Loving greetings from the Valley of Angels with a few lines from the song that is in my spirit: “Even when I don’t see it, You’re working! Even when I don’t feel it, You’re working. You never stop! You never stop working!” (from the song, “Way Maker” by Sirach).
God’s Ways Higher than Our Ways
It’s always amazing how we let our imaginations create scenarios about how God is going to accomplish His Word. Everyone would have assumed that Hosea 11:1 (“When Israel was a child, I loved him, And out of Egypt I called My son.”) was referring to the Exodus. I doubt that it was on any scribe’s radar that this was a Messianic prophecy. But Matthew 2:15 declares that when Joseph brought Jesus back to Judea from their sojourn in Egypt, it was in fulfilment of that prophecy.
We don’t always get it ahead of time! But we know when God has spoken, so we stand in faith.
Many years ago, I began to question what I had learned about eschatology (the study of last days prophecy) because I read this scripture: “And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe” (John 14:29). I had a very strong feeling that no matter what scholars have speculated was meant by a prophecy, God would fulfill it His way in His time because, as He said in Isaiah 55:8-9, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”
So, if we are disappointed about how recent events have played out, it’s time to get back up, dust ourselves off, and begin giving God the glory for doing what He said He will do, EVEN IF WE DON’T SEE IT! HE’S WORKING REGARDLESS OF OUR ABILITY TO COMPREHEND IT!
I still believe that the word of the Lord will come to pass, even as I said two weeks ago in my last prayer letter! And I still believe that, just as Elijah went to pray through his prophecy about the coming rain—even when his servant didn’t see it six times when Elijah sent him to look— that we must continue to pray from the heart of our Father and we will see His great purposes accomplished. And when we pray, we soak that intercession in praise, thanksgiving, worship, and confident trust.
A Fresh Baptism in the Holy Spirit
Beloved, we have to go deeper in God than ever before! The era in which we are living demands it! It’s time to seek the Lord for a fresh Baptism in the Holy Spirit. The word in Greek that is translated “baptize” is baptizo. In the Outline of Biblical Usage in the Blue Letter Bible, there is a note that includes the following: “The clearest example that shows the meaning of baptizo is a text from the Greek poet and physician Nicander, who lived about 200 B.C. It is a recipe for making pickles… Nicander says that in order to make a pickle, the vegetable should first be ‘dipped’ (baptô) into boiling water and then ‘baptised’ (baptizô) in the vinegar solution. Both verbs concern the immersing of vegetables in a solution. But the first is temporary. The second, the act of baptising the vegetable, produces a permanent change.”
Just like the transformation from a cucumber to a pickle, immersion in an acid solution (Virus lockdown? Election issues? Unmet expectations?) can produce an amazing, permanent change in us as we find our life source in the Presence of the Lord. No matter how acid the situation may be, as we enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise (Psalm 100:4), we find we find our joy in His Presence (Psalm 16:11), and our strength in His joy (Nehemiah 8:10). In short, we can become bitter or better depending on how we choose to view the circumstances!
Empowerment
In case you haven’t noticed, we are in a spiritual battle, whether we like it or not! We are under a constant barrage from our adversary (the forever loser), but we have everything we need in Jesus’ victory to make us super conquerors.
Enjoy the Passion Translation’s version of Paul’s exhortation to us in Ephesians 6:10-13: “Now my beloved ones, I have saved these most important truths for last: Be supernaturally infused with strength through your life-union with the Lord Jesus. Stand victorious with the force of his explosive power flowing in and through you. Put on God’s complete set of armor provided for us, so that you will be protected as you fight against the evil strategies of the accuser! Your hand-to-hand combat is not with human beings, but with the highest principalities and authorities operating in rebellion under the heavenly realms. For they are a powerful class of demon-gods and evil spirits that hold this dark world in bondage. Because of this, you must wear all the armor that God provides so you’re protected as you confront the slanderer, for you are destined for all things and will rise victorious” (Ephesians 6:10-13 TPT).
Realize that we are on the verge of the Outpouring of the Holy Spirit on ALL FLESH and that our battle with the forever loser is because he is trying to keep us from setting his captives free! He knows that we have the power to do that in Christ, but he’s trying desperately to keep us from realizing our potential!
The Lord spoke to me that the move that is coming will be like “the book of Acts on steroids!” It will be glory on steroids, but the battles will also be increasingly intense. Suit up, Saints! Get ready for the “the force of His explosive power [to] flow in and through you”!
Frustrate the Plans of the enemy
“Here is what Yahweh, your Kinsman-Redeemer, who formed you in his womb, has to say: “I am Yahweh, Creator of all. I alone stretched out the canvas of the cosmos. I who shaped the earth needed no one’s help. Now I make fools of fortune-tellers and frustrate astrologers’ predictions. I confuse the wise, who think they know it all, and make their ‘knowledge’ into foolishness. I confirm the word of my servants and fulfill the prophecies of my messengers. I say to Jerusalem [and Washington, DC], ‘Many people will live in you again,’ and to the cities of Judah [and the United States of America], ‘I will raise up your ruins; you will be rebuilt!’” (Isaiah 44:24-26 TPT).
Expose the Darkness
As we glorify the Lord and pray His heart for the nations, He will roll up His sleeve and show the mighty strength of His right arm to deal with the lies, deception, fraud, fabrications, extortions, threats, thefts, murders, insurrections, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envying, drunkenness, reveling, and such like (Galatians 5:19-21). These are the works of the flesh, and we have all participated in some of them! But the mighty convicting power of the Holy Spirit brought us to repentance, glory to God. So, let’s intercede for Him to pour out of His Presence to bring that conviction and His goodness to bring MULTITUDES to repentance!
In Luke 12:1-3, Jesus warned, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore, whatever you have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which you have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.” Let’s pray for unprecedented exposure of unprecedented evil, and unprecedented conviction and repentance for an unprecedented Harvest of souls!
As we pray, He’s working—even when we don’t see it!
Thank you for all you are, all you do, and all you will yet do and see as you obey the Holy Spirit!
Your handmaiden and servant,
Sharon and Philip