Magnificent Multiplicity – Part 2

Two weeks ago, on June 29, during quiet time, I heard the melody Canon in D (Pachelbel) in my head. 

It looped and looped until, finally, I paid attention.

I realized Holy Spirit was revealing something to me. 

This was the bridal march tune at my wedding many years ago and the favorite of many other brides.

So, I asked The Lord what He desired I know. 

I believe He impressed upon my heart an invitation to those who are willing and ready to walk in greater holiness: to meet true majesty (Christ’s character and nature) to receive a greater exchange of intimacy, power and authority (Ep 2:22).

Holy Spirit also brought to mind that a bride doesn’t look back when she walks down the aisle toward greater sanctum. Rather, she looks forward with anticipation and captivation, not giving thought to anything God finished behind her. 

I believe this action is purposed and necessary for building God’s Kingdom inside of us as He sends us out on more complex exploits to minister to the scattered ones.

In Holy Scripture, “Scattered” is the opposite of “spread.”

In Webster’s, “spread” is another word for “multiplicity.”

Two synonyms of “multiplicity” are “abundant” and “harvest” (Thesaurus.com).

In Part 1 of this series, we saw how the Israelites spread in number to the extent that their enemy of worldliness (Egyptians) could not stand them and that, with God’s help, worldliness could not even stand against them any longer.

I believe that, as God spreads His Kingdom on new levels and layers, His made-ready bride, who is obedient to “have” and “to hold” God’s victory-hand of intimacy, power and authority, will be the great harvesters and reapers among the crowd.

God is gathering and preparing His ekklēsia, which is Greek for His called out ones, even higher to bring deliverance, by His Spirit, to the ochlos, which is Greek for “crowd, mob, or multitude.”

The example Holy Spirit highlighted to me is in Matthew chapters 9 and 10.

In Matthew 9:36, the King James Version says, “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.”

“Multitudes” in this verse is derived from the Greek word, ” echó,” which is spelled like the English word “echo.”

“Echó” means to have, hold and possess.

We know that to faint means to lose heart, give up, grow weary, become exhausted and lose inner strength (2 Co 4:16 Ga 6:9). Without Jesus, the crowd in Matthew 9:36 could not go the distance in their race or destiny on earth. 

Jesus heard this crowd echo a desperate cry. He knew they needed a touch of His majesty to overcome the false power that held them and possessed them.

This crowd needed to be loosed from the grim reaper. They needed the life-blood of Jesus—His strength and protection. They needed Jesus’ harvest reapers to help them.

So, Jesus, in His great compassion, turned to His harvesters and reapers, which were His disciples at the time, and said to them in Matthew 9:37-38: “The harvest is huge and ripe! But there are not enough harvesters to bring it all in. As you go, plead with the Owner of the Harvest to thrust out many more reapers to harvest his grain!”

I believe this is both our prayer and our answer for this hour.

I believe God has highlighted this crowd in scripture to move our hearts with compassion, like His, to echo His calling to us, as His bride, as an invitation to reach out to help the scattered ones know His truth and love.  

The Lord’s strategy involves spiritual reproduction and collaboration—the backbone of reaching multitudes, which is illustrated in Matthew 10:1.

It says, “Jesus gathered his twelve disciples and imparted to them authority to cast out demons and to heal every sickness and every disease.”

Here, we see the sovereign grace-power of God’s Kingdom at work through His people. 

We see resurrection life on earth as it is in Heaven. We see solidarity, salvation. 

And invitation.

It’s what The Lord empowers us to do when our confidence is fully in Him, when we know Him as able and we are willing and equipped to go in faith and be sustained by Him. 

In Matthew 10:5-8, Jesus commissioned His disciples “to go out into the ripened harvest fields” to “find the lost sheep” and preach the message that “Heaven’s kingdom realm is accessible, close enough to touch.” Jesus tells them that freely they “have received the power of the kingdom, so freely release it to others” to heal the sick, deliver people from demons and “raise the dead back to life.” 

So, are you ready to collaborate with God for the Kingdom in fellowship, power and authority?

As we submit to Jesus to be His hands and feet in a greater way, we can expect to be strengthened in Him, too. We can expect to receive power from on high that will cause our spiritual enemies to respond, according to His Word through us.

We can expect Holy Spirit to flow like a river.

When The Lord revealed this Word to me, He also issued a warning… 

Remain on course with God no matter what. 

Turn from all foolishness, choose wisdom and enter into The Lord’s banquet (with Him) to feast on all He offers.

Jesus and you make for a perfectly-synchronized double (wide) door of invitation. You are a light, fueled by His oil as you carry His Spirit of Glory.

So, be strong in Him, full of Him and do not let others provoke you to compromise by taking advantage of your compassion. Do not let the enemy provoke you away from Holy Spirit and His anointing. 

Ephesians 6:10 affirms this by saying, “Now my beloved ones, I have saved these most important truths for last: Be supernaturally infused with strength through your life-union with the Lord Jesus. Stand victorious with the force of his explosive power flowing in and through you.”

