A few months ago I had a dream. At the time, I didn't understand it, but I knew it was from the Lord.
A few weeks later, the Lord showed me that the dream was about fear. He showed me in the dream how my fear was giving Satan a foothold in my heart, and that as long as that foothold remains, we will not be able to pursue the call God has on our lives. What also struck me in the dream is how my fear and inability to pursue what God has for my life affected those around me. No one else was able to pursue their calling either because that foothold had spread like a disease. I started asking the Lord to show me what it was that I was afraid of. It seemed strange because I didn't feel fearful or anxious at the time. Recently, God has allowed me to walk through some circumstances that have revealed just how much fear I have buried in my heart over the years... fear of death, fear of losing a loved one, fear of the suffering and struggles that following Christ requires, fear of letting go, fear of the unknown, etc. The emotions have overwhelmed me and crippled my heart; my spirit has felt dried up and my God has felt so far away. A life devoted to missions started to seem more terrifying that good. Then the Lord spoke to me: "For the Lord spoke thus to me with His strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: 'Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, nor be in dread. But the Lord of hosts, Him you shall regard as holy. Let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread." -Isaiah 8:11-13 I realized in that moment that I have allowed everything that the world fears to become what I fear. I wasn't fearing God, I was fearing what I had to lose in this world. I have been so focused on the fears that I have stopped resting in the promises of God. Today I watched a video chronicling the lives and testimonies of Rolland and Heidi Baker and Iris Ministries. I'm reminded of what God can do with a heart surrendered to Him. I'm reminded of just how hard battling for the Lord in this world can be, how much evil we will face, how much we might suffer, but I'm reminded more than ever that Victory is the Lord's! He has given us a spirit of power and love and self control. We can see lives changed and mountains moved if we are willing to let go of ourselves, our fears, and our ambitions, and just run after Him.... fighting the good fight of faith. I know today that God loves me perfectly. He loves you perfectly. Perfect love casts out all fear. It is the only thing that can cast out fear. I can trust that if He loves me as steadfastly and perfectly as He says He does, I have NOTHING to fear. He is on my side. Nothing bad in this world can happen to us without His allowing it, but if He does allow it, I can trust that what is good for eternity doesn't always look good here on earth. His ways are not our ways, they are much higher and far greater... too great for us to comprehend. Satan wants to tempt us to think that it is God's calling that we should be afraid of because the cost is so great, but truly it is MISSING out on God's calling that we ought to fear. The cost is far greater.
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Nathan & LauraHappily married and pursuing God's call on our lives. Archives
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