Each of us are longing, hoping, waiting for something. At times it seems as if all hope is lost, too much time has passed, circumstances shout loudly into our hearts and say ‘give this up, it’s never going to happen’! There is not even a glimmer of light in the distance that the sun will rise on that which we are hoping for! Have you been there? Are you there now?
Are you still waiting for a physical or emotional healing, a relationship to be restored, a prodigal to come home, financial provisions, deliverance from an addiction or stronghold? There is GREAT NEWS! We know and serve the GOD OF ALL HOPE!
I LOVE to worship and sing! I mean I would rather do that during the entire church service than hear a sermon… sorry pastors! Being in the church choir I noticed I was having trouble with my singing voice until eventually after 15 years I had to drop out. Gradually over the past 10 years my speaking voice became affected as well until this past Spring when everyday talking became incredibly difficult!
After a number of doctors and tests, I’ve been diagnosed with Spasmodic Dysphonia. It’s a neurological disorder where the nerve impulses from the basal ganglia in the brain do not send the right signals to the vocal chords which cause them to go into spasms. It’s a great effort to get words out and when I do I sound as if I am 100 years old or have had a stroke. There is not much volume so people can’t hear me very well and there is no way I can go through a drive through or talk on the phone.
I always took my voice for granted but have realized that not having one takes away the very essence of my personality and isolates me socially from family and friends! I miss being able to sing to my grandchildren and it’s such an effort to read them stories, not to mention I sound like a frog with laryngitis! And when you’re married to someone who LOVES to talk and have conversations, it takes that crucial part of your marriage away! Of course my hubs has been really understanding but one sided convos are not a lot of fun! The most difficult fallout is having to back away from ministering on the Freedom/Healing and Prophetic teams at church. Being difficult to understand is neither comforting nor encouraging! My passion is to pray over, disciple and encourage those who are hurting! I think I miss that most of all! Oh and did I mention there is no cure? Botox shots through your neck into your vocal chords offer temporary relief for some but has to be repeated every 2-3 months for the rest of your life! And so I wait! I wait for God to restore my voice!
I know there are many of you who are experiencing much more difficult trials than I’m going through and have waited years for God to answer the cries of your heart! There are those of you where time is of the essence and you need your answer NOW…A critical diagnosis or a large debt that’s due soon. Depression, weariness, hopelessness and even despair have dug deep, dark ditches in your soul! Some of you may have already given up or on the edge of saying game over. And there are some of you who have just begun to wait for God to move.
As we wait and wait and wait, we are easy prey for the enemy! He loves it when we get discouraged and start questioning and doubting the Lord! Just as satan said to Eve in the garden “Did God really say…”. He begins to accuse us and God, and since he is the father of lies, he begins to speak (lie) to us about our situations. Well us Jesus lovers didn’t just fall of the turnip truck! We know there is only one way to defeat Satan and his lies and that’s with the Truth found in His WORD!!
Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you to a Scripture in the Word that is a right now living and active specific PROMISE for YOU. Satan can NOT counter the Truth in the WORD! He knows he’s dead in the water and he doesn’t have a leg/tail/pitchfork to stand on! THE WORD ALWAYS WINS! 💪📖👏✝
Over the past 10 years as I have waited for my singing voice to return and now my speaking voice and have talked with countless others who are waiting for answers to their prayers, I have been seeking the Lord and asking Him:
WHAT DO WE DO WHILE WE ARE WAITING?
******HOPE!******
IF WE LOSE HOPE WE LOSE!
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” Proverbs 13:12
H.O.P.E. stands for Having Only Positive Expectations. When we pray asking God to move, do we really EXPECT Him to? Do we speak negative things about our circumstances or do we declare what God says!
“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”John 15:7
“And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will he hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him.”1John 5:14-15
“Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”John 14:13,14
“You will receive whatever you ask for in prayer, if you believe.”Matt 21:22
“I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”Matt 17:20
Most all of these Scriptures are the red letter state your life and reputation on take it to the bank Promises that JESUS Himself spoke! It doesn’t get any better than that! You must have a come to Jesus meeting and make a choice whether you are going to believe Him and take Him at His Word… or not! And remember asking the Holy Spirit for a Scripture promise to counteract satans accusations and lies telling you that God will never answer that prayer? Well there’s your right now Word that is even now being sent forth by God Himself to accomplish what it was sent forth to do!
