Striking vs. Speaking: Why Your Methods from the Last Season Won't Work in This One
Have you ever found yourself crying out, "How long, Lord? How long?"
Maybe you are in a season of waiting that feels more like a parched desert than a land of promise. You’ve done the work, you’ve followed the "formulas" that worked before, and yet, the breakthrough remains just out of reach. You are striking the rock with everything you have, but only a few drops are trickling out.
What if the reason for the delay isn't God’s reluctance, but your method? What if the very things that brought you success in the last season are the exact things hindering your progress in this one?
At The Language of Pearls Podcast, we focus on turning life’s toughest trials into divine treasures. Today, we are diving deep into a spiritual shift that every Christian woman entrepreneur and creative must make to enter their next level of Kingdom purpose.
It’s time to move from striking the rock to speaking to the rock.
The Tale of Two Rocks: From Effort to Authority
In Exodus 17, the Israelites were thirsty, and God commanded Moses to strike the rock. Moses obeyed, and water gushed out. It was a season of physical effort, a visual demonstration of God's power through a decisive act.
Fast forward to Numbers 20. The people are thirsty again. Moses reaches for his staff, ready to repeat the miracle. But this time, God’s instruction was different: "Speak to the rock."
Moses, frustrated and angry, struck the rock twice instead. Water still flowed because God is faithful, but Moses suffered a heavy consequence: he was barred from the Promised Land. Why? Because he relied on an old method instead of a new instruction. He chose human effort over spiritual authority.
For the creative visionary, this is a vital lesson. Are you still trying to "force" your business or ministry to grow through the same "striking" (hustle, old strategies, human strength) that worked years ago? God is calling you to a higher level of spiritual growth where you operate in the authority of your words and your alignment with His Spirit.
Why the Breakthrough is Delayed
If you feel stuck in the wilderness, it is time for some holy introspection. There are often four main hindrances to our breakthrough:
- Disobedience: Sometimes we do what we think is best rather than what God specifically instructed. Delayed obedience is still disobedience.
- Unbelief: We strike the rock because we don't trust that our words (our prayers and faith) are enough. We feel we must "add" our effort to God's grace.
- Dark Forces: In Mark 4, Jesus encountered a storm on his way to deliver a man. The storm was a spiritual delay. Jesus didn't "strike" the water; He spoke to it: "Silence, be still."
- Lack of Discipline: We desire the Kingdom purpose, but do we have the discipline to sit at His feet? True biblical leadership requires a surrendered schedule.
Personal Testimony: Leaving the "Familiar" for the Call
One of the hardest parts of moving from "striking" to "speaking" is the shift in identity. In my own journey, God asked me to do something that felt like an insult in my Hispanic culture: He asked me to walk away from the expectations of my family of origin to laser-focus on the ministry He had for me.
I felt a "false responsibility" to carry them, to stay close, and to do what was expected. But God was clear: If you love father or mother more than me, you are not worthy of being mine (Matthew 10:37).
Stepping into your Kingdom purpose often means disappointing people who are not fully surrendered to God. When you stop "striking" the rock to please the crowd and start "speaking" only what God says, those around you might become uncomfortable. But remember: God will take care of them. Your job is to obey.
Get Ready for the "Go"
In Exodus, before the final breakthrough, God told the people to eat their meal with their sandals on and their staff in hand. They had to be ready for the moment He said "Go."
Are your affairs in order? Are you building your faith by praying in the Spirit? To shorten your time in the wilderness, you must:
- Build your faith: Surround yourself with encouraging, godly people.
- Practice Discipline: Make room in your life for what you want to see.
- Trust the New Thing: Don't die in the wilderness because you are clinging to old wine.
The rock is Christ. He is traveling with you, and He is ready to provide. Stop striking. Start speaking.
Listen to the Full Episode
Want to dive deeper into this teaching? Listen to the full replay of this powerful episode on The Language of Pearls Podcast. Learn how to identify the "dark forces" causing your delay and how to step into your full authority as a daughter of the King.
Sweet hugs, my friend.