Faithful

Faithful

I wrote the words a week ago in the midst of the trial.

And here I am writing again.

As these words play in my ears right now..

I will walk through the fire Walk through the darkest night I will walk through the flood I won’t be overcome I won’t be overcome. I will walk through the trial Walk through the valley of fear I will walk through the storm I won’t be overcome I won’t be overcome For the Lord is He is able, He is faithful Higher than the mountain that I face Every season, I will press on For God alone is on the throne I will walk in your promise Walk in your victory I will walk in your power I won’t be overcome I won’t be overcome..

These are the words I wrote, in the midst of great pain, in the midst of a great crowd, in the midst of great trial…

Indeed the words of the Lord.

Write relief. Right relief. Write relief. The pen lies in contrast to the paper. The light words expressed on the dark page. Express your relief. For all shall be relieved. They shall say “that was a relief”

I felt the great pressure, the pulling down of the very heavens above. The pushing down, the pulling down, the calling forth…

Then drops of rain falling upon my hand.

The audible sign of relief from my lips as I saw and felt the Lord’s intent revealed.

For all around where I live in Australia there has been intense fires, even up close to where we live. With smoke so bad that we could not go outside for long as we were warned prolonged exposure would be bad for our health.

Then after what has been a very trying week, I could only laugh when I read this in my news feed this morning.

…erratic fire conditions had been predicted well into the night…however a blaze was easing at 5:00am. The rural fire service commissioner said there was no substantial damage to properties and no loss of life from yesterday’s blazes. ”We’re extremely RELIEVED”

Throughout the week I read stories of great devastation, and yet also stories of great testimonies. In one case, several hundred people were trapped on all sides, surrounded by flames, with no way of escape. Amongst them was a Christian man that heard a voice say to him “Pray”. He responded and asked the Lord to blow a wind from the east to push the fire back that was coming from the west. In that moment, in that instant he felt the wind change and visibly saw the fire being pushed back. Many saw this and marvelled at what they saw displayed before their very eyes. For it was truly the hand of the Lord intervening in their time of greatest need.

Yet here I find myself personally without relief, for this spirit of lack blows against us so strongly. Despite my fervent prayers there has been no intervention, no relief for my family and I.

Yet I will hold on to Him who is faithful.

This verse plays over and over in my head this week…

Proverbs 13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

So many things to say about this, so much to unpack, so much unsaid, so much to explore, so much to reveal.

What do you want to say about this Lord?

I am your hope. I am Hope. Hope is here. For you are not without Hope. If you push back your hope, defer your hope, it will only make you sick. Embrace that which you cannot grasp. Abandon all, hope. Leave behind all pain, all loss, all lack, and pick up your hope. Take hold of hope. Take the hand of hope. Walk with hope. For hope embraces you. Hope makes not ashamed. Hope does not disappoint. Hope lifts you up. Hope carries you. Hope covers you. Yes you feel it so strongly now, the covering over, the hope that covers over, the hope that has you covered. Filled with wonder, awestruck wonder at the mention of your name. Such a marvellous mystery.

Yet there is so much more to say.

Proverbs 13:12 NLT Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life. Am I not the fulfilment of your dream? Come away with me? Come for a drive in the country with me? Express again your desire. Articulate your desire. For I make manifest your desire. For that which you desire is in my hand. For my desire holds your hand. That which you desire holds your hand. The dream of your heart desire, waits upon you. Proverbs 13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life. You only need to reach out your hand. Touch that which you desire. Hold on to that which you desire. Embrace that which you desire. For what is it I now reveal unto you?

A vision of a very parched land, burnt to a cider, devastation all around. Then you draw my attention to the single feeble charred tree that remains standing. Each leaf bears the scars of that which came against.

Then in a moment I feel your presence once again, you just walk past, the wind changes and I can see the immediate restoration of all that once was, and more. The lush green pasture appearing all around in the place of great devastation.

Is this not the tree of life, revealed unto you? For the opportune time is here, the time of your appointment is here. I have assigned this land to you, this task to you. You shall be called “on assignment”. For this is my assignment. This shall be your allotted portion. This shall be your territory. The land of your appointment. The land of restoration. All those who walk upon it shall be restored. The frail shall walk erect, the hopeless shall receive what they long for, the bound shall be set free. You shall say unto them “freedom is here”. For I shall cause a reversal of your fortunes, a reversal in the land. The presence of beauty in the land of the ashes. For you know these words are true. I can be trusted. Sovereign, high above it all, Sovereign you are. And I can rest, It’s all in your hand, sovereign you are…