I sure enjoy reading articles about healing and restoration that is coming...they really help many of you in the Body of Christ!
Know this...God is writing a new story over your life, just as Crystal Wade shares here:
I pray as you read through this word, you receive great comfort and healing from the Lord in any areas needed. (To Subscribe to the Elijah List subscribe here.)
"You haven't lost what you thought you have," spoke the Lord Jesus Christ to my friend, Frank, as he left the hospital after having had a stroke.
The Holy Spirit reminded me of His words to Frank as I grieved and prayed for those who've lost so much in the storms of lives—including Hurricane Florence and Lane, as well as the triple-header of 2017: Harvey, Irma and Maria, (those still recovering from Katrina and Rita and previous storms), the fires, and earthquakes as well as devastating, personal and family losses. Storms of all kinds have caused devastating loss.
"Every single part of that small beginning mattered to the new story of glory being written." |
As He broke through my grief, He revealed an unexpected source of comfort – which is solid ground on which to stand steady – and prophetic keys which are His grace and timing for unlocking a new future.
The Word of Days: A New Story
To my surprise, I discovered there are unlikely books in Scripture which hold keys to help us thrive in this present time. Believed to be authored by Ezra are the panoramic books of Chronicles. Ezra and his family also experienced cataclysmic loss. Everything was swept away in a moment by the Father—after a grace period of several hundred years—over the main issue of idolatry within the nation of Israel.
Everything of value was destroyed. Their homes, cities, records, family heirlooms (treasures), worship items and treasures from the Lord's temple were seized or destroyed—personal, family, spiritual and national treasures (see 2 Chronicles 36:18-19).
With these losses, together with losing their homes, came a host of potentially crippling human emotions—grief and sorrow, disgrace and shame, fear and anger, dread and hopelessness. And yet, at the appointed time to rebuild, Father moved on the heart of Cyrus the king to release the rebuilders and return the treasures from the Lord's temple.
The discovery that stunned me is that the books of Chronicles are referred to as "the words of days" in Hebrew, and are the last books in the Hebrew order of the Old Testament. As such, it's Father's choice for the curtain to close on an era, in preparation for the King of Glory's (Jesus') entrance. The books of Chronicles are a complete, new-framed story (as opposed to 1 and 2 Kings degenerative spiral) which prepares for a new story of glory being written by the rebuilders under the Holy Spirit's inspiration.
Father Encourages the Rebuilders
These rebuilders had experienced so much loss, after which came large construction jobs—the wall rebuild, temple rebuild, and national reform. This reconstruction, though large-scale, looked so inconsequential compared to what they'd known. The small team returned with a big dream and a small beginning. Much work had to be done: the wall rebuilt (52 days), the temple restored (21 years), and the nation reformed (20+ years). (Photo via Unsplash)
In fact, so dismal was the new temple compared to Solomon's glorious one, that many of the rebuilders who'd known the former one sobbed loudly (Ezra 3:12-13). Knowing their pain, Father personally encouraged those who'd understood the loss: "'Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Does it not seem to you like nothing in comparison?...all you people of the land take courage,' declares the Lord, 'and work for I am with you,' says the Lord of hosts" (Haggai 2:3-4 NASB).
He gave them this astounding promise: "'The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,' says the Lord of hosts, 'and in this place I shall give peace,' declares the Lord of hosts" (Haggai 2:9 NASB).
From Small Beginnings
Unbelievable, it seems... Yet, Father's preferred mode of operation is to release great things from small beginnings.
Knowledge of how to prepare incense had been preserved in the priests' families. Some priestly garments had survived the siege and deportation. Gold, silver, and the articles and treasures from the temple were retrieved and/or released (Ezra 1:6-8; 2:69).
It remained a small beginning out of great loss, but it became the genesis of a whole new story of glory in which essential preparations were made for the King of Glory to come.
