16 Oct PROPHESY THE PROMISE
If you find yourself in a completely different place than you ever envisioned for your life, you might be exactly where you’re supposed to be. I’m watching the word of God come to life in my life and in the lives of so many whose hearts are wholly surrendered to Him. Habakkuk 1: 5 says, “Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days—You would not believe if you were told.”
The backdrop for this story is darkness. Christine Caine says, “Sometimes when you’re in a dark place you think you’ve been buried, but you’ve actually been planted!” In this story people were being
oppressed and it was a pivotal time in their country. My commentary explains Habakkuk’s name means “Embrace—Either signifying that he was ‘embraced by God’ and thus strengthened by Him for his difficult task or ‘embracing others’ and so encouraging them in time of national crisis.” Habakkuk had a heart for justice. The Lord would ultimately bring justice and in the process teach valuable lessons to His people. One key lesson is the presence or absence of vision determines our outcome. The Lord tells the prophet, “Record the vision and inscribe it on tablets that the one who reads it may run, for the vision is yet for the appointed time; it hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay.”
The instruction to write God’s vision or our promises should be taken literally. When we recall the promise of God in the midst of chaos or darkness we put the enemy on notice and become encouraged. However, the Bible tells us without vision, people are unrestrained, but whoever listens to instruction will be happy. Other translations say without vision people parish. Vision from God is a key to happiness and to living an abundant life.
We are coming into the year 2020. And I believe those who ask and desire for greater vision will find it. We will be given greater sight and greater insight. In the midst of darkness, we will see clearly and have a perspective that will bring us into His promise.
What is your God dream or vision? Do you long to have a healthy marriage and relationships? Or healing in your physical body? Are you standing on the word for a prodigal to come home? Maybe you’re an entrepreneur with a desire to see growth in your business, or you have a dream to see prosperity, not only for yourself, but for your entire city. Then write the vision! Make it plain. That is, get heavens strategy and blueprints for your future and watch as the Lord sends others to help bring it to pass.
That brings me to something else. This has been a difficult time for many as God is not only restructuring or reorganizing things but also bringing alignment with the right people for the task. That means there are some people who he’s removing from your life. Don’t fight Him as He brings this together. There’s one thing for certain, things will not look the same. But it’s for our ultimate good and His glory.
Another key in this story is faith. The just shall live by faith. Faith is not blind but it looks at things in the proper perspective. Joshua and Caleb went with 10 others to spy the promise land. The 10 came out with a negative report. They saw the giants who were occupying the promise and said, “Listen, we’re like grasshoppers in their sight, it’s not gonna happen!” But Joshua and Caleb saw the giants as no match for their God. They knew who they were and they knew their God. This is faith. In the words of Bill Johnson, “Faith doesn’t deny a problem’s existence. It denies it a place of influence.”
I believe now, more than ever, we cannot respond to the things we see around us with our natural or carnal minds. God is supernatural, which means He is able to accomplish things outside of our realm of logical reason or understanding. Giants are no match for an all-powerful God! Not relational giants, financial giants, physical giants, on and on. No giant of injustice can defeat Him. His name is JUSTICE! And we will stand in awe as He brings about justice in ways that our minds could never perceive. God will bring justice—especially to the children and the babies. Write it down, He will bring justice on their behalf!
There are many other keys from the story of Habakkuk but the last one I want to touch on is worship, praise and thanksgiving. I love how the prophetic book ends. Even in the midst of the struggle He sings a song of praise to God. “Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation, the Sovereign Lord is my strength He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.”
Currently, I have a song on replay called Prophesy Your Promise, by Bryan and Katie Torwalt. The lyrics declare, “I found You in the middle of my mess. You had been there all along. Open arms and open heart, You called me in You didn’t hesitate at all. And the lies I once believed they crumble with the weight of Your truth, And the fear that gripped my heart is arrested so that I can see You. When I only see in part I will prophesy Your promise, I believe You, God ‘Cause You finish what You start, I will trust You in the process, I believe You, God…”
Michelle Wallace is a writer and speaker.
Connect with Michelle at michelle@farmhouseliving.com