HIDING BUT NOT AFRAID!
Just about everyone should be familiar with the story of one of the greatest Prophets in history, Elijah, and how he went from impacting, and commanding the people and many regions, performing great signs and wonders of awesome proportions, only to make a quick "dip" when he heard that a mere woman, named Jezebel had a hit out on him. You may be familiar with the original "Terminator", David hiding in a cave as he was being pursued by his enemies after countless, outstanding victories on the battle field. Then there was Adam, who initiated the very first " hide and seek", when God called Him out about his sin and disobedience. There's something about conversing with a snake that renders one "simple", because after Adam came out of his brief "fellowship" with the serpent, he seemed to have forgotten that "The One," satan was just "in his ear about", was still the God, Omniscient,and omnipresent,and the fact that it was this same Lord who created and designed the "hiding places" and gave him dominion over them, so of course He knew just where they were located! Someone got the revelation, as God continued to reveal Himself to those who were of a mind to know Him, and posed the question, "Where can I go to "hide" from God, because if I make my bed in hell, He's well known there, and "IF I ASCEND UNTO THE HEAVENS, THEY ARE HIS THRONE, AND THE EARTH IS HIS FOOTSTOOL"! It is remarkable, if not fascinating , to note how these spiritual Goliaths went from slaying giants who ridiculously outsized them, defeating kings with formidable power and reputations, slaying 10,000's, resurrecting little dead boys, praying down fire and rain, commanding droughts by mere spoken words, standing, in the flesh, right next to the Absolute God, and having the privilege of calling all that He created by whatever name he fancied, fellow shipping with the I AM, as a lifestyle and way of existence, to hiding like frightened little jack rabbits and other powerless little creatures! What could compel grown men of such profound divine authority and anointing to revert back to behaviour that's expected to be found among those who don't recognize that there is a God, Who is such a great King of Kings, but should never be found amongst the "elect", the servants of God, who've tasted of Him, witnessed ,and been used by His great power! How does one wind up as a cave dweller, when their destiny is the palace, sure dwellings, and to eat the very "fat of the land?" How does one find themselves trembling beneath a "false anointing", and under the "refuge", of imposters, and those who have a form of Godliness, but deny the power, thereof? It is the demonic manifestation of "fear", which makes scared little children sleep with a "Hello Kitty", or "Power Ranger" night light on, and cover their heads up, or hide beneath their beds! Fear, indeed, has great torment, because fear separates one from faith, and that separates one from God, which is the absolute "fear Zone", because it prohibits you from drawing nigh unto God, and gives the enemy free course to release chaos on your mind and life, until you remember that God is "The Rock", and to run unto It!!
There are times when God will hide you from your enemies to keep from having to kill them, because when He says "touch not mine anointed, and do my Prophets no harm, that is precisely what He means".When David was on the run from King Saul, it was not so much that he feared what her could do to him, but he was desperate to not have to harm this man, even though he was practically insane with hatred and jealousy towards him, and was hell bent on taking his life. This is why, there'll be times when the Lord will move you, to delay judgement on the foolish, who don't have the wisdom, discernment or insight to recognize that even though they don't think much of you, in their ignorance, intimidation, and jealousy, God happens to view and love you as the "apple of His eye"! You don't even have to fret your anointing, because anything that drives you into a deeper intimacy with God, deserves a little extra intercession, and mediation, while you're in "IN HIDING" with God and His golden sceptre of grace is extended to you! Hide yourself in the Name of the Lord, because it's a Strong tower, and the righteous run unto it, and they are safe! Hide yourself in the perfect will of God, remembering that "They that sow in tears, shall come again, rejoicing and bringing their sheaves with them"! When your adversaries have viciously, and maliciously assaulted you, and God has Hidden you "And He hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the SHADOW OF HIS HAND HATH HE HID ME, and made me a polished shaft; in His quiver hath He hid me; and said "THOU ART MY SERVANT, O Israel, in whom I WILL BE GLORIFIED!", and they accuse you of running in fear, just remind them that you're not running FROM them, but FOR them, that God not destroy them for their malice, larceny, and evil towards you!
