Around Your Mountain

Around Your Mountain

Psalms 23:3 NASB The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want….
He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths (circles) of righteousness For His name's sake.


The Israelites went around the mountain of Seir (Esau) circling it for a long time. They were caught in a cycle having a huge mountain in front of them and were not able to overcome it.

Deuteronomy 2:1-3 MKJV Then we turned and took our journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea, as Jehovah spoke to me. And we went around Mount Seir many days. 2 And Jehovah spoke to me, saying, 3 You have gone around this mountain long enough. Turn northward.


Many times we find ourselves circling a huge mountain over and over and we cannot seem to find the way out of that cycle.
Have you ever thought… “this is the end of that problem” and then the problem begins again?


The Israelites were circling Mount Seir, which mountain are you circling over and over?


What kind of mountain is Seir?

The Israelites were circling Mount Seir. Seir is the land where Esau, Jacob’s brother had lived. It is in the country of Edom.

Malachi 1:3 NASB but I have hated Esau, and I have made his mountains a desolation and appointed his inheritance for the jackals of the wilderness."


The sons of Israel (Jacob) were circling the Mountain of their older brother Esau. The land of Esau is a picture of a place in our life where huge range of mountains reign in our minds and hearts.


Jacob wanted his brother's blessings and inheritance. He was willing to deceive and lie to have what his older brother had. I believe Jacob represents the generation that wants the worldly blessings of their brother Esau the hunter.

You see, God’s household includes both sheep and goats, wheat and tear until a day arrives and the Lord Himself will separate them. Jacob represents those sheep who are not satisfied with who they are or what they have, but want what their fallen brothers have.


Jeremiah asked the Lord a question that God’s children ask as they see the wicked prosper.

Jeremiah 12:1-2 NASB Righteous are You, O LORD, that I would plead my case with You; Indeed I would discuss matters of justice with You: Why has the way of the wicked prospered? Why are all those who deal in treachery at ease? 2 You have planted them, they have also taken root; They grow, they have even produced fruit. You are near to their lips But far from their mind.

Habakkuk asked the same thing…

Habakkuk 1:13 NASB Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, And You can not look on wickedness with favor. Why do You look with favor On those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up Those more righteous than they?


It seems somewhat unjust to see the wicked prosper and at ease, while God’s chosen people face so many problems.


Jacob knew he was the chosen son. His mother knew that while she was pregnant. Yet, he kept looking at his brother, wanting what he had. Jacob had no idea how he was going to be the son of the blessing, so he tried by his own works, and with the help of his mother, to get his blessings ahead of time.

Doesn’t that remind us of Abraham and Sarah who received a word about a son and hurried to get him by their own hands – only he was not the son of the blessing.


Blessings come as we wait upon the Lord. Our own works will only produce false fruits that will later need to be removed.


Esau is a range of mountains that offer what the world has. They offer Esau’s inheritance of the dew of heaven, fatness of the earth, abundance, position, pride, success (Gen 27:28-29). These are mountains filled with all the goodness and riches the world has to offer us. It is a desirable inheritance of land and fields, flocks, houses, money, riches, being the first, success, power, might, and strength.


Jacob whose name was changed to Israel reflects to us who we are and our generation.
Jacob was not loved by his natural father. The Bible says Isaac loved Esau (Gen 25:28). Jacob probably felt rejected, wanted to be loved, to be acknowledged, accepted. Jacob probably struggled with rejection all his life and wanted to be like his older brother so he could please his father. When the opportunity came, he hesitated, but he took it.


Jacob did not like who he was, his position, his inheritance, and his portion. He did not understand he was the son of the promise. He had no idea his inheritance was greater than his brother’s. His blessing was to be the seed of Abraham and receive the Lord as his inheritance. Can we pay for eternal life?


Esau is a mountain of bitterness and offense. It is a mountain of frustration and great disappointments, jealousy, bearing grudge and feeling of "why not me? why did he get it and I didn't?". It is a place of anger that leads to hatred. This is who Esau was:

Genesis 27:41 NASB So Esau bore a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him; and Esau said to himself, "The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob."


Esau is a mountain of immediate satisfaction of our desires. Our bitterness and jealousy of what others have can lead us to give away what we had already obtained by faith - an eternal inheritance- for anything that will satisfy our immediate desire. Esau had lost his birth rights because of the lust of his eyes and his hunger.


What are you hungry for? What do you desire that others have and you do not?

