Going up the Mountain, breakthrough

So we're starting our 21 day Breakthrough fast as a church. I'm really excited about what God is going to do in the next little while. God's been showing me lots of things leading up to this, and I'm just so grateful and honoured that God Himself would reveal some of these things to me, and that He will use this, me and our church- His people to fulfil his purpose. Lead the way God!!!

So what's the 21 day fast all about. Our church has undergone a time of transition, where our Senior Pastors for over thirty years have stood down, and our Youth Pastors have taken their place. It's such a God appointed thing, and it feels right in the spirit- right from when Pastor Jim & Anneke, now continuing to serve on the pastoral/ eldership team, announced that they were going to be moving into another role in the wider life of the church, both nationally and internationally. When they shared with Malcolm and I, I immediately felt an excitement in my spirit. Kind of like when Mary shared with her cousin, John's mother Elizabeth, also pregnant at the time, that she was going to be giving birth to the Messiah- and Elizabeth's baby gave a kick and movements of delight inside her. The response was one of joy and affirmation.

Anyway- this Fast is about seeking God's will for where he wants us as a church, individually and as a family to go in the future. This morning as we were worshipping, Pastor Stephen encouraged us to reach up if we'd been going through tough times, etc. I raised my arms as all week I've been unwell, and also in the work I do, I'm often under spiritual attack, and sometimes can be tempted to give in to anxiety, etc. As I lifted my hands, I felt the Lord's annointing over me. He was showing me how wide my arms would go, and that He was in the process of increasing His vision for my life. He told me that He was preparing my heart for what He is about to show me- something that even I cannot imagine in my own natural self, and that it's too big for me to comprehend. It's a God vision- bigger than my vision. Amen to that!

Now... back to the transition and breakthrough stuff:) 

The morning our new Senior Pastors were inducted into their roles, with the laying of hands, and the annointing for their appointment- the Lord showed me during the worship time a mountain that had a cloud that covered the top of the mountain- except that you could see a little bit of the peak of the mountain. I pondered on that and thought that maybe the Lord was showing me that although we've come so far [up the mountain] as a church, there is still more in store for us, that we cannot yet see- but it is only a short distance away from the summit. Don't give up. I thought that was pretty cool, and never really gave things too much further thought, but stored that vision away anyway. Sometimes things don't make sense at the time, but good ole God in time reveals all.

A couple of weeks ago, at church during the worship time, the Lord showed me another vision. This time it was a Him and I and we were sitting in a cave on the top of a mountain, looking out over plains that were reddy, orange, pink and yellow in colour. We were just sitting in this cave looking out over them quietly. The Lord had his arm around me. We were just hanging out together. Fellowshipping. As we were looking out, He was showing me that He has a beautiful plan for me. That it was like a territory prepared for me, and that when I stepped out, everywhere my feet were going to tread, I would be taking authority in His name over that place. The colours were just like a watercolour picture, not vivid, but just pastel like and very serene. It was kind of like Africa, but it wasn't [or maybe that was my mind and flesh going 'No not Africa' LOL]. God was saying to me "I'm going to take you away for awhile, to a sanctuary I have prepared for you- so that we can just hang out and you can spend time with me. By spending time with me, I'm going to show you things that I want you to know. It's not going to be anything that you do in the natural. It's only going to be by spending time with me, that you will have a spiritual transfer of this knowledge". 

Both of these visions affirmed and encouraged me in what God is doing in our church and that we are in accord with His will. But I have to do my bit as one part of the greater body of Christ.

I drew aside and spent some time earlier last week when I was at home unwell. I had a quiet time with the Lord and I began to write down the visions He'd shown me and begun to meditate and seek out what God might have wanted me to know. God quickened to me the scriptures about going up the mountain, and directed me to read about Moses going up Mt Sinai. 

Exodus 24: 12

The Lord said to Moses "Come up to Me on the mountain and be there. I will give you the tablets of stone (with commandments for teaching)"

So Moses he responds.

Then Moses went up the mountain and a cloud covered the mountain. Now the glory of the Lord rested on Mt Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day He called Moses out of the midst of the cloud. The sight of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on top of the mountain. So Moses went into the midst of the cloud and went up into the mountain. Moses ended up staying there 40 days and 40 nights.

