Several months ago, God gave me this vision concerning reaching the lost in this world. Now, that the vision is coming to pass, I am truly excited. It is one thing to see what God is getting ready to do; it is another to actually see it happening.
I watched as people came to a stone-slab-alter to lay down their belongings. Some laid jewelry, others money, and some even framed pictures on the altar. But, none of it was consumed. It continued to sit there. Suddenly I heard the LORD say, “Will you give me your heart?” I said, “of course, you know you have it.” But, again, He asked the same question. I did not quite understand what He was asking of me. Then, I realized that He wanted me to lie upon the altar of sacrifice. So, I did. Instantly, He took my heart and consumed it with fire. Then, I was taken up to Him. He held me for a long time and then sent me to a dark room. I was sitting on the floor. A small boy entered the room, walked over to me and took my hand. He led me from the room to the outside. I looked and a scene of rolling green hills lay before me. It was breathtaking. The hills were all that I could see. The LORD spoke again and said, “All that you see is yours, take it.” The little boy handed me a key and then disappeared. I was standing alone before a door. It was a wooden door with a brass handle. There were no walls to hold it up. It just stood on its own. I walked to the door and slowly unlocked it and pushed it open. Inside was a whole other place. It was the streets of a city. It was dark and wet and dark shadows filled the alleys. I caught quick glimpses of dark forms creeping past the buildings, eyes watching me from the shadows. Then, I saw a lady running down the street towards me. She was wearing a pink robe and had long black hair. She looked frightened by something. She fell in front of me weeping and shaking. I took her hand to help her up off of the dirty-puddle covered ground. I looked up and saw a crowd of people standing around me. They all had that same frightened, lost look on their faces. I was overwhelmed by the amount of them. I backed away and ran back out of the door and locked it. I stood there staring at the brass handle. What had I just seen? My mind raced for an answer. I heard something behind me. I glanced over my shoulder and saw people standing there. I recognized the faces. They were from my church. I heard the LORD say, “Now, go.” I did and this time I didn’t go alone. We filtered through the door and began to minister to the many people inside.
What God is speaking is that He has given us the land and the key to the door into that land. But, He is not asking for one person to go alone, but for the church to go. The only thing that is required is a sacrifice.
Sacrifice… I have learned that the sacrifice is a lot harder than it seems. It is allowing God to be in control of your life; to trust Him with your future. Again, it is not easy. It is a process of learning to walk by faith and not by sight. To hear the words of the LORD and stand upon His promises no matter what you face. I can tell you that the biggest test of faith for me has been when God has told me something and yet everything going on around me points in the opposite direction. It breaks you. You can feel your flesh and your spirit being torn and rent. Literally, there are times when I am physically in pain fighting against unbelief and discouragement. I constantly hear the LORD saying, “Remember my promise.” Everything inside of me wants to try and make His promise happen, but I know that it doesn’t work that way. The LORD is teaching me to be patient and wait. It is a true test of faith. Every time I start to think I am seeing His promise fulfilled, something else happens to tear everything down that I have worked for up to that point. All that is left is His promise. That is all I have. I see an insurmountable wall that I know the LORD has said to go through. Yet, the harder I try, the harder I fall. The more times I attempt to break through are the times I am broken. I have asked the LORD numerous times, “Are you sure?” He just says the same thing, “Remember my promise.” I have asked myself if it is worth it and the answer is always yes. It isn’t a strong resounding word, but it is there never the less. I believe that the LORD is trying to get me to the place of “not questioning” His will. There are times when I feel that I can’t continue on with this, but it’s in those moments when I am broken that the LORD shows me glimpses of what is coming. That is when I can stand up again and push on. I feel like the little engine that could. I can’t give up, I can’t give up, I can’t give up…I know what waits for me on the other side. If there is even a slight chance that it is going to happen, I cannot turn away. But, I have heard the LORD and that is more than a chance. There is no turning back. Like I was saying before, your spirit and flesh are rent. My flesh throws things at me like, “what if you are too late?” or “you are being foolish.” But, my spirit says, “God has always been faithful to you. Don’t give up on Him now, of all times.” I hope that on the day the LORD hands me the key to the door, I will not just stand there. Does that make any sense? You see, when you have waited and fought for something for so long, it isn’t always easy to take it when it is finally given. It’s like looking in disbelief at what is before you. It’s hard to believe that it isn’t just another test, mirage, another way to break you. You know that one more break and you might give up. But, that inner-voice whispers, “Remember my promise.” You are given the strength to be broken again, so that you can come closer to that promise.
