How many have been waiting for the things God has shown or put in our spirit for our lives or future? Maybe many of you, like me, had a vision or spiritual experience where God showed you something about your purpose or calling, and you haven’t seen the fullness of it yet. Maybe you have had prophetic words over your life that your spirit agreed with, which have not come to pass yet. Maybe you know in your spirit that you have been called for something more than your life is right now.
How many of us have felt like Habakkuk when he cried out: “O Lord, how long shall I cry, and You will not hear?” (Habakkuk 1v2).
Psalms 105v19 in The Passion Translation says this: “God’s promise to Joseph purged his character until it was time for his dreams to come true.”
Another version says:
“Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph’s character.”
(Psalms 105:19 NLT).
So, can it be that we are in testing until our character has been tested and refined to handle our callings, dreams, and heavenly assignments, and when the Lord knows we are ready, then things start to happen and fall in place?
We must keep a record of what God has shown us and make it a visual representation so we have something concrete to hold onto and see every day. Find those scriptures that you can stand on for your promises and confess them and declare them over your life. Trust and know that it will come to pass. Maybe the full fruition of it will not be in your lifetime, maybe its a legacy you have to start building so the next generation can carry on with it or complete the assignment.
For almost three years, the Lions Arise website and manual, as well as the things God had put in my spirit to do, were only concepts mapped out on a vision board of pictures, mind maps and tables on the back of my study door. I would stand in front of it almost every day and say, "It will come to pass," I could see it in my spirit. I would declare John 17v4 as a declaration of faith. I would say,” I will glorify You on the earth. I will finish the work which You have given Me to do."
Each year, I removed what had been done and added whatever God showed me to do next. Often, things had to be carried over to the following year, but what is incredible is that I would see those things come to pass even if it was not in my timing. I would fast at the beginning of the year and then wait on the Lord for inspiration for the year to come.
I belong to the International Christian Chamber of Commerce, the South African chapter, and we meet weekly via Zoom. In one of our meetings, we talked about vision and purpose pertaining to the work we do as kingdom stewards in the marketplace. It suddenly had such an impact on me that what God had commissioned me to do was starting to happen. This is only the first part of it and is foundational, but from just being something on the back of my study door to seeing the first phase complete, it is so encouraging and rewarding. I know it’s only the start of something I have held onto for seventeen years since my experience with the Spirit of God in 2007.
I cannot really express the turmoil, struggles, valleys, storms, and wilderness of the past five years as things seemed to become more clearere, but I am seeing things come to fruition—or the start of it happening as God intended. Not my way but His way. I have no doubt there is much more to come, and there might be more challenges, but I believe they will be easier to overcome because God has worked on my character and how I handle things, and I’m more prepared.
So, I’m just sharing because we all need to be encouraged when things don’t seem to be happening. Sometimes, things have happened, and we don’t notice them immediately. I’m so grateful to God for what He has done in my life and will still do. I know without Him, I can do nothing. It is only in His strength and in His grace and mercy that we can do what He has called us to do!
“Then the Lord answered me and said: “Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry. “Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.”
Habakkuk 2:2-4 NKJV
We need to keep on the path, trust God to order our steps and be prepared for a lot of pruning and character-building. In the end, the trials and perseverance build our character, and then we have hope for what is to come! And we are more prepared.
“In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Do not fear; Zion, let not your hands be weak. The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:16-17 NKJV
I love this passage, especially where He says He will quiet you with His love.
So let us just be at rest in His love and trust in His timing. Don't give up your suddenly will come.
Bless you today and be encouraged.