Esau is a mountain that leads us to live a life of war and struggle. A life of fighting our own battles and using our sharp weapons – (our tongue as a sword). It is living a life of defending ourselves, justifying, blaming, judging, pointing a finger, criticizing, complaining, and coming against anyone who offends us. It is restless life. It is a life of constantly trying to break the yoke and lift up the burdens by our own power and through fighting, but without finding rest.

Genesis 27:40 NASB "By your sword you shall live, And your brother you shall serve; But it shall come about when you become restless, That you will break his yoke from your neck."


Esau is a mountain that leads us to fornication and defilement of God's temple as a result of bitterness.

Hebrews 12:15-17 MKJV looking diligently lest any fail of the grace of God, or lest any root of bitterness springing up disturb you, and by it many are defiled, 16 (lest there be any fornicator, or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. 17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for he did not find any place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears).


It is a life of making wrong decisions and selling our rights and our inheritance for the lust of our flesh. We substitute God's inheritance to us with an imitation of peace, imitation of rest, of truth, of riches, and treasures. We give up our blessings for a shadow that can never satisfy.


Bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, slander and evil behavior grieves the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 4:30-31 NASB Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.


Are you still lusting after what the world has?

The Lord wants to separate us from our brother Esau. He wants to set us free and set our eyes on Him. He wants His bride to treasure her inheritance (Jesus), but she still wants what her fallen brother has. She is not satisfied with the inheritance she cannot see but has received.


The Lord would say to you "lay it all down, you don't need to lust after your old brother’s inheritance, because I AM your inheritance, I am your desire. I AM your possession, and everything you need is in Me".


However, Jacob was not willing to give up this huge mountain that stood ahead of him. Four hundred years later, Jacob’s children were facing the same mountain again. They kept circling it over and over and had no idea why they need to do that. They did not know how to overcome it. They had no idea they needed to give up their own treasures, lay own their weapons and shields, and keep the Lord as their inheritance.


We keep going around our own mountains and getting nowhere. We focus on fulfilling our desires and needs in the world and not in the Lord.


How large is your Mountain and how long have you been walking around it?

There are times when we find ourselves camping beside a huge mountain.

The Israelites camped beside the mountain for too long.

Deuteronomy 1:6-9 NASB "The LORD our God spoke to us at Horeb, saying, 'You have stayed long enough at this mountain. 7 'Turn and set your journey, and go to the hill country ……”


We might be camping by our mountain without moving forward. We feel stuck and nothing is happening. However, in such a place the Lord allows us to FACE our mountain. He allows us to see it and how much it blocks our vision. He shows us how comfortable it might seem to be “protected” by this mountain from the wind and the storms.


In such a place the Lord reveals to us our mountain and teaches us about it. Then the Lord waits to see what we choose to do by this mountain.

* Do we see it and ask the Lord to remove it?
* Do we move to the next mountain and camp there for a while, and never confront these mountains in our life.

What mountains are you circling over and over?
Which cycles and patterns are you struggling with and they are not possessed yet?
Beside which mountain are you camping?
Can you identify it?
What do you do when the Lord tries to teach you about your mountain?


The Lord asks us to ponder the circle of our feet because He wants to establish all our ways.

Proverbs 4:25-27 MKJV Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids look straight before you. 26 Ponder the path (circle) of your feet, and all your ways will be established. 27 Do not turn to the right hand nor to the left; remove your foot from evil.



The Lord sees all our paths (Hebrew says: circles).

Proverbs 5:20-21 NASB For why should you, my son, be exhilarated with an adulteress And embrace the bosom of a foreigner? 21 For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the LORD, And He watches all his paths (circles).


If you have circled the mountains of Esau too long, it is time to find the exit out and return (repent) to the Lord’s cycles of righteousness.

1. Are you lusting after what the world has?
2. Are you content with who you are, what you have and where you are?
3. Have you sold your inheritance for lusting after flesh desires?
4. Are you struggling to be someone, to be accepted, heard, known?
5. Do you like the weaknesses that seem to you like a thorn in the flesh, but the Lord wants you weak to keep you humble?
6. Are you jealous, envious, bitter, judging, blaming, justifying, slandering, being harsh, complaining, seeking immediate satisfaction, restless, angry, struggling, striving, defending yourself, fighting your own battles, frustrated, disappointed, offended or rejected?

Do not let your beginning with the world systems and way of thinking also be your end. Follow the Lord’s circles and let your beginning with the Lord be your end. Decide it is time to move on and let go of your mountains. Ask the Lord to help you find the Way and remove your mountain. It begins with renewing your mind and healing your heart.