I watched as people came to a stone-slab-alter to lay down their belongings. Some laid jewelry, others money, and some even framed pictures on the altar. But, none of it was consumed. It continued to sit there. Suddenly I heard the LORD say, “Will you give me your heart?” I said, “of course, you know you have it.” But, again, He asked the same question. I did not quite understand what He was asking of me. Then, I realized that He wanted me to lie upon the altar of sacrifice. So, I did. Instantly, He took my heart and consumed it with fire. Then, I was taken up to Him. He held me for a long time and then sent me to a dark room. I was sitting on the floor. A small boy entered the room, walked over to me and took my hand. He led me from the room to the outside. I looked and a scene of rolling green hills lay before me. It was breathtaking. The hills were all that I could see. The LORD spoke again and said, “All that you see is yours, take it.” The little boy handed me a key and then disappeared. I was standing alone before a door. It was a wooden door with a brass handle. There were no walls to hold it up. It just stood on its own. I walked to the door and slowly unlocked it and pushed it open. Inside was a whole other place. It was the streets of a city. It was dark and wet and dark shadows filled the alleys. I caught quick glimpses of dark forms creeping past the buildings, eyes watching me from the shadows. Then, I saw a lady running down the street towards me. She was wearing a pink robe and had long black hair. She looked frightened by something. She fell in front of me weeping and shaking. I took her hand to help her up off of the dirty-puddle covered ground. I looked up and saw a crowd of people standing around me. They all had that same frightened, lost look on their faces. I was overwhelmed by the amount of them. I backed away and ran back out of the door and locked it. I stood there staring at the brass handle. What had I just seen? My mind raced for an answer. I heard something behind me. I glanced over my shoulder and saw people standing there. I recognized the faces. They were from my church. I heard the LORD say, “Now, go.” I did and this time I didn’t go alone. We filtered through the door and began to minister to the many people inside.
What God is speaking is that He has given us the land and the key to the door into that land. But, He is not asking for one person to go alone, but for the church to go. The only thing that is required is a sacrifice.
Sacrifice… I have learned that the sacrifice is a lot harder than it seems. It is allowing God to be in control of your life; to trust Him with your future. Again, it is not easy. It is a process of learning to walk by faith and not by sight. To hear the words of the LORD and stand upon His promises no matter what you face. I can tell you that the biggest test of faith for me has been when God has told me something and yet everything going on around me points in the opposite direction. It breaks you. You can feel your flesh and your spirit being torn and rent. Literally, there are times when I am physically in pain fighting against unbelief and discouragement. I constantly hear the LORD saying, “Remember my promise.” Everything inside of me wants to try and make His promise happen, but I know that it doesn’t work that way. The LORD is teaching me to be patient and wait. It is a true test of faith. Every time I start to think I am seeing His promise fulfilled, something else happens to tear everything down that I have worked for up to that point. All that is left is His promise. That is all I have. I see an insurmountable wall that I know the LORD has said to go through. Yet, the harder I try, the harder I fall. The more times I attempt to break through are the times I am broken. I have asked the LORD numerous times, “Are you sure?” He just says the same thing, “Remember my promise.” I have asked myself if it is worth it and the answer is always yes. It isn’t a strong resounding word, but it is there never the less. I believe that the LORD is trying to get me to the place of “not questioning” His will. There are times when I feel that I can’t continue on with this, but it’s in those moments when I am broken that the LORD shows me glimpses of what is coming. That is when I can stand up again and push on. I feel like the little engine that could. I can’t give up, I can’t give up, I can’t give up…I know what waits for me on the other side. If there is even a slight chance that it is going to happen, I cannot turn away. But, I have heard the LORD and that is more than a chance. There is no turning back. Like I was saying before, your spirit and flesh are rent. My flesh throws things at me like, “what if you are too late?” or “you are being foolish.” But, my spirit says, “God has always been faithful to you. Don’t give up on Him now, of all times.” I hope that on the day the LORD hands me the key to the door, I will not just stand there. Does that make any sense? You see, when you have waited and fought for something for so long, it isn’t always easy to take it when it is finally given. It’s like looking in disbelief at what is before you. It’s hard to believe that it isn’t just another test, mirage, another way to break you. You know that one more break and you might give up. But, that inner-voice whispers, “Remember my promise.” You are given the strength to be broken again, so that you can come closer to that promise.
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