Out of all these great Bible patriarchs, David had the strongest grasp on the revelation of just Who and What God is, and he expressed it profoundly in "The Lord is my Light and my Salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the Strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? When my enemies and my foes came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me , my heart shall not fear;though war should rise against me,in this will I be confident"........For in the TIME OF TROUBLE, He shall HIDE ME in the SECRET of His pavilion, in the secret of His TABERNACLE shall HE HIDE ME;He shall set me up upon a Rock"! Thank God that He has made provision for our times of needed shelter and refuge, not because we're fugitives from the enemy, but because He is our ROCK, and an ever present help, in the storms. Having spent most of my life in New Orleans, I can relate the fact that, because it's an area known to be slammed brutally, by tropical storms and hurricanes, an evacuation plan was developed years ago,not out of fear, but rather out of wisdom, so that the people might survive the meteorological destruction, and live to praise God about it. In many instances, the ways and means of being "hidden", may not make practical sense to some, and they may even feel 'let down" by God, when their son or husband is charged, found guilty, and imprisoned, when in fact, they are being "hidden", not in fear, but in sovereign foresight, from hollow point bullets with their names on them, waiting on the very next opportunity to cancel their futures! When Moses was placed in a basket and hidden in the bulrushes, it was to preserve his destiny, that would impact a whole nation! When Joseph was cast into Potiphar's dungeon, he was actually being "hidden" and preserved for his predestined purpose, and hidden from the weapons of destruction formed by Potiphar's wife, and to secure the safety and well being of a multitude of people! There are hiding places prepared for all of the servants of God, who are all going to be nigh fainting, and wearied in well doing, and He has established a peaceable habitation, a sure dwelling, and a quiet resting place, IN HIM! He said "They that dwell in the SECRET PLACE OF THE MOST HIGH, shall abide UNDER THE SHADOW of the ALMIGHTY, and I will say of the Lord, HE IS MY REUGE AND MY SHELTER, my God in Him will I trust!" THERE IS, INDEED, A HIDING PLACE, IN GOD, WHERE THEY THAT ARE WEARY, CAN HAVE THEIR CUPS REFILLED, THEY CAN RECEIVE A FRESH TOUCH FROM GOD, FIND REST, FIND PEACE, AND JOY UNSPEAKABLE, AND THEY CAN GO AND REST THEIR HEADS UPON HIS BOSOM IN INTIMATE FELLOWSHIP AND SWEET COMMUNE, AND NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRAID, BUT TO BE HIDDEN IN HIM WITHOUT INTERRUPTION,OR DISTRACTION!
Every sold out servant of God will endure seasons of vulnerability, assault and intense persecution, and will be in need of a "hiding place" for personal survival,restoration, and tender care, and as they yield to the call of God "Come away with me, beloved", and take spiritual "sabbaticals", those who delight in speculation, gossip, and who have absolutely horrible "manners", evidenced by their 'corrupt communication', will always misconstrue these delicate times of God hiding the weary, but faithful, and take the sovereign will of God to remove his servants from the heat of the battle to undisclosed places, spiritually, to refortify and re instruct them, as their successful efforts to chase them out of God's will by their pathetic scare tactics, and attempts at intimidation! It messes them up when they can't"locate' you spiritually,or gauge your next move, your level of confidence, or the effectiveness of their manipulations and assaults, because God's got you in hiding, but not in fear! Go ahead and allow God to hide you among the "greeters", the "ushers", and nursery workers, even though everyone knows you've got a sure Word in your mouth, because when He releases you from that hiding place, the impact of the depth of God in you, will blow the roof off the sanctuary! Yes, let them continue to assign you to clean the toilets, and drive the van, with all that anointing just lying dormant, as you're hidden behind the wheel of a bus, or confined to keeping sani-fresh flowing in the men's/ladie's room, because when God ushers you out of "hiding" in Him, your very enemies will know that the last thing you are in the world is "afraid"! Let God hide you in silence, because once you utter a single Word,your cover will be blown, because the real power will be exposed, and your enemies will really have an A.P.B. (ABOUT TO BE PROMOTED) bulletin on you, and double the price on your head! By all means, let God hide your little church/ministry in obscurity, and even though you may feel ineffective, constrained, and insignificant, you'll soon discover that you were hidden, "under construction", so that the enemy couldn't locate you before the Lord determined that "It is finished", and that your being hid, was from the "noisome pestilence', and the "arrow by day" that was bombarding everyone else around you! Go on and be hidden in shame, humility, and painful testimonies, but not because you are afraid, because it's out of the ashes of demolished buildings that long forgotten, and unexpected valuables are found! No one has to know your "secret place", or your hiding place, because it's a place of the utmost intimacy with God, so you must guard it with all within you, and should you be accused of "running and hiding", just let the devil know, that only "treasure" is "hidden", and it's "TRASH" THAT'S EASY TO FIND!