Simon wanted to receive the Holy Spirit and the gift of God with money, but Peter told him to repent of his wickedness. Simon was jealous and bitter of what the disciples had. He reminds us of Jacob who bought the birthright with lentils. His heart was not right before God.

Acts 8:20-23 NASB But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21 "You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. 22 "Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 "For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity."



The mountains we circle or camp by can be surrounded with an army of horses (flesh) and chariots (strength), blocking us from moving forward.
They seem huge and impossible to win but remember, Jericho’s walls fell by the hand of God.

God says, do not fear when you see yourself surrounded with armies, because those who are with you are more than those who are with them. While you are facing your mountain God will surround you with His armies. He will surround you with horses and chariots of fire all around. He will set you free.

2 Kings 6:15-16 NASB Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?" 16 So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."


The Lord wants us to surround Him, be in Him and guard our posts with the spiritual weapons He has given us. Weapons of praise, thanksgiving, prayer, silence, giving, blessings, encouraging, loving …)

2 Kings 11:7-8 NASB "Two parts of you, even all who go out on the Sabbath, shall also keep watch over the house of the LORD for the king. 8 "Then you shall surround the king, each with his weapons in his hand; and whoever comes within the ranks shall be put to death. And be with the king when he goes out and when he comes in."


The Lord wants us to walk on a straight path. He levels the path (circle) of the righteous.

Isaiah 26:7 AMP The way of the [consistently] righteous (those living in moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relationship of their lives) is level and straight; You, O [Lord], Who are upright, direct aright and make level the path (circle) of the [uncompromisingly] just and righteous.


Your foot will not slip if you walk in God's paths (circles).

Psalms 17:5 MKJV My steps have been held in Your paths (circles), so that my footsteps have not slipped. (will not slip)



God bless you


Elana

Wound of Betrayal

Wound of Betrayal

In my journey with the Lord He is also healing my wounds. Like every human being I have been through experiences and situations where I was hurt and offended, spoken harshly at, judged, blamed, laughed at and mocked, accused and much more. I have forgiven people and daily choose to move on and seek reconciliation. However the Lord knows my heart needs healing.

When the Lord started healing my wounds He begun to show me what needs to be healed in my heart. I remember the day when He showed me my bitterness and resentment towards people who hurt me.


I gave these bad fruits to the Lord and asked Him to heal my wounds. I did not know what wound I had in my heart. One of these wounds is the wound of betrayal.


When the Lord begun to heal my wound of betrayal He showed me a huge open wound that had never been healed in my life. I looked at people through my own blurry glasses which had never been wiped clean. Because of this wound you move in fear in your relationship with people. It is difficult to trust people to love you. There are expectations that they will hurt you so you build walls around your heart to protect yourself. You start something fearing it will end. You give up easily and you quit or leave before others quit on you or leave you. It’s a form of control but it falsely makes you feel safe.


This wound of betrayal was festering in me since early childhood as the person who was supposed to love me, abused me physically and emotionally almost daily. The wound had been planted there from a very early age. I grew up never believing that anyone will ever love me. When I finished high school I fell in love with a man who became my boy friend and we were dating for 13 years. He also betrayed me with other women and when I found out I was completely devastated. My heart was broken and shattered. I felt like my entire world was collapsing from under me. I removed my love for him and a love-hate relationship developed. I loved him and hated him at the same time. I could not find the way to forgive him because I did not know the Lord back then. I lived completely in the world.


Going back to what the Lord wanted to do in my life, I asked the Lord to heal this wound of betrayal.



The Healing of the wound of Betrayal

I wanted to know how the Lord heals the wound of betrayal so I went to the Bible and this is what the Lord showed me as I was studying His word. I encourage you to study more because there is much more the Lord wants to speak to us and share with us.


The Lord speaks to us about betrayal through the Bible, showing us how He was betrayed by His beloved bride. He knew His nation will be unfaithful to Him (betray Him) and be hostile to Him.

Leviticus 26:40-42 NASB 40 'If they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their forefathers, in their unfaithfulness which they committed against Me, and also in their acting with hostility against Me-- 41 I also was acting with hostility against them, to bring them into the land of their enemies--or if their uncircumcised heart becomes humbled so that they then make amends for their iniquity, 42 then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and I will remember also My covenant with Isaac, and My covenant with Abraham as well, and I will remember the land.


