i believe we are in a season where the Lord is desiring to eradicate fear in His people.
and He's doing it by drawing His Bride closer.
greater revelation, greater encounters, a clearer picture of who He is-- knowing Him, seeing Him. This is what removes all fear. [Him--perfect Love].
a sister shared a word in church a couple weeks back and it's been a theme along with many others.. but it's stuck with me most clearly.
"if you saw My face-- you would fear no thing.''
and so the question on my heart has been "Beloved, are you beholding Me? are you able to see My face? have you set Me always before you? Are there things in the way--blocking and distorting and hindering your ability to see Me clearly?-- and if so, what are you willing to put aside, detach from, even remove, so that You can be free to see Me and know Me?"
there's a lot of talk right now-- prophetic, hearsay, questioning, doubting, Biblical, fear-based, faith-based.. lots and lots of talk.
about the days we're living in, the hour of history this is, where we fall right now in Biblical prophesy, the state of our nation & the rapid spiraling down into darkness and injustice that is taking place, homosexual marriage, Planned Parenthood, wars and rumors of wars-- nuclear weapon deals, standing with or against Israel, the state of our economy-- red flags to another economic meltdown, the Chinese stock market crashing, the Shemitahs, the blood moons, potential ginormous earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes.
we're shaken at the talk of a shaking coming.
but beloved, HE is the One who tells us about these things-- it's all throughout the New Testament and prophetically throughout the Old.
and we read that "there will signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and waves,
men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken." [luke 21:25-26]
I can't say what exactly is ahead, but i do know that the Day draws near.
and I can't say exactly what all is going to take place and when,
but i am here to say that the Body of Christ is NOT meant to be the ones whose hearts fail from fear. "Jehovah of Hosts who is bringing [His return and the exchange of this world for His Kingdom] to pass, who is moving all things toward this culmination is with us"--
and we are called to diligently watch, and dare I even say, eagerly anticipate.
and so,
I want to give you this Psalm [Psalm 46] that you've probably all read before, and probably even have bits and pieces memorized..
but my prayer is that you read it with fresh, open eyes and receive it on fresh, fertile heart soil-- so as to truly SEE the One who is with us and for us.
God is our refuge [the person to whom one flees; shelter; hope; place of trust]
and strength [might; force; boldness; power],
a very [wholly; speedily]
present [to be enough, to cause to encounter]
help in trouble [narrow; tight; enemy; affliction; tribulation].
>> THEREFORE<< we will NOT fear
though the earth gives way;
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
selah [pause and carefully consider-- meditate on it]. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High. [Awareness of His closeness fills us with joy even in the bleakest of times].
God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God will be her help when morning dawns.
the nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
He utters His voice, the earth melts. [Awareness of the power just behind His voice].
The Lord of Hosts is with us; [God of the armies of Heaven is with us--you, and me].
the God of Jacob is our fortress. [Awareness that He is not merely God of the big {the God of Israel}, He is God of the small, the individual, the details {the God of Jacob}.
selah [pause and carefully consider--meditate on it]. come, behold the works of the Lord,
how He has brought desolations on the earth. [Awareness of His sovereignty].
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
He burns the chariots with fire.
"Be still, and know that I am God. [not only a general call for His people to quiet themselves before Him to know Him-- but a command to the tossing waves and treacherous wind, to the enemy and all the forces of hell-- to be still, to cease, to come to an end, and know that He and He alone is God].
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!" [Awareness of the ending of all the chaos-- HE WILL BE, not hopefully, well it sure doesn't look like He will be, exalted.]
The Lord of Hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. [closing reminder that this God of the armies of Heaven, who is also the God of individual man, is our fortress-- high place, retreat, secure height]. selah [pause and carefully consider--meditate on it].
whatever is coming,
there is both promise of tribulation and of revival,
Beloved, we are walking into destiny--not destruction.
may we see His face, and may we fear no thing,
and may we not merely survive in these last days-- but thrive.
so stockpile the Word of God in your heart-- for it will be the only thing that feeds and sustains us. and get to High Ground [our Fortress-- lead me to the Rock that is higher than I (Psalm 62:2)].
may "God, the source of hope, fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13).
so awaken and watch, and eagerly anticipate..
for we long for the Day when “the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15).
and He's doing it by drawing His Bride closer.
greater revelation, greater encounters, a clearer picture of who He is-- knowing Him, seeing Him. This is what removes all fear. [Him--perfect Love].
a sister shared a word in church a couple weeks back and it's been a theme along with many others.. but it's stuck with me most clearly.
