“RECEIVE MY FAVOR IN THE MIDST OF CHAOS!”
The Lord has been speaking to me over the past month that in the midst of all the chaos and darkness, He is still moving and extending His favor upon His people. I heard, “My Kingdom is still at hand in the midst of chaos. Keep your eyes on Me and move at My leading through doors that I open. You will receive My favor and provision to accomplish My mission.”
Let me encourage you. My husband and I are experiencing thefavor of God in the midst of this chaos, and (to be completely honest with you)I have been somewhat astounded by it. Like many of you, I have been battlingfeelings of despair and hopelessness in my flesh and soul, but at the sametime, the spirit of God within me is telling me to keep my eyes on Him, trustHim and move forward in obedience! It has been a real pressing throughturbulent times! I often don’t feel faith, but I know My God! Heis mighty in the midst of chaos, confusion and darkness. I have been hearingthis scripture in my spirit for months:
"The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing." (Zephaniah 3:17 KJV)
Recently, Holy Spirit reminded me that there were somethings we did during this time of turmoil that are vital. He led me to Genesis26 and showed me these keys through the account of Isaac receiving favor andblessing during a time of famine.
Believe and obey! We believed God, obeyed, and moved forward, regardless of our feelings and thoughts of doubt and fear. God told Isaac not to go to Egypt and that He would bless and prosper Him in accordance with the covenant He made with Abraham. Isaac believed and obeyed. We are grafted into that same covenant, and we have a better covenant in Christ! We are now one with Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and have been given access to every heavenly and earthly blessing! In the midst of the chaos and confusion of this world, we are seated with Christ in heavenly places! Jesus tells us in John 16:33, "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
Don’t return to Egypt! Egypt represents the world’sways - idolatry, demonic structures and systems of advancement based on prideand greed. During the lockdowns, Holy Spirit revealed many idols in our hearts;He also broke apart our religious ways of doing church and life in general…ourusual comforts were removed. Don’t returnto them!
In the world we see evil abounding, intended to bring fear,doubt, hopelessness, anger and division. Yet in the midst of all of this, theKingdom of God is advancing. There are outpourings of revival, and glory is rising.Holy Spirit is moving mightily with a wind of change that is blowing upon allthe world structures within us and around us because He issetting a new order and expanding our borders!
Sow! We also sowed additional seed during Passoverand Pentecost. I feel strongly that I need to clarify that this was not an actof religious duty, or a manipulative act of giving to receive. It was hearing byfaith the word of the Lord and wanting to sow into good ground. Isaac sowedduring a time of famine and received a hundred-fold return in the same year.
“He who watches the wind [waiting for all conditions to be perfect] will not sow [seed], and he who looks at the clouds will not reap [a harvest].” (Eccl. 11:4, AMP)
It certainly looks like famine in many arenas of life atthis time, but God is building His Kingdom with resources beyond what we see inthe natural. He has the ability to bless and bring increase to every endeavorHe has given you to do, and to every seed you sow into the Kingdom. Continue tosow even as you reap during harvest, for a continual and exponential increaseof the Kingdom!
Speak life! We continued to believe and speak whatGod has said, to bring our flesh and soul into alignment with His Kingdom. We are being inundated daily with words intendedby the enemy for our destruction. It is more important than ever to refusethose words entrance into our hearts and speak God’s word that brings life! Keepyour mind fixed on His promises - His word does not return void butaccomplishes every purpose for which it is sent! (Isaiah 55:11)
Unstop clogged wells! We continue to allow Holy Spirit access toevery area of our life. Isaac re-dug the wells that had been stopped up by thePhilistines, and fresh water began flowing freely again. Philistines representhedonistic and ungodly living. It is time to be Kingdom minded, removing everyhindrance that blocks the flow of the Holy Spirit in our lives. A. W. Tozersaid, “You have as much of God as you want.”
The reality is that much of our famine (any area where wesee lack) is because we are filled up with other things. It is high time to digup our fallow ground and prepare the way of the Lord. The Holy Spirit isquickening even right now, bringing to mind areas where He has been quietlynudging, and now is the time to set your hand to the plow and allow the furrowsto dig deep so that the rivers of living water can flow freely through you!
Persevere through adversity into expansion. There isno denying that we are in adverse times, and perseverance is necessary to takenew ground even in times of relative ease. Isaac kept moving forward bybuilding new wells. The first well he tried to dig was met with opposition fromthe herdsmen in the land. He named it Esek, which means strife. The second wellwas also met with increased opposition. He named it Sitnah, which means hatredand enmity. We are clearly in times of strife and enmity, but keep going! On thethird attempt, Isaac met no opposition. He named this well Rehoboth, whichmeans expansion. Press through adversity and opposition, as the Lord leads. Hewill bring favor and expansion!
We are in incredible times – the dark is as dark as we haveseen in our generation, but the Glory of God is rising to greater measure inthe midst. Lay hold of all that He is setting before you. Keep your eyes on Him,do as He says and watch the favor of the Almighty One be released in your life!The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty! There is nothing that Hecannot do!
Declare that He is mighty in your body, your family, yourwork, your ministry, your city, your state and your nation, and all the nationsof the world! He is mighty over all that He has created. He is good, He isfaithful, merciful and just! He is the all sufficient One! Everything that He haspurposed shall be accomplished. He is with you, He is for you, and He is extendingHis favor to you so that you can go forward into all that He has destined foryour life in Christ Jesus before the world was formed.
alanehaynes.com
June 25, 2020