Leviticus 26:40-42 HOT והתודו את־עונם ואת־עון אבתם במעלם אשׁר מעלו־בי ואף אשׁר־הלכו עמי בקרי׃ 41 אף־אני אלך עמם בקרי והבאתי אתם בארץ איביהם או־אז יכנע לבבם הערל ואז ירצו את־עונם׃ 42 וזכרתי את־בריתי יעקוב ואף את־בריתי יצחק ואף את־בריתי אברהם אזכר והארץ אזכר׃



The Lord mentions for example in Ezekiel 14 that betrayal in the land of our heart will lead the ones who betray to a season of famine in their life. It will lead to a season of hunger for the Word, and having destroying beasts pass through our land (heart). They will destroy the land (heart) and it will be like a desert. Only by righteousness the soul can be delivered.

Ezekiel 14:12-16 MKJV The Word of Jehovah came again to me, saying, 13 Son of man, when a land sins against Me by traitorous betraying, then I will stretch out My hand on it, and will break the staff of its bread, and will send famine on it, and will cut off man and beast from it. 14 And though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver only their own souls by their righteousness, says the Lord Jehovah. 15 If I cause destroying beasts to come through the land, and they spoil it so that it is deserted, so that no one may pass through because of the beasts, 16 though these three men were in its midst, as I live, says the Lord Jehovah, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters. They only shall be delivered, but the land shall be deserted.


This means that by receiving the righteousness of the Lord and coming under His Lordship, we will find deliverance for our souls.


We might think that this scripture only speaks about those who betray others. However, let me suggest that if we were betrayed in our life, this wound of betrayal will yield fruits of betrayal in our hearts.


In other words, both the one who betrays and the one who was betrayed need healing for their hearts. I believe that people who betray have gone through betrayal in their own life, and their betrayal reveals an existing wound.


The wounds of our hearts cause us to wound others because they bear bad fruits which we offer to others ad Eve had done with Adam. These fruits can be anger, bitterness, resentment, rejection, fear, loss of trust, accusations, judgment, removing love.


The Bible speaks about building fortified walls around our hearts when we are wounded. This means there is no way to give anything or receive.


If we want to be healed we need to forgive and let go of these fortified protections we have been using to shield ourselves. This means any tactic we use to defend ourselves needs to come down. These may include blaming, judging, accusing, pointing a finger, justifying, or avenging, rejecting, avoiding, denying, or hiding our true feelings.


In Isa 1:4 the Lord speaks about His nation who has turned their back to Him and has forsaken Him.

Isa 1:5-8 the Lord mentions their unhealed wounds and sores that cause them to rebel against Him. Turning their back and forsaking Him means they have betrayed the Lord. In these verses the Lord shows us the reason for our own rebellion and betrayal. He says it is because of our injured head, afflicted heart, lack of soundness, wounds, welts and open sores that have no been cleansed, bandaged or soothed with oil. Meaning they have not been healed and probably caused infection.


Isaiah 1:5-6 NIV Why should you be beaten anymore? Why do you persist in rebellion? Your whole head is injured, your whole heart afflicted. 6 From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness— only wounds and welts and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with oil.


It is the healing of our minds, hearts, the foundation we stand on, and our open wounds and sores that will result in faithfulness to the Lord and more love for Him. The more we're healed, the more we will be able to receive His love and therefore love Him back. Our intimacy with Him grows as a result of our healing hearts. This means love grows in our hearts for others, and even the people who wounded us.


This means we can only love with the Lord's love in us. In other words, we need to experience God's love and let Him heal our minds and wounds in order to receive more of his love and give Him back the love He pours out upon us.


How will the Lord heal your wound of betrayal?

Let’s see what the Hebrew reveals.

There are two main words in the Bible that express betrayal in Hebrew:
1. B'gida בגידה
2. Me'eela מעילה

These two words both mean "Betrayal" in Hebrew although they each come from a different root.

1. B'gida בגידה comes from the root בגד (ba'gad).
2. Me'eela מעילה comes from the root מעל (ma'aal).

The interesting thing is that each of these roots also have the meaning of "garments".

1. Ba'gaad בגד means betrayed, but also garment.
2. Ma'aal מעל means betrayed, but also a robe, coat, cloak - it is the same robe the high priest would wear in Ex 28.

Exodus 28:31-32 NASB "You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue. 32 "There shall be an opening at its top in the middle of it; around its opening there shall be a binding of woven work, like the opening of a coat of mail, so that it will not be torn.

Exodus 28:31-32 HOT ועשׂית את־מעיל האפוד כליל תכלת׃ 32 והיה פי־ראשׁו בתוכו שׂפה יהיה לפיו סביב מעשׂה ארג כפי תחרא יהיה־לו לא יקרע׃



These two words also appear as clothes and garment (robe) in Isaiah 61:10.

