Strength and Courage to Move Forward

I had an experience with the Lord this morning that Holy Spirit prompted me to share. God wants us to know that He is sending strength and courage and knows exactly what needs to happen in each individual’s life.

God Knows Exactly What We Need

And for many of us that means strength and courage to keep going. I don’t know about you, but I’ve had the wind knocked out of me, especially over the past two years. At more than one point, I wondered whether I would live to see the promises of God for my life actually get fulfilled. I got hit with covid in February 2022. That experience included the bonus package of the continuous and progressive cycles of long covid. Those lingered for nearly two years. It’s only been in the past couple of months that I began to get my breath back.

Then, BAMB! on the day I posted my Psalm 91 blog, I tested positive for covid. I have to tell you, this has been a storm and a half. But the storm doesn’t get to have the last word. The enemy tries to convince us that God does not keep His word. God is faithful to watch over His word to perform it. [Jer. 1:12] The evil one may throw arrows. But God extinguishes them all!

The winds may bellow. The enemy may be screaming lies. It might very well seem like all hell is opposing you. But God is greater than the storm. His truth prevails over the lies. And at the end of the day, God WILL SEE YOU THROUGH.

The word I got this morning wasn’t just for me. It’s for the Ekklesia. It’s for the followers of Yeshua/Jesus. It’s for those who dwell in the secret place of the Most High [Ps.91:1]

RIGHT NOW! GOD IS WATCHING OVER HIS WORD TO PERFORM IT

God is sending new strength and infusing us with a new courage to not only triumph over the lies that are assailing us today, but will launch us into the destiny plan God has for our lives. This is not the time to shrink back. This is not a time to come into agreement with unbelief. The God who called you will surely come again fulfill His word toward you.

Let me tell you what happened this morning.

I woke up to a line from the song ‘Through it All’ by Andraé Crouch. The phrase is: “I’ve learned to depend upon His word,” kept repeating in my mind. After a few minutes it began to reverberate in my spirit so that I couldn’t get away from it. I tried to remember the rest of the song, but all that came to mind was the beginning of the chorus, ‘Through it all, through it all…”

Those words would not release me until I finally stopped and took one small step. I stopped everything else so I could just focus on God. When I’m struggling for one reason or another, there’s a mental practice I do that seems to help. I imagine I’m approaching the Tabernacle. I start at the entrance.

I approach the gate on the east

The white linen panels ripple with the wind reminding me of boat sails. The sixty brass pillars hold the holy sail in place. As I approach, the gate is already open. I don’t know why, but I expected the space to be empty and barren.

Surprised by God

Much to my surprise it was full of people. I looked around at the people just standing in the outer court. I hadn’t even as yet formulated the words, “I don’t know where to begin,” when I was pulled into an experience. I seemed to be whisked away to the bedroom I had in high school. The words to the chorus again to come to my mind.

“Through it all, through it all, I’ve learned to trust in Jesus, I’ve learned to trust in God. Through it all, Through it all, I’ve learned to depend upon His word.”

Andraé crouch

From the first time I heard this song, it touched me deeply. This morning, nearly fifty years later, it not only flooded my spirit, it transported me into an encounter with the faithfulness of God.

Everything fused together

Spontaneously, every day, since that day in 1975, was aligned and brought together to today. It wasn’t like seeing my life flash before my eyes. It was more like I could see the faithfulness of God through it all. Yet, I wasn’t just seeing God’s faithfulness. I was in it. It enveloped me. It permeated my entire existence.

It was all meshed into one continuous experience. Every trial, every difficulty, every victory, every triumph, every day of joy and every night of sorrow. Nothing was left out. Every tear, every smile. Nothing was missing. And yes, through it all, I’ve learned I can trust Jesus. That’s when this experience settled on one particular day. It’s a day I’ll never forget. But today it came flooding back to me in a way no mere memory can produce. Not like it just happened. More like that day began a fusion. Every single moment from then on was fused with every day since, bringing me to this very moment today.

Let Me Set the Stage

As those words, “I’ve learned to trust in Jesus…” came into my mind a very particular day came to mind. I was sixteen years old. I was living with my Dad and stepmom. My brother had just left to go in the military. Our mom had moved out of state with her new husband. Earlier that Spring my brother and I decided to get water baptized with a home group we visited. While I had heard God’s voice on a few occasions prior to this, I was just beginning to learn how to hear Him through His word. That day was in the fall of 1975.

It was a normal day. Nothing special about it. My step mom, my sister and I were about to leave to go to the mall. I went to my room to grab my jacket. As I opened my closet, the Lord spoke to me very clearly. “Betty, do you trust me?” His words pierced my soul. I could only respond with the truth. “No, Father, I don’t. I’ve never had anyone in my life that I could trust. I don’t know how.” Of course, I was in tears as I could feel Holy Spirit’s presence. I genuinely wanted to. But I knew if I said that I did, it would be a lie. He gently responded to me. “I’m going to show you that I can be trusted.” With that, the presence lifted. I paused for a moment. Then, I grabbed my coat and we went to the mall.

A Lot Has Happened Since Then

I’m not going to repeat my life story. Suffice to say it’s been a life of joys and sorrows. It’s been a life of challenges, adversity, affliction, and at times, oppression. It has also been full of delight, comfort, pleasure, favor, grace, peace, dancing and rejoicing.

What I experienced this morning I can only describe as, in that one moment, all of it was melded together in one package. That package was wrapped in the faithful trustworthiness of God.

Since then, yes, I’ve learned to trust in Jesus. I’ve learned to trust in God Through it all, I’ve learned to depend upon His word. It’s been a lifetime of learning. It’s been a lifetime of being on the receiving end of God’s faithfulness to fulfill HIs word.

Strength and Courage

As I was engulfed and filled with the love embrace of God’s great faithfulness, strength and courage came racing back to my heart. Yes, back to my heart. I’ve been dealt some really hard hits in the past couple of years. There. have been times I felt like I was on top. Other times like I was just taking one hit after another.

Life hits us all at times. It can knock the wind out of us. Many of us have been hit so hard in recent years we’ve wondered, not only if we’re going to see the fulfillment of our promises, but if we have any endurance left. In many ways it feels like some of us have been living off the vapors of last season’s grace.

I have been lacking in strength and courage for a while. I have been crying out for it. Just because I have been sharing the words the Lord has been giving me doesn’t necessarily mean I’ve been doing cartwheels over here. I’ve been dragging my ol’ bum as best I can through the last two years.

But today, God brought a fresh deposit.

He knew just what to say to me. He knew just the right words. He used just the right imagery. He knew exactly what my spirit needed to be revived and recharged.

Your need is different than mine. Your life is unique. Your walk with God is as personal to you and mine is to me. I didn’t just assume this was something I was supposed to share.

As I revisited later in the day Holy Spirit drew me back to where my experience began. It was in the courtyard of the Tabernacle. As I stepped inside the gate it was full of people. They were just there. I didn’t notice it the first time, but I did the second time. Their faces were long from exhaustion. The looks on people’s faces reflected what I was thinking and feeling, “I don’t know where to begin.”

As I picked up on this, Holy Spirit prompted me to share my experience. He told me to let people know that new strength and courage are coming.

I want to encourage you to endure. God is faithful. He will encounter you. He is dependable. We can depend on Him to fulfill His word. It’s time!

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