Words
I’ve heard lots of words since the Race started. It seems like the importance of words spoken over people has been a huge focus for our squad in the past four months. We are asked often to press in, to worship the Father, to listen to His voice, and then to obey.
“Has God given you a word?” “What will you do with those words”? “Are those words meant for you, or for someone else?”
Since training camp I’ve had so many words spoken over me. It all started with a prophecy over me and my journey at camp, then it seems that each month my teammates have special words and pictures given to them specifically for me, and then I receive words from people outside the Race confirming many of the words I’ve already heard.
Coincidence? I think not.
I know that God is trying to speak to me through people’s words. They are more than words; they are straight from the mouth of the Father.
I know what you’re thinking: “That’s absolutely amazing! It must be so incredible that God is speaking to you in such an awesome way!”
If only that were the case.
You see, I came on the Race to rediscover my love relationship with the Father. I’d spent the last ten years serving God in various ministry capacities, but somewhere along the way I lost that special connection that I could call my own. Of course I loved serving God. I loved leading worship. I loved investing in the lives of teenagers. I loved ministry. So, what happened?
I wish I knew. All I know is that the words that have been spoken over me in these past few months have been exactly what I needed to hear. Their purpose has been to draw me back to God, closer than ever before. But although I know this in my head, even though I hear them, they seem altogether lost on me. For some reason it is hard to move past the hearing stage. I thought since the very beginning that I would come on the Race, God would show up in my life in incredible ways, and all would be as it once was, if not better. Unfortunately, the exact opposite has happened to me.
I still know that these words are for me. They are directly from God. And I will keep pressing through until I reach that intimate place with the Father I am so longing for and chasing after. I heard it said before that the process is a series of steps that take you from where you are now to where God wants you to be, and the process is just as important as the encounter. I’m in a process, albeit, a very long process. But while here in Cape Town this month I heard a word directly from God Himself, not through someone else, and it painted a picture in my mind of how the Father sees me, how He loves me, and what it means to be a child of God.
“Because he holds fast to Me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows My name. When he calls to Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation.” Psalm 91:14-16