Ezra's keeping the genealogies, scribe notations and the law with its how-tos; Nehemiah's leading the physical work to restore integrity and purity to the physical nation; Haggai and Zechariah's prophetic direction to the temple rebuilders; Zerubbabel's civil leadership; Joshua's spiritual, priestly leadership...each one, together with all the rebuilding families, comprised an irreplaceable role in Father's rebuild of the nation of Israel in essential preparation for the King of Glory to come. The genealogies had to be in order. The families had to be settled in Israel. The priesthood had to be operative so the prophecies of the King of Glory (Jesus), who appeared first as the suffering servant, could be fulfilled.
The Latter is Great Than the Former
"You haven't lost what you thought you have" |
Every single part of that small beginning mattered to the new story of glory being written. The latter glory was greater than the former glory just as Father encouraged them. The presence of Jesus is much more glorious than a physical place.
Like the Lord told my friend Frank who lost much physically in his stroke, "You haven't lost what you thought you have."
Within you, Beloved, is the preserved knowledge and the memories, just like Ezra and the rebuilders, to begin the new story of glory that Father is writing.
Rebuilders Arise: You Are a Rebuilder in This Era!
It doesn't look like much in your hand, or in your space, compared physically to what was before the storm. But, you'll discover that it's your heart, your presence, your knowledge and memories, your passion and purpose that are essential for preparing for the new story of glory—the approaching glory of King Jesus Christ. Your part is important! Any physical things that are needed will be restored as they were to Ezra's team, and as they were to my friend Frank who regained his ability to walk without a cane, a new ministry, and a fulfilling part-time job before his eternal homecoming in 2016.
We're in a new era where He is coming in His glory in our days (I'm not talking about His second coming).
The Lord spoke this comfort for you to my spirit, "You haven't lost what you thought you have. What you do have is a small beginning, but it's essential to the new story of My glory. Don't worry about what you've lost or what you don't remember. This is part of 'forget the former days, I'm doing a new thing.' Don't discount what you have in your heart and hand as too small. My Holy Spirit will guide you, inspire you, and restore on your behalf."
Many, along with myself, have prayed for your restoration. In this season as with Frank, He's revealing that His power, His spiritual strength is made perfect in the places where you're experiencing physical weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). What that means is, even though you may feel grieved and at a disadvantage, His grace is with you greater in this physically weakened state. Your holding onto His Spirit by your spirit will cause your words, your prayers, your encouragement, your writings, etc. to have a much greater impact than they did before. (Photo via Unsplash)
Father has heard your cry and He is comforting you with the truth that He is coming again and writing a new story of His glory in these days in and through your life. It is not the second coming but it is in this time. It may not look like what you'd expected or hoped for, yet you are a rebuilder. You haven't lost what you thought you have. You are an essential part of Father's new story of glory that is unfolding now.
A Prayer for You
Let's pray: Father, please comfort deeply, bless, encourage and restore those who have lost so much. Please recompense them. Please lift off the grief, sorrow, hopelessness, anger, fear, and dread and put in them increased and overflowing joy, peace, hope, love and faith. Turn their sorrow into joy as You reveal great purpose and give great courage to their spirits, souls, bodies and families in this time. Please shine Your light so they can see what You want them to see, regarding their spiritual strength in physical weakness, and the essential building blocks You've placed in their hearts and hands to Your new story of Your glory in this time of now. In the mighty name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen. (To Subscribe to the Elijah List subscribe here.)
Crystal Wade
Hope Streams
Email: contact@hopestreams.net
Website: www.hopestreams.net
Crystal Wade writes to throw out a lifeline of hope for people to receive connectivity to trust the Father and be internally aligned to relate to Him, and thus receive His relationship and the blessings that naturally flow from Him. She loves to discover the redemptive plan of the Father in people, places, and things. She co-authored Pure Joy and wrote Perfect Peace together with its audio album, tools for healing trust and growing the spirit. She is managing editor of HopeStreams.net. Crystal and her husband Stephen share a passion to position the next generation to be anchored in truth so they can fly in the spirit. To that end, their family launched Let's Wade In, a media outlet, which is both a community for children and teens and a tool for parents and caregivers to anchor students in truth so they can fly in the Spirit. They have three wonderful sons.
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