There are times when God will hide you from your enemies to keep from having to kill them, because when He says "touch not mine anointed, and do my Prophets no harm, that is precisely what He means".When David was on the run from King Saul, it was not so much that he feared what her could do to him, but he was desperate to not have to harm this man, even though he was practically insane with hatred and jealousy towards him, and was hell bent on taking his life. This is why, there'll be times when the Lord will move you, to delay judgement on the foolish, who don't have the wisdom, discernment or insight to recognize that even though they don't think much of you, in their ignorance, intimidation, and jealousy, God happens to view and love you as the "apple of His eye"! You don't even have to fret your anointing, because anything that drives you into a deeper intimacy with God, deserves a little extra intercession, and mediation, while you're in "IN HIDING" with God and His golden sceptre of grace is extended to you! Hide yourself in the Name of the Lord, because it's a Strong tower, and the righteous run unto it, and they are safe! Hide yourself in the perfect will of God, remembering that "They that sow in tears, shall come again, rejoicing and bringing their sheaves with them"! When your adversaries have viciously, and maliciously assaulted you, and God has Hidden you "And He hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the SHADOW OF HIS HAND HATH HE HID ME, and made me a polished shaft; in His quiver hath He hid me; and said "THOU ART MY SERVANT, O Israel, in whom I WILL BE GLORIFIED!", and they accuse you of running in fear, just remind them that you're not running FROM them, but FOR them, that God not destroy them for their malice, larceny, and evil towards you!
Out of all these great Bible patriarchs, David had the strongest grasp on the revelation of just Who and What God is, and he expressed it profoundly in "The Lord is my Light and my Salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the Strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? When my enemies and my foes came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me , my heart shall not fear;though war should rise against me,in this will I be confident"........For in the TIME OF TROUBLE, He shall HIDE ME in the SECRET of His pavilion, in the secret of His TABERNACLE shall HE HIDE ME;He shall set me up upon a Rock"! Thank God that He has made provision for our times of needed shelter and refuge, not because we're fugitives from the enemy, but because He is our ROCK, and an ever present help, in the storms. Having spent most of my life in New Orleans, I can relate the fact that, because it's an area known to be slammed brutally, by tropical storms and hurricanes, an evacuation plan was developed years ago,not out of fear, but rather out of wisdom, so that the people might survive the meteorological destruction, and live to praise God about it. In many instances, the ways and means of being "hidden", may not make practical sense to some, and they may even feel 'let down" by God, when their son or husband is charged, found guilty, and imprisoned, when in fact, they are being "hidden", not in fear, but in sovereign foresight, from hollow point bullets with their names on them, waiting on the very next opportunity to cancel their futures! When Moses was placed in a basket and hidden in the bulrushes, it was to preserve his destiny, that would impact a whole nation! When Joseph was cast into Potiphar's dungeon, he was actually being "hidden" and preserved for his predestined purpose, and hidden from the weapons of destruction formed by Potiphar's wife, and to secure the safety and well being of a multitude of people! There are hiding places prepared for all of the servants of God, who are all going to be nigh fainting, and wearied in well doing, and He has established a peaceable habitation, a sure dwelling, and a quiet resting place, IN HIM! He said "They that dwell in the SECRET PLACE OF THE MOST HIGH, shall abide UNDER THE SHADOW of the ALMIGHTY, and I will say of the Lord, HE IS MY REUGE AND MY SHELTER, my God in Him will I trust!" THERE IS, INDEED, A HIDING PLACE, IN GOD, WHERE THEY THAT ARE WEARY, CAN HAVE THEIR CUPS REFILLED, THEY CAN RECEIVE A FRESH TOUCH FROM GOD, FIND REST, FIND PEACE, AND JOY UNSPEAKABLE, AND THEY CAN GO AND REST THEIR HEADS UPON HIS BOSOM IN INTIMATE FELLOWSHIP AND SWEET COMMUNE, AND NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRAID, BUT TO BE HIDDEN IN HIM WITHOUT INTERRUPTION,OR DISTRACTION!
