In the Meantime - Hallelujah

The will of God. This is a subject that I will be celebrating and learning about the rest of my life. It is a massive subject with so many verses and complexities. To me, this seems to be the friction of scripture: we have freedom to chose and to trust the desires or our heart when we abide in Christ AND it is obvious God had a plan for us and a purpose for us since the beginning of time. As I continue to contemplate on the two, Holy Spirit continues to reveal scriptures and download revelation.

I began typing this in my soon-to-be home in Zambia. As some of you know, JJ and I were given a new role in Overland - AMT Directors of Zambia. Big step! One God has been preparing me for for the past three years through dreams and prophetic words. Even though I was deeply nervous, I submitted joyfully to the opportunity. Another role I carry in Overland, Media Director, which takes up a good portion of my time, for which volunteered freely. Two jobs, one directed and one chosen. Both approved by God. So as I began to ponder about the will of God and times where I struggled with understanding it, ie: the sick not healed or a job/situation I didn't see coming, I was burned with this thought - hallelujah's in the mean time.

I know the will of God because I have chosen to fill my mind and shape my culture by the Bible. "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart," Hebrews 4:12. According to the word, I know it's the will of the Lord...

• to set captives free and reconcile all people back to Himself.

• to heal the sick and cast out demons.

I act accordingly and see the miracles again and again. This subject is not a blog because it is not something I ponder on. It is the simple truth of God, it is as natural as breathing air. The word says pray for the sick, I pray, people get healed; everything is in right order. What I do ponder on is when I pray and people do not get healed. I think, that is not what happened in the word. Right now I am in what I call a middle place of some miracles, it is my place between an action of faith and a miracle. I am growing through deep pursuit of Holy Spirit to understand this middle place.

I expect to see Holy Spirit save every person I love through different spiritual gifts. However, we are part of a process in salvation many times. "Paul planted, Apollos water, BUT God gives the growth." I never know where I am but I act the same: trusting God that He will bring growth.

The Word of God alludes that our lives as Christians is a constant growth. The word saved in the greek is all encompassing of deliverance, restoration, and healing. I'm sure we can all attest that things like restoration and healing takes time when talking about a renewed and sanctified mind. We are in a process of being made more-like Christ.

However, all salvations have a beginning point, and when I approach a lost-soul I assume that my encounter with them will lead to their beginning point. In faith, I hope to see the amazing. However, if they decide not be a follower of Christ, I still say hallelujah because I trust God that I am one person in a larger process, all led by God.

In faith, I say hallelujah when I am in the middle place of other people's salvation. It all boils down to trust.

Then their are momentary moves of faith that I know what the scripture says very clearly, such as the blind seeing, the deaf hearing, the dead being raised, or the lame being healed. Momentary miracles that Jesus performed time and time again. Jesus's miraculous life was not only to prove that He was the Messiah, but to also show us how we are supposed to live. You will do these things and more according to John 14:12.

So in faith by love, I pray for the blind, the deaf, the lame, and the dead! I have seen all those miracles except the dead risen. (One day).

But what I am pondering today, like I said prior, is why do I not see the miracles all the time?? There is not a ton of examples of Jesus praying for people and them not being healed in some sort of time-frame. There are times the scripture says that Jesus went into the multitude and healed many, not all, does this mean I can infer that there were some not healed? Maybe.

I have studied the time the disciples needed Jesus's help to cast out a demon. I have studied John where Jesus performs a variety of miracles then the scriptures contribute how He was able to: "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner," John 5:19. I have studied Paul's letters of the gifts and power of the Spirit and understand the power of the Holy Spirit within me. I know what is possible but sometimes, I am in the middle of a soon to be miracle because I am still in the middle of discerning what God is doing.

So as I am driven by God's love for me and others to grow in faith and power, I am still presently in the middle. As I am waiting for the fullness of the promises of the word unfold - hallelujah in the mean-time.

I am on an adventure with God. I trust that He is who He says He is, that He loves me, and I can trust Him with my entire life. So trusting that I myself am also on a journey becoming like Christ and coming into the fullness of His plan for my life, I say hallelujah because I trust I am on the right path.

When looking at the path of your life here on Earth it is not about a finished goal, it is not about the finished job, it is about the relationship with God while living our lives. Do not get me wrong, the fruit and the result of such relationship is how others come to know God, but if we simply live our lives in worship and relationship with God then the works of a Christian will come second-nature. By love for God and others, I pray for the sick. By love for God and others, I entered full-time missions. By love for God and others, I dream big.

So these are my, "in middle of a miracle."

• I am believing for the Khmer people of Cambodia to stop practicing a powerless false religion and come into a revelation and encounter with the true living God. I am believing for spiritual Khmer leadership to light a Holy Spirit fire in their people. I have started seeing this happen, but there is a lot of land to cover as a team. In the mean time, I praise God for the harvest already reaped and I continue to recruit and raise up disciples and send them to Cambodia.

• I am believing for the Middle East to be reached in a genuine way that is so honoring to people. For Jesus to be known as the Son of God and Lord and for families that have been broken due to conversions to come in agreement with this truth and be restored.

• I am believing for salvation for my entire family. I want them to know how good and real God is and feel His comfort when they miss me, as I have felt His comfort when I miss them. In the mean time, I praise God that I have a such an amazing, a big family! I give thanks for the seeds sown, hold tight in hope to the word of God, and believe a plant will come from it.

• As the media director, I am believing for a even stronger and bigger media team so I stop having to spend entire days and nights working on my computer. In the mean time, I praise God for the opportunity to serve and thank Him for the eternal fruit that has come from it.

• I am believing for healing for my good friends. Over their hearts and minds, that all wrongs will be reversed. In the mean time, I do not let the sadness cripple me but I move in faith that God is good and His promises are yes and amen.

For all mean time moments, I prevail by persevering as an Ephesians 6 soldier, as a 1 John daughter, and a 1 Peter believer. I remain steadfast in Him, having faith in Jesus who loves me and gave His life for me.

These hallelujahs are examples of what I focus on in brief moments of what feels like defeat. The enemy wants us to feel like we are defeated and lose hope. In these moments of temptation is the most important time to set my spirit on the things of the spirit. To not allow my flesh to drive me, but realize I am a spirit being led by the most powerful spirt, Holy Spirit. He is unconquerable with the power to defeat death itself. What could defeat me if God defeated all evil for me? What can come against me? That is my reality, so in temporal setbacks I can say hallelujah - it is finished and He is in control!

I hope this encourages you in your middle places and gives you faith to praise in hardships. Your reality is not what you see, it is what Christ has already done for you. Have hope that Christ's heroic action still has power in your life today. If have made Jesus your Savior, then you have been adopted by God and filled with His Holy Spirit. God is with you through the whole process. He has equipped us for the whole process. Suffering and disappointment will come but God is in it, so in faith we can raise a hallelujah and remain steadfast in faith.