"if you saw My face-- you would fear no thing.''
and so the question on my heart has been "Beloved, are you beholding Me? are you able to see My face? have you set Me always before you? Are there things in the way--blocking and distorting and hindering your ability to see Me clearly?-- and if so, what are you willing to put aside, detach from, even remove, so that You can be free to see Me and know Me?"
there's a lot of talk right now-- prophetic, hearsay, questioning, doubting, Biblical, fear-based, faith-based.. lots and lots of talk.
about the days we're living in, the hour of history this is, where we fall right now in Biblical prophesy, the state of our nation & the rapid spiraling down into darkness and injustice that is taking place, homosexual marriage, Planned Parenthood, wars and rumors of wars-- nuclear weapon deals, standing with or against Israel, the state of our economy-- red flags to another economic meltdown, the Chinese stock market crashing, the Shemitahs, the blood moons, potential ginormous earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes.
we're shaken at the talk of a shaking coming.
but beloved, HE is the One who tells us about these things-- it's all throughout the New Testament and prophetically throughout the Old.
and we read that "there will signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and waves,
men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken." [luke 21:25-26]
I can't say what exactly is ahead, but i do know that the Day draws near.
and I can't say exactly what all is going to take place and when,
but i am here to say that the Body of Christ is NOT meant to be the ones whose hearts fail from fear. "Jehovah of Hosts who is bringing [His return and the exchange of this world for His Kingdom] to pass, who is moving all things toward this culmination is with us"--
and we are called to diligently watch, and dare I even say, eagerly anticipate.
and so,
I want to give you this Psalm [Psalm 46] that you've probably all read before, and probably even have bits and pieces memorized..
but my prayer is that you read it with fresh, open eyes and receive it on fresh, fertile heart soil-- so as to truly SEE the One who is with us and for us.
God is our refuge [the person to whom one flees; shelter; hope; place of trust]
and strength [might; force; boldness; power],
a very [wholly; speedily]
present [to be enough, to cause to encounter]
help in trouble [narrow; tight; enemy; affliction; tribulation].
>> THEREFORE<< we will NOT fear
though the earth gives way;
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
selah [pause and carefully consider-- meditate on it]. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High. [Awareness of His closeness fills us with joy even in the bleakest of times].
God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God will be her help when morning dawns.
the nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
He utters His voice, the earth melts. [Awareness of the power just behind His voice].
The Lord of Hosts is with us; [God of the armies of Heaven is with us--you, and me].
the God of Jacob is our fortress. [Awareness that He is not merely God of the big {the God of Israel}, He is God of the small, the individual, the details {the God of Jacob}.
selah [pause and carefully consider--meditate on it]. come, behold the works of the Lord,
how He has brought desolations on the earth. [Awareness of His sovereignty].
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
He burns the chariots with fire.
"Be still, and know that I am God. [not only a general call for His people to quiet themselves before Him to know Him-- but a command to the tossing waves and treacherous wind, to the enemy and all the forces of hell-- to be still, to cease, to come to an end, and know that He and He alone is God].
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!" [Awareness of the ending of all the chaos-- HE WILL BE, not hopefully, well it sure doesn't look like He will be, exalted.]
The Lord of Hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. [closing reminder that this God of the armies of Heaven, who is also the God of individual man, is our fortress-- high place, retreat, secure height]. selah [pause and carefully consider--meditate on it].
whatever is coming,
there is both promise of tribulation and of revival,
Beloved, we are walking into destiny--not destruction.
may we see His face, and may we fear no thing,
and may we not merely survive in these last days-- but thrive.
so stockpile the Word of God in your heart-- for it will be the only thing that feeds and sustains us. and get to High Ground [our Fortress-- lead me to the Rock that is higher than I (Psalm 62:2)].
may "God, the source of hope, fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13).
so awaken and watch, and eagerly anticipate..
for we long for the Day when “the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15).
