Recently, I have been corresponding with a partner of this ministry who is going through an extremely difficult time. He shared with me last week a word from God that his wife gave him years ago, thinking that word may indeed be for this season. I want to share it with you today.
I am your Deliverer. I have come to set the captive free. Not by removing the circumstances but by lifting you above the circumstances. I will use the foolish to confound the wise. The wise of the world have several answers but I will use what looks like foolishness to show the wise My ways. All eyes are on you. Before I use you to set the captive free, I will set you free. This is your choice; you can keep yourself in bondage over circumstances or allow me to free you. Do not look at the dust and allow it to irritate or blind you – look at Me. I am your Source. I am your Deliverer. I am your God.
This word is so very profound.
God is our deliverer, and He did come to set us free but not always by removing the circumstances. I have experienced a sudden deliverance a couple times in my life but most often I have to walk through the fire and come out on the other side. Truthfully, God’s ways are not usually the way I think it should go either.
I love that God said, “before I use YOU to set the captive free, I will set you free.” Most of us born again Christians feel as though we are free – however, when we begin to go the challenges or go through the fire, we quickly learn we are not as free as we first thought. God must set us free from all bondage, unbelief, and wrong thinking before we can be effective in setting others free.
Finally, He said, “it is your choice.” It is always our choice whether we go through the fire or not. It is our choice to allow God to work things out of us that are not working for our good. We can choose to stay in bondage and many do. What’s the key to coming through? LOOK TO GOD. Keep our eyes on Him alone. Don’t allow what is going on around us to get IN US. Boats don’t sink because of the water around them. They sink when the water gets IN them. Don’t allow circumstances to get in you. Keep your eyes on God and trust that He will, without fail, deliver you and set you free. And remember, whom the Son sets free, is free indeed.
This type of word is not usually what any of us want to hear. However, it is something many of you can relate to. Perhaps you have walked through circumstances that God has not delivered you from. If that is true, He has a purpose and He is doing something in you that is far greater than you can imagine if you just keep your eyes on Him.
Romans 8:18 says, For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
What will be revealed in you is going to be far greater than what you are walking through today. Perhaps God won’t deliver you from the circumstances but if not, He will empower you to rise above them if you will allow Him to.
It reminds me of a little song we used to sing when I was a child. It was called Going on a Bear Hunt. It went something like this…
We’re going on a bear hunt, uh oh, there’s a cave ahead, we can’t go over it, we can’t go around it, we can’t go under it – we gotta go through it. Sometimes, there is no way around situations – we must go through them. But friend, when we go through, we are not alone. God is with us. He will never leave us nor forsake us.
God says in Isaiah 43:1-3, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”
He is with you today and every day. Lean into Him like never before. Allow Him to carry you.
1 Peter 1:5-8 says, Through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.
There is wonderful joy ahead. It’s a promise from God. Even and especially when our faith is being tested by fire. We must allow our faith to remain strong in the very midst of the fire. How do we do that? By looking to Jesus – the author and finisher of our faith. Look to God, the One who promises we will come through the fire without the smell of smoke. Trust in God. Keep our eyes firmly fixed on Him. Believe He is who He said He is. And know He loves you so very much. So much that He sent His only son to die for you. Remember my friend, He is your source. He is your deliverer. He is your God.