Isaiah 61:10 MKJV I will greatly rejoice in Jehovah, my soul will be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the robes of salvation, He covered me with the robe of righteousness like a bridegroom adorns himself with ornaments, and like a bride adorns herself with her jewels.


Isaiah 61:10 שׂושׂ אשׂישׂ ביהוה תגל נפשׁי באלהי כי הלבישׁני בגדי־ישׁע מעיל צדקה יעטני כחתן יכהן פאר וככלה תעדה כליה׃



When I was thinking about the two different meanings of these two roots, I asked the Lord why are betrayal and garment the same word in Hebrew?


This brought me to the understanding of how the Lord heals the wound of betrayal.


The healing from betrayal comes as the Lord replaces one garment for another.

Isaiah 61:10 MKJV I will greatly rejoice in Jehovah, my soul will be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the robes of salvation, He covered me with the robe of righteousness like a bridegroom adorns himself with ornaments, and like a bride adorns herself with her jewels.


Isaiah 61:6-11 HOT ואתם כהני יהוה תקראו משׁרתי אלהינו יאמר לכם חיל גוים תאכלו ובכבודם תתימרו׃ 7 תחת בשׁתכם משׁנה וכלמה ירנו חלקם לכן בארצם משׁנה יירשׁו שׂמחת עולם תהיה להם׃ 8 כי אני יהוה אהב משׁפט שׂנא גזל בעולה ונתתי פעלתם באמת וברית עולם אכרות להם׃ 9 ונודע בגוים זרעם וצאצאיהם בתוך העמים כל־ראיהם יכירום כי הם זרע ברך יהוה׃ 10 שׂושׂ אשׂישׂ ביהוה תגל נפשׁי באלהי כי הלבישׁני בגדי־ישׁע מעיל צדקה יעטני כחתן יכהן פאר וככלה תעדה כליה׃ 11 כי כארץ תוציא צמחה וכגנה זרועיה תצמיח כן אדני יהוה יצמיח צדקה ותהלה נגד כל־הגוים׃



These two garments of Salvation and Righteousness both represent who the Lord is and His covering for us.

It is the Lord Himself who is our garment. He is Salvation and we are clothed with Him.
Galatians 3:27 NASB For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.


2 Chronicles 6:41 MKJV And now arise, O Jehovah God, into Your resting-place, You, and the ark of Your strength. Let Your priests, O Jehovah God, be clothed with salvation (Jesus), and let Your saints rejoice in goodness.


2 Chronicles 6:41 HOT ועתה קומה יהוה אלהים לנוחך אתה וארון עזך כהניך יהוה אלהים ילבשׁו תשׁועה וחסידיך ישׂמחו בטוב׃



The betrayal which also means garment is something that covers us. The Lord removes the false covering (garment of betrayal) with His covering which is His garments of Salvation. He replaces it with Himself as He is Salvation (Yeshua). He also replaces the robe of betrayal we were wearing, with His robe of righteousness.


In other words, the healing of our wound of betrayal comes as the Lord shows up in our life and replaces the spirit of betrayal with Himself as our garment of Salvation בגד ישע and with Himself as our robe of righteousness מעיל צדקה

He heals by embracing us with His presence. It is His protection, His refuge, His Hiding Place, His wings which are His own arms that embrace and hide us in Him to heal our fears and insecurities. His perfect love casts out all fear. He makes us feel safe and secure. This is why the Bible says "there is healing in His wings" (see "Under His Wings" post). It is the Lord's loving presence that heals the wound of betrayal.


Notice in Isaiah 61:10 that the Lord speaks about GARMENTS of Salvation, in plural.

Meaning the Lord has many garments of His presence to cover us with, not only one. This means He knows exactly what kind of covering we need. He will show up to heal us by covering us with His presence according to what we need of Him.


We need to respond to the Lord's voice and His love when He comes to heal us and bring us under His covering (wings) as He calls us by name. "Adam, where are you?", "Peter, do you love Me?"


Adam and Eve chose a false covering and a false hiding place for themselves after they betrayed the Lord. It was their chance to receive repentance (return) for their betrayal, and come back under His covering. However, they acknowledged they were hiding, but would not give up the covering they made for themselves - their own garments of betrayal. They kept holding on to the garment of accusations and became like the accuser. They refused to let the Lord uncover them from the garment of betrayal, and did not forgive one another. The Lord, therefore, could not cover them with Himself as their righteousness.


