So here I was, driving down the Bass Highway, in a full on ugly, ugly cry. Complete with boogers.
Sometimes, even though you have been pressing into a matter, have been warned that it will happen, and are expecting it, the timing that God chooses to deal with it, can both take you by surprise and seem like a bit of an inconvenience; even in all its glory…
Thankfully, I remembered I had a one of those cans of tissues that fit into the cup holders in the car? Otherwise it would have been a complete disaster!
What just happened, was God had shown me a picture of myself at the age of 2, sitting on a seat or a box or something; and kneeling down in front of this 2-year-old me was Jesus, putting tiny little white slippers on my feet.
I have been working with Father to find the breakthrough point on an issue for ten months- and counting. Recently, the focus has switched from looking for a physical source for breakthrough, to a specifically spiritual source. This should have been my go-to from the beginning, but my focus went from Jesus to ‘diet and exercise’, and honestly, that was my biggest mistake.
As the process of focusing my eyes back on Jesus for the source of the breakthrough for this issue strengthened, I was still thinking that there was only one thing that needed fixing. I had hit a wall back in November, and that wall needed to be broken.
It turns out that the thing that I wanted fixed, was not the source of the problem. What God has done, there at 110kms/hour on the Bass Highway, has the potential to deal with things in my life that far outstrip the one issue that I thought I was dealing with…
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thorn bush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever.” Isaiah 55:8-13 (NIV)
I wanted a wall broken. He has not broken a wall. Instead, by showing me that picture of Him putting white slippers on the feet of me as a 2-year-old, He has sovereignly taken action at the source of not just the issue I wanted dealt with, but very possibly, every single issue that I have been battling since early childhood.
The challenge that I had been set at the beginning of this most recent journey was the key. Was I prepared for Jesus to deal with the real root cause of the problem, not just what I thought was the issue. Was I prepared to allow God to be God, to get out of the way and let Him do what He saw fit to address what He wanted to address.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)
It is one of God’s most amazing promises, that verse in Isaiah 55:11, where He says “…my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” It means that anything He has ever said to us will come to pass, and if we can trust water to make the flowers grow, without seeing the process happen, then we can trust the words that He speaks to us to happen.
The reason I’m so excited about this is because this is something that although it seems like a short journey (only 10 months), I think it is the beginning of the fulfillment of a long list of things that I have been contending for, for nearly 10 years.
Each of us have different things that we are waiting with God for. We have something that we have not yet seen the fulfillment of His word to us for. Whether it’s a physical provision, a promise, an emotional or physical healing, breakthrough in an area in our life or in our family, something in our fellowship family, in our region, nation, or something in another area of influence that we are responsible for…
What God Speaks, He Does.
I have no idea why it is now, nearly ten years after His first promises were spoken that He has chosen to do this. I don’t know if I wasn’t ready before, if I wasn’t asking the right questions, we may have needed to do a bunch of healing in other areas first. I know that I have acquired a lot of discipline that I have not had in the past, and learned responsibility, rest, relationship, love, reconciliation, how to contend from rest (with only a little frustration- ouch), and how to listen better. As well as a lot of other things that are life skills with Holy Spirit that I never had previously. There are all kinds of things to consider- or speculate about…
The key for me this time had been two things: Firstly; to recognize that I had slipped into operating according to the wisdom of the kingdom of the world, and secondly; to ask a right question [or set of questions]: What is the source of this problem God? What is Your solution? How do you want to deal with this? What do you want me to do? Help me to do it.
I should ask Him how to deal with things more often…
Ouch.
God Bless You Very Much.
Anita.
Here are a few more details about this particular breakthrough:
As an adult, I’ve learned about the spiritual significance of protecting ourselves when we cross territories. Not having any real idea that as a child, I was unprotected, and it seems it was the act of crossing territories with unprotected feet as a small child that was the original source of many of the issues I am now working to break through. By a sovereign act, God both revealed and dealt with it. I will be grateful forever.
Over the weeks previous, Jesus walked me backwards through my childhood, and we looked at many different things, until that moment, and the ugly, ugly cry.
I don’t know if there are still things that need to be dealt with, a journey that needs to be walked out, but I am so grateful that He saw fit to go to where He saw fit, and not only to where I thought was necessary!
One of the things that it’s important, is follow through with the things that He asks us to do to cooperate with Him while He’s lining up all the ducks. For me; I had to repent for looking at the world’s view of what would ‘work’ and go back to looking at Jesus. Then He lead me on a journey of faith building and soaking, remembering Who He Is and What He Has Said. It wasn’t huge mountain climbing stuff, three ¾ day fasts with prayer, watching a Katie Souza web stream and soaking overnight with a specific Bible passage and a particular soaking disc for a week; and being prepared to go on the emotional journey that He lead me on, backwards through some things to get to the place He wanted to address.
On the first of September, Cindy Jacobs released a powerful word called “Living In Power” which you can also read on her website Generals International I hope it might bless you as much as it has blessed me this month. x Anita
This is a prophetic word by Cindy Jacobs that was recorded about God's nature as a father. You can listen to the word through the audio player below. [on her website]
This is chapter 8, Romans, “Living by the power of the Holy Spirit”:
So now the case is closed. There remains no accusing voice of condemnation against those who are joined in life union with Jesus the anointed one. For the law of the life-giving spirit, flowing through the anointing of Jesus, has liberated us from the law of sin and death. For God achieved what the law wasn't able to accomplish because the law was limited by the weakness of human flesh. (The Passion Translation)
And the Lord would say, "You feel very human. You feel that you have so many limitations that you are becoming bound by how you define yourself," says the Lord. But the Lord says, "I do not see you as you see yourself. I do not look at you as a weak person, incapable to stand against the storms of life," says the Lord.
"But I look at you as My beloved child. When I look at you, my heart leaps! I am joyful; you make Me happy just to look at you," says the Lord.
So do not listen to the accusing voices—those that would say you have just messed up or maybe there are things that you meant to do, but you didn't do. For the Lord says, "This is the season of rewind. This is the season where I'm allowing you to go back to a place where you felt that you totally destroyed your life, or times and seasons where others brought destruction into your life, and I will restore. I am able to do this miraculously," says the Lord.
"If you believe in Me, if you trust in Me—just as the little child, when the father says ‘Jump!,’ the little child would freely jump from a high place into the arms of the father, and the father would say, ‘I would catch you.’ Do you believe I will catch you? Do you believe that no matter what your circumstances, whatever is happening to you, that I have the ability to catch you, to hold you and to keep you safe? For I will do this," says the Lord.
And the Lord says, "This season of rewind will bring you to a place where you will not be lower than you were, but you'll find yourself coming to a large place. You will find yourself coming to still waters and green pastures, for this is My nature as a father," says the Lord.
Katie Souza Web Stream – Miracles in the Night. I recommend this web stream, and also the resources that are associated with it, from her website. The Miracles in the Night teaching and soaking album which you can find on the Expected End Ministries Website.