Wednesday, January 18, 2012

In the Midst of the Storm

God will interact with us about healing and prophetic words through use of visions (Acts 9:10) And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.

In a dream/vision early in the morning I woke to being inside a storm and it was very hard to see, but I knew it included certain people in my family.  I have had dreams about tornadoes and running from them, with my children, to keep safe.  After those dreams my relationships changed with my marriages. This dream/vision is different from the past ones, because it was one which included a member of my family and a member of my sisters family. 

The first dream/vision included a very huge cloud turning like a tornado, which hovered above following us. We would run from place to place looking for shelter.  At one time I was viewing, and saw from above the magnitude of it. Then it would skip to me being involved, running from it as it was right upon us and then watching it destroying the area we had just ran from. When I finally woke from the dream/vision, we all ended up in a basement area, just in time, with a lot of people I didn't know.  As I wrote the dream down, I knew this one would have a larger impact on our family and that I needed to be in prayer and seek guidance from the Lord.

As I am now typing this down, I realize that there are three dreams/visions which go together.  This dream would have been the second one which includes the same people.  My sister is driving a vehicle, the same people are crammed in it and I'm not sure if I am participating or observing. The view out the front window is a road which has a lot of obstacles on it and a war at the end of the road where there is bombing and the colors of red and yellow.  As I look down the road I say, "The road will be rough," when I see what it blocking it.  Halfway down blocking the road is a tank, not moving, and then I look further down the road and view the bombing in the distance.

I posted the article below on my other blog, Live GOD! Climb GOD's Mountain, and am including it with this dream/vision because we are now going through the storm and need to keep our eyes on our Savior to find peace.    

“We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose,” (Romans 8:28). Hallelu-jah (praise the Lord)!! That means, as God’s children, nothing negative from our past has any negative influence over our lives. God is able to change all past negative circumstances and experiences to have a positive effect on our lives.

As we submit to God and allow him to fulfill his unchanging plans for our lives He is able to use all matters in our lives to our advantage. Instead of  mourning over the past the Lord works things out to the point where we can say like Joseph, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good,” Genesis 50:20.

The past experiences, our disadvantages, circumstances, Satan and his fallen angels, people with ill motives, or whatever cause may have intended to harm us.  God is sovereign power and might, who is above circumstances, limitations, impossibilities, closed doors, malicious people, and above Satan, is able to transform the negative matters to end up working to our good. Instead of becoming prisons for our lives, caging us in from moving forward, God uses them as stepping stones to our palace for bearing much fruit for God’s glory.

We seem to have a lot of easy answers on how Joseph coped with the severe storms that befell him. But the whole truth is that God kept him in the midst of it all.

 Joseph did not have some high determination and guts to continue trusting in God. He was as frail as any of us. And he had no bible to read on the faithfulness of God. Put in his shoes many of us would rather be dead. Yet God in his power is able to sustain us if we go through the worst of experiences.

When we get out we even wonder how we came out alive, sane and still Christians. It's unfortunate when some depart from the faith or end up in sin or compromise that brings more bondage. This is another side of the story, but glory be to God for those of us who came out alive and Christian. 

May he use us to save others that can be vulnerable to Satan's schemes during storms. No one deserves to face destruction, especially after becoming a Christian. May God use us to stand in the gap and allow him to frustrate Satan's attempts while fulfilling his plan..

Through God all things are possible, bearable, and can be overcome. Unlike Joseph we have the bible to encourage us. With God's Word richly living in us the Holy Spirit is able to effectively use it when storms come. He enables us to effectively respond to storms in a way that blocks Satan from using them to work against us. 

Storms of life do not spell doom for us for as long as our response is in a way that blocks Satan from using them against us. Whether from past or current experiences God can still use them to work to our good. He did it for Joseph, for Jesus, the early disciples and many saints of God throughout history. Why not for us? Yes he still does today. He's the same God who changeth not (James 1:17).

Past or present storms of life are unpleasant experiences that befall us out of no fault of our own. They include experiences of living under constant negative and critical words; experiences of betrayal (by a loved one; trusted person, or leader); death of a loved one; severe physical or emotional abuse experiences; living under a heavy control and disciplinary environment that brings fear; living under rejection; false accusations; terrible divorce experience (as the victim); traumatic experience(s), severe accident (e.g. surviving the September 11 terror experience, traumatic accident, casualty of war); having a physical or social disability; having a certain physical appearance society “persecutes;” severe racial, gender and ethnic discrimination or abuse; falling victim to false teachings; genuine trials of faith; and so on. 

A victim of whatever storm of life ought to focus on God's power, sovereignty and love in fulfilling "plan B."  By saying positive words, such as,  "Satan may have created this mess but God who is more powerful knows how to use it to bring out the best for his glory."  Not saying it out of arrogance but out of humility of being God's child.  He is the God who fights our battles.  

For any of us our resolve ought to be that whatever our limitations they cannot hinder God from fulfilling his ultimate plans for our lives. He's the one in charge, not our circumstances. Needless to say that we’re in this life not to fulfill our fantasy island desires but to fulfill his preordained will for our lives. It is this preordained plan for our lives that’s unstoppable for as long as we keep walking with God.

Our circumstances whether from past or present experiences can roar like Goliath if they want to. But the final choice is on each one of us. Whose report will you believe -the report of circumstances or the report of the Lord in his written word? One is proclaiming doom while the other proclaiming hope. One is proclaiming a curse while the other is proclaiming a blessing.


Father, I come to You in the name of Jesus, acknowledging You as my Refuge and High Tower. You are a refuge and a stronghold in these times of trouble (high cost, destitution and desperation). 

In the day of trouble You will hide me in Your shelter, in the secret place of Your tent will You hide me; You will set me high upon a rock. And now shall my head be lifted up above my enemies round about me; in Your tent I will offer sacrifices and shouting of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to You, O Lord. Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud; have mercy and be gracious to me and answer me! 

On the authority of Your Word, I declare that I have been made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. When I cry for help, You, Lord, hear me and deliver me out of all my distress and troubles. You are close to me, for I am of a broken heart, and You save such as are crushed with sorrow for sin and are humbly and thoroughly penitent. Lord, many are the evils that confront me, but You deliver me out of them all. 

Thank You for being merciful and gracious to me, O God, for my soul takes refuge and finds shelter and confidence in You; yes, in the shadow of Your wings I take refuge and am confident until calamities and destructive storms are passed. You perform on my behalf and reward me. You bring to pass Your purposes for me, and surely You complete them! 

Father, You are my Refuge and Strength (mighty and impenetrable to temptation), a very present and well-proved help in trouble. 

Lord, You have given and bequeathed to me Your peace. By Your grace I will not let my heart be troubled, neither will I let it be afraid. With the help of the Holy Spirit I will (stop allowing myself to be agitated and disturbed; and I refuse to permit myself to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled). 

By faith, I respond to these troubles and calamities: (I am full of joy now!) I exult and triumph in my troubles and rejoice in my sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character (of this sort) produces (the habit of) joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames me, for Your love has been poured out in my heart through the Holy Spirit who has given to me. 

In Jesus name, amen.


Prayer by Germaine Copeland, Handling the Day of Trouble or Calamity   

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