To God be the glory!

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.

Doors of Opportunity – Part 1

A couple of weeks ago, on Friday, June 5, I met my husband at a building supply store to look at new front doors.

It was his idea. 

A long overdue project for our fixer-upper.

I joked that this event was date night and what an odd date it was. 

But I was glad to be there, looking at doors in person, as well as in a printed catalog.

Truth be told, I knew in my heart this situation was symbolic of a time for a new beginning. 

Off with the old and on with the new.

But we needed more than a door.

We also needed a new door frame and side panels. 

We walked through a number of door frames that were pre-set—some with doors attached and some without. 

The frames were clustered together and facing every direction.

The doors were made of various materials and came in various colors.

The prices ranged.

Which one to choose?

There can only be one.

But which one was the perfect fit?

We know that not every opportunity is of God.

We know that Jesus is the supreme Door of reconciliation and that He opens and closes doors of opportunity at His will to facilitate new life forward (Jn 10:7). 

We also know that a gate, which is a type of door, is a symbol of power and authority, and that God promises us that we will possess the gates of our enemies (Ge 22:17).

We know that this dominion is best lived out by following God’s pre-determined plan for us, which is our divine destiny.

Even the drive to and from the building supply company was filled with so much symbolism it was almost overwhelming.

The Lord reminded me of routes He took me along in my past, when I was much younger, that led me to earlier assignments. 

He showed me signs, like road names and train tracks; and He caused me to know that crucial elements were cycling around again, but in a bigger way with greater impact. 

I did not expect to see this on my Friday night “date.”

But when I pondered and prayed about all these metaphors, this is what I believe The Lord revealed…

We are at the new door. The old is behind us and we are to ascend with Him into the new. It’s what we’ve been waiting for, and it will be way better than what we originally thought.

God has positioned us to enter into this new “fitting” time and place that is an honorable space; one where longstanding dreams will be fulfilled as we build in co-labor with Him, our source and supplier of grace.

It’s a time of joy—even in our co-labor of these divine assignments—as God’s anointing flows to help bring to pass the promises He put in our hearts long ago.

God’s fluid holy ease will help us every step of the way as we begin to enter into this new decade, where some of our greatest desires will be fulfilled. 

These are legacy-level assignments for which God has leveled mountains of resistance and opened up a new framework of opportunity to enable us to enter through.

And just like a door has to be shimmed to make for a secure and lasting fit, God has made a way in this fitting time for us to experience a perfect fit that will stand the test of time as we rely on Him and do our part. 

As necessary, God will give us the sidebar space and a margin of time to complete our divine projects.

By pruning off branches and rooting out weeds from previous years, God has made a way for this refinement unity and manifest fruit to come into place externally and extend far and wide, beyond a single assignment, or generation or place (Ps 18:19). 

Now, free from burdens of the past, all has been made brand new to build His Kingdom with Him and fill the earth with His glory. 

Right now, God has opened the way (door) of increased provision, resulting in exponential impact.

His sons and daughters have pulled into port and are about to make an exchange of gold to then be brought out and shared with nations. 

Right now, God is opening doors to expose, in greater measure, both darkness and light. It’s part of His expanded Presence in the earth that will continue to increase (Ps 18:19). 

So, God will bring darkness to light, while simultaneously turning up the light on those who have been faithfully walking in His light.

God is taking down the strongman and exalting His sons and daughters.

Who are His sons and daughters?

Those who are led by Holy Spirit. 

Jesus, in His rich mercy, will also bring about reform and repair to the repentant. He can and will stand in the threshold of darkness on our behalf.

The Lord led me to Psalm 78 to reveal that, even for those who have felt like there’s too much water under the bridge, that it’s too late and too messed up, that their dreams don’t seem possible anymore, there is more ahead. 

He highlighted verses 23-27 (TPT), which say:

Still he spoke on their behalf and the skies opened up; the windows of heaven poured out food, the mercy bread-manna. The grain of grace fell from the clouds. Humans ate angels’ food—the meal of the mighty ones. His grace gave them more than enough! The heavenly winds of miracle power blew in their favor and food rained down upon them…

I believe The Lord is revealing that His provision will come supernaturally, not by our own doing or what we could’ve, would’ve or should’ve done in the past. The only thing that God is done with in our lives is regret. 

We need only to trust and obey and believe and receive His mighty truth. 

So, pray with me if you will…

Dear Lord, 

Thank You that You are my Gateway and my Lord of Breakthrough (Is 28:21, Sa 5:20). To enter through You is to experience unlimited life, freedom, and satisfaction (Jn 10:9). I hand over all of my broken pieces and regret to You. I repent of my sins and invite You to be Lord of my whole life, nothing withheld. I trust that You will deliver me into inner and outer wholeness. I choose to rely on You, Lord, to adhere to You and trust in Your power to save me. Please give me eyes to see and ears to hear Your will and way. Guide me into all truth for Your glory. I trust in Your grace provision to do it. 

In Jesus’ Mighty Name,

Amen

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.