It was after this time that the Lord spoke to Moses. God then instructed Moses to make a sanctuary so that He could dwell among them, i.e gave the people the pattern of the tabernacle [or how He wanted things to be done, guidance for His people to prepare for a life of living with Him, and then for Him].

After reading that in the scriptures, I can tell you, I was pretty amazed and going "Wow, God you're awesome". I then began to think about the second vision, the cave. I looked it up online, i.e. Moses, cave and whatdya know, I found this reference that spoke about 'Moses cave' as being at the summit of Mt Sinai, where Moses waited to receive God's Ten Commandments- God's instructions for how his people could live with Him and for Him.

So... That's pretty freaky and cool. God- you're a freaky dude! I love how you make us come and search out the answers, what You have to say on things. In these visions and revelations God's been showing me the following [and I'm sure there will be more to come]:

1. When God wants to get our attention, He will call us out from our valley, and up into His mountain- it's an invitation, not a demand and it's up to us to respond.

2. God has so much in store for us, that He wants to show us, but first of all we must be prepared. He will help us to prepare our hearts for what we have in store for us. Often, well most of the time, we're just not ready for what He has, and that's where He allows us to be tested, because like Moses, we have to actually do something, i.e. MOVE CLOSER to be where He is waiting for us, and then when we get there, we have to WAIT on him. He knows that through the testing of our patience, it will help us to see that our will, which is demanding and self centred will be screaming and trying to convince us that we're crazy to be searching out for this God we haven't seen, He's not going to show up you fool! But Moses waited 6 days. He probably questioned a little or maybe alot- so when will you show up God? He waited 6 days, and then on the 7th God showed him enough for him to realise "Woah- okay, I believe you!" Then Moses goes on to wait on God for 40 days and 40 nights. We'll Moses must have been in total awe going "I ain't going back down until He's finished with what He want's to show me- nuh uh, I ain't going nowhere!"

3. The preparation of our hearts always comes from leaning on God, and knowing that He will minister to us, to our hearts. It's by spending time with Him, not making any demands or petitions, not expecting anything from Him for ourselves, except His unconditional and all consuming love. This morning when I woke up, I cuddled into Malcolm and wished him and happy anniversary. We just hugged for along time and what came to me was just how nice it was to cherish that close time of not asking one another for anything, not demanding or having to fulfil any roles in our home life, but just knowing that we loved one another and the happiness of being together, our relationship. I was saying to God, "I cherish this time and the fact that all we are focusing on at this time, leaving everything else aside, is that we are in love and that's all that matters right now". I heard in my spirit the emphasis on the word cherish, and that this is how I want to spend time with the Lord, just to 'cherish' that time, not going, 'shucks- when are you going to show yourself God, what are you trying to say to me here....'- just cherish that together time. Thanks God for this. I love you.

4. God's wants to show us His glory, and when we press into the midst of the cloud, His covering, we'll find Him if we search and wait for Him. When He does eventually meet with us and as we fellowship with Him, God reveals what He is doing and gives us guidance and instruction for where to next. He commissions us, for His greater commission. 

God is going to direct us on how we might set apart a place in our hearts where He will dwell amongst us, where He will reign over us- over our hearts. And when that happens, God is going to move in a mighty way. It will be His might, His power, the Spirit of the Lord having His way.

[Something else that I just remembered. After having meditated and been shown this, I just happened to pick up the 21 Days of Breakthrough Booklet that is a guide for our Fast. I hadn't noticed the cover, but when I looked at it, the front cover was a photo of clouds with the rays of sunshine shining through...just another one of God's clues that He's in all of this- God I love the way you operate, very cool!]

God, for all that you are doing, all praise and glory be to you. I pray your covering over your people, over our church, our family, my children, my husband and myself during this time. As you cover us, so that we might press into you and seek your glory, as we wait upon you Lord, may you bless us and take care of us. Protect us from the works of the enemy. Hold us close to yourself. I commit this time to you Lord, in Jesus name. Amen.