Gratitude for the Rich Legacy and Inheritance left by Jill Austin

During times when God’s generals transition into eternal glory, it is understandable that we feel at a loss, sad, or maybe even bewildered – especially when we feel it was way before they should have departed. What will be our response? Will it be greater determination than ever to get to grips with the heritage left for us, and then grab that baton and run harder and faster than before?

This morning many of us woke up to the news of Jill’s passing into Glory. Phone calls, text messages, and emails resulted, plus a plethora of expressions surfaced on Facebook.

Various comments I heard, such as, tragedies like Jill’s and Michal Ann Goll’s passing would severely knock people’s faith, and put into question this whole thing about healing and raising the death. Lots of young believers who were told that God heals, if only they believed, would be shaken.

Next,  assumptions were buzzing around. Was it Jill’s time to go? Had Jill finished her assignment and just taken home? Who was responsible for the death … God, the devil, unrepented sin, or any other fruitless speculations? Why would something like that happen to someone who was a pillar in the Body of Christ? I mean, Jill and Michael Ann were so intensely close and intimate with the Lord. They were strategic to the End-Time moves of God, mobilising and encouraging His Bride to press in deeper into His presence, totally abandoned to the dance of love and intimacy with the Holy Spirit.

Why?

I personally believe it is futile to try and understand all the why’s we are facing. One day, when we all are in Glory, we will have a clear understanding. Meanwhile, God is good all the time, and we are challenged to adore Him in abandoned worship and trust, even in our pain and grieving.

Once we’ve cried our tears and rejoice over their life, it’s time to refocus.

There is an interesting situation in the Book of Joshua:

“AFTER THE death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ minister,  “Moses My servant is dead. So now arise [take his place], go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land which I am giving to them, the Israelites.” ” (Joshua 1:1-2  Amplified Bible).

What a statement by God, “Moses My servant is dead”, as if Joshua did not know! After all Joshua and the Children of Israel had been grieving the loss of their leader.

I believe God made a statement of closure. After we have gone through our time of bewilderment and sorrow, it’s time to rise up and pick up the rich legacy and inheritance left for us to pursue and contend for greater glory.

It’s time to go over our Jordan into our land which He has given us.

Jill has now joined the Cloud of Witnesses; we must press in and run with the mantle she left behind as an inheritance for us.

The baton is handed over to whosoever will grab it and run with it.

There is no longer one Jill, but thousands of Jills who will pick up that mantel of fiery passion, unflinching abandonment and trust in our Lord, thrusting deeper into His heart, His intimacy, His Glory.
No, not thousands of Jill clones, but those who pick up the intensity of the Glory fire, the unrelenting burning quest for greater intimcay with Holy Spirit   mapped onto our own assignment and unique purpose.

Jill was a world changer, un-intimidated by the demands of ‘men’. She cared only about one thing to love the Lord her God with all her heart, to love well those she was assigned to, and to do the will of the Father with great joy.

I experienced Jill several times here in London, but that was enough to impact my life. Her fierce love and passion for the Lord was a fire that she ignited in the hearts of many.

Her love filled command-question still ring in my ears: ‘Will you be a carrier of His presence?’

Let us pick up a great legacy and a vast inheritance now left for us to run where Jill has left off. She has finished her race; the baton is handed to us.

What is it about Jill that is burnt in my heart forever? It’s her passion for true intimacy with her best friend Holy Spirit – and ablility to challenge and ignite that passion in others.

It is the childlikeness in her approach to the things of the Kingdom. (Matthew 18: 3 “And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”).

“Do you want to play?” was her question.

In childlike purity, she had fun, loved to laugh, never took herself too seriously, yes, she enjoyed life like a kid.

She loved the arts and easily saw metaphors and prophetic allegories for Kingdom applications in movies, such as “Hook” …. take flying lessons!

In all the fun and intimacy, she also saw the wild, ferocious unpredictableness of God. ‘Aslan is not a tame Lion!’ (C.S. Lewis). God cannot be contained, He is God!

She was relational, a deep feeler, lover of people. To her it was all about friendship, compassion, humility.

A political spirit was far from her. ‘Let God make a way, was her motto. She understood Holy Spirit etiquette and prophetic protocol.

In a man’s world, as a single woman, she moved with the feminine gracefulness, wisdom, and prophetic strategy of an Esther. She honoured men, but called women forth to contend for God’s higher purposes in their lives.

She was a catalyst and igniter of passion, relentlessly asking the question to whoever listened to her: “Do you want more of Him? What you have is good, but do you want more?”

Will we sit back and say, “Ahh, what a tremendous loss for the Body of Christ that we do not have Jill any longer with us”? or do we dare to get an even deeper understanding of the inheritance and potential left to us, appropriate this unique heritage to our own assignment, running with even greater determination and say, “Thank you Jill, you loved well, your fire continues to burn in increasing measure!”

In loving memory,

Geli

Did you find this post inspiring, informative, or interesting? Would you like to read more? Please visit my other website “Feminine Renaissance.com” .

God bless!

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© Copyright Geli Heimann – Journey Of Intimacy, 2008. All Rights Reserved

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The Journey Of Intimacy – Geli Heimann BSc( Hons), MSc BPsych, is a NLP Practitioner, Business Psychologist and Psychosexual Educator, based on Positive Psychology, Mind Technologies and Christ-Centred Spirituality – an Invitation to Hope, Healing, Growth, Joy and Bliss.

Rev. Heimann combines Christ-Centred Spirituality with Positive Psychology to assist couples or individuals seeking her advice to discover their unique personal inner strengths, build their faith, wellness, well-being, and happiness: mentally, emotionally, sexually and spiritually, to facilitate growth, and learn skills to build positive emotions, optimism and resilience while decreasing unhelpful thinking, behaviours and emotions.

Part 1 of 10 – Jill Austin – Sword of the Spirit

Part 2 of 10 – Jill Austin – Sword of the Spirit

Part 3 of 10 – Jill Austin – Sword of the Spirit

Part 4 of 10 – Jill Austin – Sword of the Spirit

Part 5 of 10 – Jill Austin – Sword of the Spirit

Part 6 of 10 – Jill Austin – Sword of the Spirit

Part 7 of 10 – Jill Austin – Sword of the Spirit

Part 8 of 10 – Jill Austin – Sword of the Spirit

Part 9 of 10 – Jill Austin – Sword of the Spirit

Part 10 of 10 – Jill Austin – Sword of the Spirit

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The following  scenes from the film “Hook” (1991) will ONLY make sense If you’ve watched Jill Austin’s message above.

As mentioned above, one of Jill’s keys in the approach to the things of the Kingdom and life was her childlikeness. ( Matthew 18: 3 “And he said: “And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”).

Do you want to play? Do you know how to have fun? Do you want to fly? Or have you become too grown-up, too encumbered by life’s pain and hardships? Has the intensity of ministry and growing up in life snuffed out your joy, happiness and childlikeness? Have you lost your wildness in God and the andventure in the Holy Spirit?

Ignite or re-ignite that passion! Rekindle that childlike fun and play. Be outrageous in your love for Him and learn to fly out of  the intimacy and joy with Him.

– Hold that Happy Thought

and fly!