1. The garment of Salvation means we need to receive the Lord as our Salvation when He asks us "where are you?". We need to receive Him as the one who can deliver and heal us. Even if we were not the ones betraying, we need to be healed from the fruits of this wound to make sure we do not yield betrayal.

2. The robe of Righteousness means we need to choose and accept the Lord's righteousness and walk in His right ways (forgiveness, love, grace, patience) - instead of accusing and blaming the ones who hurt us.


This means Adam could have come under the Lord's covering garment (arms) and could have chosen to walk in righteousness. He could have forgiven his wife for allowing death to enter their relationship, and he could have thanked the Lord for giving him his bride with all her mess. Eve could have admitted she allowed death to enter instead of accusing the enemy for her choice.



We fight evil with good.
When God heals our wounds He replaces the evil spirit that opposes Him with His spirit. The same way He replaces rejection with the spirit of adoption.


We learn to fight evil with good. This means as God fights our battles He teaches us to move in the opposite spirit that comes against us. We fight offense with forgiveness. We fight rejection with acceptance.
This is why the weapons we use to fight betrayal is faithfulness and NOT removing our love and our arms (covering, shelter, refuge, protection) from the ones who betray us.


We see how the Lord teaches us to move in the opposite spirit in Isaiah 61. He replaces the negative with the positive. Lack with giving and sickness with healing.



· God feeds (preaches) the poor
· Binds up what's broken
· Releases the captives
· Opens prisons
· Comforts mourners
· Beauty for ashes
· Joy for mourning
· Praise for heaviness (depression)
· Builds wastes
· Raises up ruins
· Repairs waste places and ruins


Isaiah 61:1-11 MKJV The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is on Me; because Jehovah has anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 2 to preach the acceptable year of Jehovah and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; 3 to appoint to those who mourn in Zion, to give to them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the mantle of praise for the spirit of heaviness; so that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah, that He might be glorified. 4 And they will build the old wastes, they will raise up the ruins of former times. And they will repair the waste cities, the ruins of many generations... 7 For your shame you will have double; and for disgrace they will rejoice in their portion; therefore in their own land they will possess double; everlasting joy will be theirs..... 9 And their seed will be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples; all who see them will acknowledge them (no more being rejected or betrayed), that they are the seed Jehovah has blessed.



When God replaces one piece of clothing (betrayal) with another (garment of Salvation), and His presence replaces the covering of the enemy, He says...

Isaiah 51:6-8 MKJV Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look on the earth beneath; for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall become old like a garment; and its inhabitants shall die in the same way. But My salvation (the garment I gave you) shall be forever, and My righteousness (My right ways) shall not be broken. 7 Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is My Law; do not fear the reproach of men, nor be afraid of their revilings. 8 For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool; but My righteousness shall be forever, and My salvation from generation to generation.


God is saying...lift your eyes to Heaven because on Earth you will see judgment. He says, look at Me when I judge the earthly fleshly things, because the earthly things will become old like a garment, and I gave you a garment (Salvation) that never gets old. I am faithful to save and deliver you over and over because My Salvation is forever and My righteousness will never be broken.


I pray the Lord will heal minds and hearts and we will bear good fruits through repentance and be able to strengthen others as they are being healed.


Blessings and God’s favor,


Elana

Bringing the Kingdom to Earth

Bringing the Kingdom to Earth

On Fri-Sat we went to Pastors' class on Lifesteps and it was very encouraging for me to see all of us together in the class because we have a common cause. We all got together to be encouraged to seek the Lord for the healing of our hearts and homes, bringing Jesus in us to our assembly (church) and our community. The teaching was great and I thank God for what He is doing in us.

The Lord spoke to my heart on Friday morning about some of the things we shared in class. It was about bringing His Kingdom to our land. As I spent time with the Lord on Friday, He put in my heart to listen to this new message by Graham Cooke which I had taken from the internet the night before. It was his conference in Perth, Australia. It was just an excerpt from his message which I got, but it was enough to bring me to tears as I was listening "Yes, Lord, oh make a way for us to reach out to our community in our gifts".

Graham was sharing in his message (I will paraphrase what he said) that we need to bring the kingdom to our nation (land, communities) reminding ourselves that grace is the way to do it. We fight sin, religion, legalism, anger with grace, not by looking for others' sin. Because the Bible teaches that we fight evil with good. Our job is not to revile against sin but to promote grace. It is God's kindness and goodness that leads people to repentance, so He shows His goodness and kindness to others and by that leads them to repent.



