Recently the Lord spoke to me saying: “Tell My people that they are being taxed because of H&R block. My children are having their prosperity diminished, their ministry made difficult, and every aspect of their lives reduced and burdened because they have not fully embraced H&R — Humility and Repentance. If they will embrace humility — knowing that although I want to do great things through them yet they can do nothing of lasting value without Me as the Instigator and the Empowerer; and if they will choose to walk in a spirit of repentance — seeing repentance as a gift that brings them freedom and restores obedience, then I will restore to them My yoke, which is light, and begin to manifest My abundant life through their lives.”

The Lord is clearly warning us that we are being taxed by the enemy! One definition for the word “tax” is: “a fee or duty levied to help meet expenses; the extraction of a toll or surcharge; a burdensome demand, obligation, or duty; a strain.” One reason the average believer is not living the abundant life which Jesus not only promised us but died to give us is that they are not postured to prosper financially or spiritually. Because they are not in right standing with the Lord, the enemy is allowed to take his toll against them. We need to be standing in the place of immunity, and the Lord is saying in our day that to get there we need to embrace humility and repentance.

Humility is important in a believer’s life because it keeps us in right standing with God. Humility is not thinking of yourself as inadequate, but realizing that you are only adequate because of the Lord in your life. Look at what God has promised to the humble. He will save the humble … guide the humble … sustain the humble … give grace to the humble … and crown the humble with salvation. The Bible tells us that God draws near the humble, but resists the proud (James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:5). Humility keeps both the face of God and the favor of God focused on our lives. The Scriptures also shows us that Satan is prideful while Jesus is humble. Whose camp would you rather be in? God wants His Church not only to acknowledge humility as a good thing, but to embrace it as a lifestyle.

The Lord is also looking for us to be a repentant people — because repentance returns us to a right relationship with God. Much of what gets passed off as repentance in the Church in our day is really little more than rationalization, regret, and remorse stated in a religious tone. To truly repent means we must meekly declare that we have sinned and ask to be forgiven. We need to be a repenting people who are ever in that place before God. The position of power in the church is not standing on a soapbox getting something off your chest, nor is it standing with outstretched arms and accusing finger pointed, but down on our knees in humble repentance. This is a position posed for promotion! Repentance is not something we should run from, but something we should run toward! It is a gift that brings freedom and restores obedience. A repentant heart is a heart that will attract both the attention and the blessing of God.

In the spring of every year Americans reach a day of freedom and liberty that most do not even know about, let alone celebrate. It has come to be known as “Tax Freedom Day.” On this day the average American has finally earned enough money to pay all the taxes they will have to pay for the year. Up until this day you are really working for the government and not for yourself. Think of it, even after we have worked for 28-35% of the year, all we have done is managed to pay for our tax burden.

The good news for you and me as children in the kingdom of God is that we don’t have to work and wait, longing for the day when we have finally satisfied our tax obligation spiritually. The Lord paid the price so we can live immune to the enemy’s desire to make our lives difficult, diminished, and defeated – God’s “tax-free” zone. Today can be tax freedom day for you! You can get the enemy’s hand out of your pocketbook … and keep him out. You can reduce the warfare and increase the effect of your ministry. You can come to the place of freedom from living a burdened and diminished life and start to truly live a life that displays the abundance the Lord has promised. This isn’t some “1-800 Infomercial” promise; this is an unchanging principle of the kingdom of God. We can start today by setting our hearts to fully embrace humility and repentance on an ongoing basis. Choose to say yes to God’s call … freedom is within your grasp!