Need healing? “That evening many demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command, and he healed all the sick. This fulfilled the word of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, who said, “He took our sicknesses and removed our diseases.”Matt 8:16-17
Salvation for a loved one? “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”2Peter 3:9
Need provision? “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus.”Phil 4:19
There’s a Promise for whatever you are asking God for! Of course if you’re waiting for your new 2018 Porsche or 5,000 square ft beach house in Carmel, you might just get old and grey waiting! We can’t jump on the blab it grab it gravy train BUT the Lord does love to bless His children! But seriously, we know the Lord wants His children to experience the ABUNDANT life He came to give us and that includes healing and wholeness in our body, soul and spirit as well as ALL of our needs being met!
Here is another thing the Lord is teaching me in the wait!
******CONTEND!******
The definition of contend is “to exert one’s self to obtain or retain possession of, or to defend.” Jacob wrestled /contended with God and told Him he wasn’t letting go until He blessed him! In 1Timothy we are told to fight the good fight! But no worries! Apart from Him we can’t do anything and it’s His strength and power that lives in us that allows us to CONTEND for the Promises! We can not do it without HIM and if we try we’ll feel like a 5k runner trying to run a marathon!🏃♀️🏃
The following is taken from an article written by Jim Goll who knows a lot about contending as he was healed of terminal cancer.
“Why Contending Is Necessary
A. You are contending for more than just yourself – your breakthrough is for others!
Please realize that what you are going through is not just about you! Every personal breakthrough is so that you can release faith, courage, healing, and the grace package you just received from God to others. Maybe you are contending for a breakthrough in cancer. Maybe you are laboring for a victory over generational curses. Well, your individual, personal victory builds a testimony which helps others receive what you fought so hard for. You are contending for your family, church culture, city, and even nation. Come on now, you are contending for more than just yourself!
B. It strengthens you in God. It builds you up!
If you work out, you look buff. If you are a couch potato, then you will resemble one. In the ways of God, contending in the spiritual is a lot like lifting weights – there is a resistance factor that eventually works in your favor. Your contending causes you to grow up spiritually, cleanses your motivations, and builds you up. The process of becoming might seem intense at times, but believe me, it strengthens you in the long run.
C. There is a real enemy who opposes your promise. Your fulfilled dream is the enemy’s nightmare!
Why is contending necessary? Because we have a real enemy and your success is a threat to the kingdom of darkness. We must put on the full armor of God because your wrestling match is not against your boss, spouse, pastor, or children. Our battle is against the powers and principalities of darkness and evil spirits in the heavenly places.
Last but not least, the Lord is teaching me to:
******REST!******
I know I just talked about contending and that seems like the antagonist to rest, but we contend by His Spirit and in His strength. The Lord beckons us to lie down in green pastures but sometimes He MAKES us! Psalm 23 He promises us peace in the midst of storms and protection from all that is meant to harm us! Chew and mediate on Psalm 91!
We can rest while we wait because all of our HOPE is in Him! He is FAITHFUL AND TRUSTWORTHY AND TRUE TO HIS WORD!!
“And because of His glory and excellence, He has given us GREAT and PRECIOUS PROMISES. These are the promises that enable you to share His divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires” 2Peter 1:4
He is our Advocate, our Redeemer, our Deliverer, our Provider, our Healer, our Prince of Peace and so much more! So we rest in His GOODNESS while we wait! For
HE WHO HAS PROMISED IS FAITHFUL!
So as we WAIT we:
HOPE
CONTEND
REST
And the Lord will show each of you some other things He wants you to know, to do or to learn until you see the fulfillment of what you’ve been asking Him to do! So we wait together, encouraging one another to not give up, to not stop short of prayers answered and promises fulfilled! We need each other and those who are weary in their waiting desperately need to find HOPE again!
In Isaiah 40:31 there are some awesome Promises for those who wait on the Lord! The word WAIT is also translated HOPE or TRUST! In the waiting, hoping and trusting:
*we get renewed STRENGTH
*we MOUNT UP with wings like eagles
*we will RUN and not be weary
*we will WALK and not faint
So take heart precious ones! There is life and strength in the wait!
This one thing I know! He is wild about each one of you and has a deep desire to bless you! None of His plans for you will be thwarted! He uses the waiting to draw us ever so close! He longs for an intimate love relationship with each one of us and will use this time of waiting to woo us, perfect us, refine us, strengthen us, empower us, teach us, use us, speak to us and make us look MORE LIKE JESUS so others will want to KNOW HIM!
Isn’t that worth the wait?
Heavenly Father,
We ask you to draw near to us as we draw near to you! Reveal to us everything you want us to learn during these trials! We want to know you more intimately! We want to look more like Jesus so others may know You! Give us courage and strength as we wait for you! Our hope is in you and you alone!
In Jesus Mighty Name
Amen
I would love to pray for you as you wait! Please feel free to share your request with me! There’s power in prayer and numbers!!
With all His love,
tara
hisbeautifulmess 