the right direction again. I began to swerve into the wrong lane because of the distraction. I hadn’t stopped moving, I was just moving in the wrong direction. I began to see lights in my rear view mirror, and I knew that I was heading in for them. I tried to turn the wheel, but my movements were backwards and my mind was confused. It was like looking into a mirror and trying to make your movements match what you’re seeing, instead they are clumsy and disjointed. 

Then I heard: “Shift into first.” 

It wasn’t quite an audible voice, but an instantaneous knowing in my mind.

I knew that first gear wasn’t the ‘right’ gear for highway driving, but I had nothing to lose at this point. Shifting into first, my trajectory immediately shifted. Slowly and steadily I began to move in forward motion.

After waking, I heard: “When things get dark, shift into first.”

Holy Spirit began showing me that shifting into first meant, shifting into the Kingdom of Heaven in a very literal sense. The Kingdom of Heaven construct seems to be backwards to our understanding of how we need to operate and function in our daily lives. This was the point of the dream. In order to move forward, I needed to get into the appropriate gear. Slowing down…

Practical Application

When things get dicey and someone’s triggered, we immediately stop what we’re doing to address it.

“How do we address triggers?,” one might say. Well, I’m glad you asked.

The Process:

• Identifying the negative root emotion or memory
• Ask Jesus to take the emotion tied to the memory
• Ask Jesus to heal that part of the soul

Go back to the beginning and repeat as necessary until the situation is resolved. Do this as often as needed throughout the day.

(This is a process that is referenced from The Praying Medic’s resources mentioned on our resources page. For digging further into understanding emotional healing, I recommend both of his books on the subject: 3 Easy Steps To Emotional Healing, and Emotional Healing Made Simple.)

The Value Of Slowing Down

One never really realizes how fast paced life is, until they are sidelined. I remember the feeling of being left behind after my husband’s car accident. It felt like we were falling behind the world in every way possible with no means of catching up. Looking back, that stillness was a gift. We were able to address the messy trauma of that situation head-on. Neither one of us had anywhere else to be. When situations arose, I adopted the method of stopping to pray immediately. I didn’t care what part of our daily life it was interrupting, I was hungry for God to intervene. (And He did!)

One evening while Robert and I were talking over how we’d spent a lot more time recently, stopping when ‘triggers’ arose, utilizing that time in prayer and asking Jesus to take those things… 

Holy Spirit told me: “This is shifting into first. This is what stepping into the Kingdom looks like.”

Projects around the house have dragged on longer than usual as we’ve spent more time in prayer together. We have chosen to allow the Holy Spirit to deal with triggers as they have surfaced, giving the things to Jesus in exchange for deep soul healing(s). Through the process I have been amazed at how simple and how effective it all has been. The more that we practice surrendering our time and expectations in exchange for bringing God into the middle of the situation, we experience exponentially greater healing and unity in our home.

When I first had the dream, I wrote:

I believe that God is telling us that in order for us to continue to move forward in this season, we need to surrender our expectations and purpose to respond to whatever we are facing by ‘shifting into first gear’, inserting Jesus into that place and seeking Heaven’s resolutions. It is out of this place we will find an abundance of provision for all of what we need. 

This is as true today, as it was a year ago.

The Kingdom Is Now

While God cares deeply about healing hearts, His heartbeat is that we walk in the fullness of what He has for us. That is living within the Kingdom realm here and now! Receiving deep emotional healing frees us from the chains of offense, unforgiveness, and bitterness. That is the key: “So above all, guard the affections of your heart, for they affect all that you are. Pay attention to the welfare of your innermost being, for from there flows the wellspring of life.” – Proverbs 4:23 TPT

“From that time on Jesus began to proclaim his message with the words: Keep turning away from your sins and come back to God, for heaven’s kingdom realm is now accessible.” – Matthew 4:17 TPT

Forgiveness and repentance, these are heart postures that unlock Heaven, healing, and deliverance in our lives.

Moving forward I will reference ‘shifting into first,’ or ’emotional healing’ frequently within my stories. So in order for my readers to more deeply understand where I’m coming from, I do agree with Holy Spirit; this is a great foundational space to introduce this powerful tool.

Persistence In Seeking

Holy Spirit has spoken to me the importance of resilience in my walk. I want to leave you encouraged, that while it may not seem like you’re getting the answers you’re looking for right away… be encouraged by the words of Jesus. These scriptures leapt out on the page at me this morning while I was writing this blog. I felt deep expectation for those who will read these words:

“7-8 Ask, and the gift is yours. Seek, and you’ll discover. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. For Every persistent one will get what he asks for: Every persistent seeker will discover what he longs for. And everyone who knocks persistently will one day find an open door. “

“9-11 Do you know of any parent who would give his hungry child, who asked for food, a plate of rocks instead? Or when asked for a piece of fish, what parent would offer his child a snake instead? If you, imperfect as you are, know how to lovingly take care of your children and give them what’s best, how much more ready is your Heavenly Father to give you wonderful gifts to those who ask him?” – Matthew 7:7-11 TPT

Activation Prayer:

Jesus, I ask that you help me to shift my thinking into Kingdom thinking. I desire to seek first the Kingdom of Heaven in all things, that it might be made manifest in my life today. Show me how to see my loved ones through your eyes, help me to forgive quickly and release all offenses both known and unknown that I might be carrying. Placing them into your hands. I choose to receive in exchange, your deep heart healing in my soul that I might be both healed and delivered. And that I might be able to share this same freedom with my loved ones around me. Amen.