As I lowered my head to pray in church last night the Lord blessed me with a vision. The music was playing softly in the background, as everyone was praying I began to see myself dancing. Now I'm not much of a dancer, so I just let this all happen in my head to avoid any embarrassment in the flesh. As I was hearing everyone pray, I couldn't. I couldn't petition, I couldn't beg for my own outcomes to be done in His circumstances. I tried, and prayed in the spirit for a bit, but this peace and joy rose up in me that had me bursting at the seams. I saw myself dancing among a crowd of people who were downtrodden, burdened and sorrowed. As much as I wanted to relate to their feelings to "fit in" and do what was "right" in that time, I couldn't. I was overwhelmed with His love, His peace, His joy, and all I could do was lift my hands in praise to the Lord who controls it all. As I struggled to relate to what I was seeing, I heard the Lord speak "Oh ye of little faith". I know that we are to carry one another's burdens. I know that we are to fast and to pray, don't get me wrong here. But what I see more often than not, in this world, are people begging the Lord for their will to be done, who don't understand that their prayers aren't answered until their prayers line up with His will to be done.
It's a hard pill to swallow when you're praying for a certain situation, a certain person, a certain need and those needs aren't immediately met. We question the Lord when His reply is simple Pray, Petition, and Praise. The words that rose up in me went something like this "Don't you see? Haven't you tasted the goodness of the Lord, time and time again?! Over the years, has He not delivered you, healed you, sustained you? Why do you beg, plead and cry when you can stand firm, rooted in His promises? Where is your faith? Where is your boldness? Did He create you for weakness, begging for crumbs? Stand firm in His promises. Stand firm in your faith! Have you not read the Bible? Do you not know that these things have to come to pass before Jesus comes back? Rejoice in the time we are in. Rejoice in your salvation!" Why would others be attracted to a weak Christianity, begging for prayer, healing, and the will of those who believe? We are to walk in faith, covered in the armor of the Lord. Ready for warfare, ready for battle. We are to lift one another up, yes, but we are not to remain downtrodden beggars while doing so.
Do you require your children to beg you? No. You meet their needs as they ask, you want them to come to you with their heads held high, looking you in the face, knowing that they can come, feeling comfortable in seeking you out for help. How much greater is our God than we are to our children?
My vison shifted to a field, the grass was green and there was a large tree to my right. There was a creek rushing over my feet. The surface of the water was breaking with small rapids, as I continued dancing, leaping through the rushing water, it began gaining speed. The water was rising. With each step of faith, I saw these small red sea moments where the water would part and I would find footing on another rock. Over and over again, I would leap in joy, step out in faith and then the water would part for me to find footing. I had to leap first, I had to step first. If I stood still the water would rush over the tops of my feet, nearly knocking me over. It was only when I moved, that the red sea moments would come, allowing me to have sure footing on solid rock. This continued, as my heart was full of joy, of promise and of faith.
As time went on, the water continued rising. It was getting harder and harder to pull my feet out of the water and leap forward. My steps slowed, my red sea moments were fading and the water began rising up to my knees, my waist and up to my chest. I began to lose my joy, and fear set in. I began to lose my faith, I felt scared. As the rushing water reached my chin, I was attacked with the fear of drowning, it felt too much, the water was moving too fast, I couldn't get my legs to move, I felt hopeless. I couldn't do anything but feel that water come up over my chin, cover my lips and approach my nose. I hear the Lord again, "Oh ye of little faith" and as He spoke, I knew He was there. I knew He had been there the entire time. I struggled to raise both of my arms out of the rushing water in praise. In the knowing that He came for me. As my hands broke the surface of the water I felt the Lord grab my wrist. With one swift pull, one smooth action, I was on the surface of the water. My joy returned, my faith was bursting from my heart, the Love I felt in that moment was overwhelming my every sense; and I danced on top the very waters that nearly drown me. I had victory over the hopelessness I had felt only seconds before. I went from faithless to faith filled in a matter of seconds. Simply because I recognized that He was there. He had been there the entire time. In one swift motion from the Lord, every fear I was facing disappeared.
Sometimes in life, we start doing things on our own, relying on our feelings, relying on going from experience to experience instead of from faith to faith. When we try so hard in our flesh, we don't realize how fast the waters can rise. We don't realize the switch from faith to fear, from joy to sorrow, from peace to panic. Suddenly it just happens and we realize that we weren't seeing the fact that the Lord was right there with us the entire time. Recognize that the Lord is with you, right where you are now. Realize that He will never leave you, no matter how high those rapids get. Raise your hands in praise, thank Him, recognize Him Oh ye of little faith. Walk in faith, not fear; walk in expectation, in joy, in peace and let go of everything you are trying to control. He has a better plan, have faith in that my friends. He loves us. Oh how He loves us! Have faith and have the works to walk in that faith, for faith apart from works is nothing. Let faith work in your life!
Matthew 8:26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
Romans 10:17 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Hebrews 11:1 - Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Luke 1:37 - For with God nothing shall be impossible.
James 2:17-20 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?
1 Corinthians 2:5 - That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
Ephesians 2:8 - For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
James 1:5-8 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
John 4:14 - But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
Ezekiel 36:25 - Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
John 7:38 - He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
Isaiah 12:3 - Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
Isaiah 43:2 - When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
Revelation 22:1 - And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Isaiah 49:10 - They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.
Matthew 10:42 - And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
Revelation 21:6 - And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
Isaiah 44:3 - For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:
Revelation 22:17 - And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
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