Uncertainty has left many with the feeling of great despair and uneasiness. [Luke 21:25 "And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; 26 men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near." 29 Then He spoke to them a parable: "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. 30 When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near. 31 So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. 34 "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. NKJV The child of God was never intended to suffer the same plight as the world (in this case—uneasiness, anxiety, despair, etc.) Isaiah 32:15 Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is counted as a forest. 16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field. 17 The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. 18 My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places, 19 though hail comes down on the forest, and the city is brought low in humiliation. 20 Blessed are you who sow beside all waters, who send out freely the feet of the ox and the donkey. NKJV John 14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me." NKJV] Yet—this is not the time to draw back. [1 Kings 18:21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people answered him not a word. NKJV Hebrews 10:32 But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: 33 partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated; 34 for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven. 35 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: 37 "For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry. 38 Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him." 39 But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul. NKJV] I Am in control and nothing is beyond My reach. In coming days you must have your feet firmly planted [John 8:31-32 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." NKJV 2 Timothy 1:12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. NKJV John 4:41 And many more believed because of His own word. 42 Then they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world." NKJV] upon the promises of My Word [2 Peter 3: 16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. 17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; NKJV] for nothing will prevent it.
You have need of patient endurance [James 5:7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. 8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! 10 My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. 11 Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord — that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. NKJV Revelation 3:10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. NKJV] so that the appointment is not missed. Many factors work together toward the fulfillment of My promise and it is on each of these fronts that you experience great struggle against the forces of darkness meant to intercept, or prevent, the Word from being manifest in you.
Total relinquishment into the flow of My will, will produce soul peace and lead you where you need to be. All of your answers are found in Me.
Do not waver from the conviction of My Word. [Acts 20:22 And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. 24 But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. NKJV]
Do not waiver from obedience to My voice. [1 Kings 13:8 But the man of God said to the king, "If you were to give me half your house, I would not go in with you; nor would I eat bread nor drink water in this place. NKJV On a tragic, note, if you read the whole story you will find that this same prophet later disobeyed the instruction of the Lord and was destroyed.]
Do not waiver from submission to the greater plan. Obsession with the parts of the whole will skew your perspective and so divert you. [1 Samuel 12:21 And do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing. NKJV]
[A plan for action—stepping away from uncertainty into power living:]
1. Stop striving and start being.
[Our perspective must change and become more consistent with what the Word has said about us. John 15:15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. NKJV James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. 18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. NKJV Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out,"Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs — heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. NKJV]
2. Stop imagining and start speaking.
[Ezekiel 37:1 The hand of the LORD came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. 2 Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. 3 And He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" So I answered, "O Lord GOD, You know." 4 Again He said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: "Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. NKJV Trying to imagine as to whether or not the bones could live is replaced with the issuing forth of the prophetic word.]
3. Stop sleeping and start resting.
[1 Thessalonians 5:1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. 11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing. NKJV 1 Corinthians 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame. NKJV The tendency of the fallen human nature is to seek escape through mentally disengaging. Often, other forms of escape such as drug use and sexual promiscuity are engaged in as means of relief—making the end result worse than the first condition. All of these (and many more) "fleshly" means to find relief are forms of "sleep" in terms of our spiritual state.]
4. Stop complaining and start demanding (proclaiming)
[James 4:1 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. NKJV 2 Corinthians 10:5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, NKJV 2 Kings 4:30 And the mother of the child said, "As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you." So he arose and followed her. NKJV This woman refused to let the promise of God be stolen away from her—she demanded that her son be restored to her!]
5. Stop pursuing and start performing.
[1 Chronicles 28:10 Consider now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong, and do it." NKJV 1 Chronicles 28:20 And David said to his son Solomon, "Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God — my God — will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD. NKJV Preparation is imperative—however, often the best preparation for the work of the Lord is the ability to hear His voice and respond with OBEDIENCE.]
Elements are coming together in your knowing—crucial points are near. Stay focused and covered.
Inner working leads to outer manifestation. Outer working leads to inner decay. [Trying to solve the problem of uncertainty by changing, or impacting, external circumstances, leads to spiritual decline. The solution is in allowing the Holy Spirit to lead our renewed spirit into the "green pastures" that are found as a result of having true faith in God with the accompanying absolute obedience to His commands.]
The voice of the Spirit is always speaking—you are not always listening
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