God bless you,



Elana

I can't think how many times I pointed at people's sins, especially when they hurt me. When these arrows fly and shoot right at my heart, right in the place where there is already a wound and my flesh reacts. My Lord, forgive me because I have pointed to others' sins. Help me to promote Your grace.I would like to share with you part of Graham's message.
It touched my heart and answered questions I had regarding reaching out to our community. I've been asking the Lord for a long time now "Lord, how can I reach out to people in the store, at the clinic? Lord, what do I say to them? Heal them and bring restoration in broken areas of their lives, Lord".

I know that the best way to share the Lord is just to be who I am and let the Lord touch hearts. I have learned from Pastor, I'd better talk to the Lord about people before I talk to people about Him. But there is more, Lord.

This message stirred my heart and showed me simple ways to bring the Kingdom of our Lord to our land. Graham shares how he reaches out to people in his neighborhood using his spiritual gifts. When I heard what he shared, something in me was ignited into flame and I pray this flame will ignite you as well.

We reach out to a dying world that desperately needs answers to questions, and we have the answer. We have neighbors who are sick, people around us who have lost their jobs, single parents, divorce, separation, abuse, violence, poverty, homelessness, gambling - how do we deal with it right here in our neighborhood?
Graham Cooke shared as he asked the question, what if our biggest problems in our land are not crime, drugs, poverty, gambling, divorce etc. but the lack of goodness?
If we "overcome evil with good", as the Bible says, then why is evil winning in our land? Why are there more sick people, more crime, jails? It's because the church is too busy reiling at sin and pointing to it, trying to eliminate it, than to overcome it with good. Our job on Earth is not to pull down the strongholds of the enemy, but to bring God down to our land. We are here to bring down the biggest territorial Spirit ever whose name is Jesus Christ. God is on the third Heavens, the enemy is on the second heaven and human beings are on first heaven.
Graham asked, what happens if we pull the enemy down? Who do you think he is going to fall on? So, why are we pulling him down to Earth and inviting him to destroy lives?
Our role is to bring the King down to Earth and when He comes down He will deal with the enemy who is under him. We don't want to pull the enemy down to Earth. We want to focus on the Lord and seek Him and His Kingdom first. We don't seek the enemy, or sin, we are God seekers.

In order for the King to come to our midst we have to provide the same environment that's in Heaven, also here on earth. We need to preach the gospel of the Kingdom.In other words, if the kingdom is about grace, kindness, love, healing, generosity, power, wisdom and the supernatural - than this is what we need to bring to our land.

How can we do it?Graham said, by giving them a radiant idea of God. We need a renewal of our passion for Jesus and a revival of compassion for the lost. We need to turn society upside down reaching out by acting out who we are in Messiah". We are here to bring reconciliation to the world because the enemy has already been judged. There is no more judgment on the world because Jesus took all the judgment upon Himself on the cross.

Do you think Jesus was judged enough on the cross? Do you think there is an ounce of judgment or wrath left that God needs to still deal with?

God brought upon Him the fullness of His wrath and He dealt with sin including the sin of the world. This means there is no more wrath or judgment left until the Day of Judgment. Right? If God still has some wrath left this means Jesus did not do His job on the cross. That His death was not enough so God still needs to bring wrath on Earth. It would mean Jesus dies for nothing, but this is not so.

Jesus’ death dealt with all the sins of the world until a day comes when the open door for Heaven shuts and the Lord will judge again. Meanwhile were living in a time of much grace as the Lord reaches out to those who do not know Him yet. He made us ambassadors of reconciliation to show the world who He is and what life in His Kingdom is like.
The world is reconciled to God; the door is open for everyone to come in so they can go free. It does not matter how evil you are, the door is open for you to discover God. There is no obstacle, it was removed by Jesus. The credit card company in Heaven has sent free credit cards to all humanity. All they need is to pick up the phone and call the Manager who is the Lord and sign in. Graham says to people as he shares with them, "Let me show you what that means. Let me show you what that reconciliation looks like. Let's get your body healed, life restored, mind renewed, kids off drugs. Let's get you to enjoy life because these are the benefits of the Kingdom.

Graham then shared how he reaches out to people in his neighborhood. This is the part that touched my hart the most.
When Graham prays to God for his community (maybe you're also praying for your work place, school or friends) he walks in his neighborhood and asks God:
"Which houses, You working on, Lord?".
As he walks, he writes down the number of the houses God is working on and at home as he prays He asks the Lord:
"What is going on in house 707? What are You doing there, Lord?”
Graham shares that he wants to do what God is doing. He has no business going to houses and knocking at doors where God is not working.
The Lord uses Graham's gift of prophecy to reach out to his neighbors as He shares with him words of knowledge.What spiritual gifts do you have and how can you use them to reach to your neighbors? Graham then writes it on a card with his own name and phone number. He knocks at his neighbors' door and introduces himself: "Hi, my name is Graham and I am a Christian. Listen, hey, I've been praying for your house the other day and I believe God speaks today, so I believe God told me something, there you go. Have a nice day".

Then Graham hands the card to the person. In the card he wrote down what God said.

One time it was a neighbor who was unemployed for two years and had lost all hope in finding a job. The Lord told that mean to buy the paper, look at a specific add, and call because He is going to give him that job. This neighbor could not believe Graham, but as he shares, it happened as the Lord said. He got the job with a company he had worked for and they hired him on the phone. He called Graham to meet with him.

What do you think this guy was thinking? Isn’t it amazing how God can invade our neighbors’ homes in such a radical and amazing way, and rock their world?

Imagine if we each used our gifts to reach out to our community? If we each came with some kind of Heavenly gifts, healing, or prophecy (and I believe you do not need to be a prophet to hear from God) to bring these heavenly gifts to our neighbors.

1 Corinthians 12:7-11 NASB 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

Imagine if we brought the supernatural Kingdom of God to our work place or schools?
Oh, my heart is on fire.
Lord, raise us up to bring Your Kingdom to our neighbors through our gifts as well. Let us know what our gifts are, train us, help us to hear You and show our neighbors what living in Your Kingdom really means.
Graham then goes on sharing that his neighbors call him back asking him:
"How did you know this stuff?" How did he know what they were going through?

"I don't know anything" he says, but I know somebody who does”.


They ask him to come back and he meets with them and shares:

"You just got a radical introduction of God and I am just showing you what His Kingdom is about. What are you going to do about it?. You just had a personal invitation by the King who invaded your world and knew you needed a job, (healing, help, money, babysitting, a ride, an answer, to be set free).

Whether you come to know Him or not, God wants you to have a good life. That's His nature. This is what He is like".


Then he lets them make their decision and does not push God to their face. He lets the Holy Spirit do the work in their hearts as he keeps praying for them.This is the good news, that God has opened a door for all to come in and it's by His kindness to our neighbors that He reaches out to them and helps them return (repent).
Graham added and said that we need to build a church full of people who are completely convinced of the goodness of God, who have experiences God, knowing His brilliance, kindness, generosity, wisdom and confidence. Imagine if we each bring our own personal experience with God to reach to our neighbors and provide answers for the problems and let them taste the Lord's Kingdom? I would add and say that we ourselves need to experience God for ourselves so we can have that confidence, knowing "this is who My God is, and this is what living in His Kingdom means".

Graham added and said, we need leaders today who could introduce us to the nature of God and would model that in how they lead. This is how Jesus led. He showed us pre-cross what is possible for us to do post-cross. He showed us what is possible in our relationship with our Father. Jesus was introducing us to all the possibilities of Heaven in the Kingdom.It is not what you know, but Who you know that can make you an influential model in your neighborhood, work place or school.
The Israelites were living in Egypt, in institutional slavery all their lives. They had no idea what freedom means or feels like. All they dreamt about was to survive the day, feed their kids another meal, pay the bills, not to be beaten today. They were dreaming about survival, but God was dreaming about giving them houses they never built, vineyards they never planted and wells they never dug.To rescue a nation from bondage today, nations would send an army with tanks and spend millions of dollars. God in His world send one man with a stick and a stutter to save a nation.

God wants to do the same today, for you and for our neighbors and coworkers. He does not only want to set free, but to bless our land and bring healing, restoration and His Kingdom to Earth, just like it is in Heaven.

God can send you to rescue your neighbors, just talk to Him about them and ask Him what He wants to do.

Think about how our "Common Cause" ministries can bring the Kingdom to our land. How you can be creative, use the spiritual gifts the Lord has given you, and....... go.

We have good news of great joy which is for all people.

Luke 2:10 NASB But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;

Romans 10:15 NASB …. "HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!"


Please pray that the Lord will raise His bride to bring His Kingdom to the world in ways that only the Lord can do. Let it be in ways of bringing His supernatural power by His Holy Spirit and through our gifts, to bring healing and restoration, His life and hope to a dying world here in our neighborhoods. Let it be good news to our neighbors. News that touch their lives and hearts. News that will rock their world and they will say "how did you know? how can I know your God" and we will point to the only One who can save and loves them, our Lord Yeshua, Jesus, the King.