Every sold out servant of God will endure seasons of vulnerability, assault and intense persecution, and will be in need of a "hiding place" for personal survival,restoration, and tender care, and as they yield to the call of God "Come away with me, beloved", and take spiritual "sabbaticals", those who delight in speculation, gossip, and who have absolutely horrible "manners", evidenced by their 'corrupt communication', will always misconstrue these delicate times of God hiding the weary, but faithful, and take the sovereign will of God to remove his servants from the heat of the battle to undisclosed places, spiritually, to refortify and re instruct them, as their successful efforts to chase them out of God's will by their pathetic scare tactics, and attempts at intimidation! It messes them up when they can't"locate' you spiritually,or gauge your next move, your level of confidence, or the effectiveness of their manipulations and assaults, because God's got you in hiding, but not in fear! Go ahead and allow God to hide you among the "greeters", the "ushers", and nursery workers, even though everyone knows you've got a sure Word in your mouth, because when He releases you from that hiding place, the impact of the depth of God in you, will blow the roof off the sanctuary! Yes, let them continue to assign you to clean the toilets, and drive the van, with all that anointing just lying dormant, as you're hidden behind the wheel of a bus, or confined to keeping sani-fresh flowing in the men's/ladie's room, because when God ushers you out of "hiding" in Him, your very enemies will know that the last thing you are in the world is "afraid"! Let God hide you in silence, because once you utter a single Word,your cover will be blown, because the real power will be exposed, and your enemies will really have an A.P.B. (ABOUT TO BE PROMOTED) bulletin on you, and double the price on your head! By all means, let God hide your little church/ministry in obscurity, and even though you may feel ineffective, constrained, and insignificant, you'll soon discover that you were hidden, "under construction", so that the enemy couldn't locate you before the Lord determined that "It is finished", and that your being hid, was from the "noisome pestilence', and the "arrow by day" that was bombarding everyone else around you! Go on and be hidden in shame, humility, and painful testimonies, but not because you are afraid, because it's out of the ashes of demolished buildings that long forgotten, and unexpected valuables are found! No one has to know your "secret place", or your hiding place, because it's a place of the utmost intimacy with God, so you must guard it with all within you, and should you be accused of "running and hiding", just let the devil know, that only "treasure" is "hidden", and it's "TRASH" THAT'S EASY TO FIND!
Comment
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Comment by Elder Dreama Gore on November 2, 2009 at 8:38pm
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HALLELUJAH!!! This is such a timely word. Almost a year ago God put me on a sabbatical from my local church. At the time I looked at it as a welcome relief from all the drama both visible and discerned. I was ministering at the church regularly but not in the way I knew the Lord had called me to minister. I found myself becoming someone I did not recognize. Surprisingly it was easy for me to walk away. During my sabbatical the Lord restored my peace and restructured me. I have gone through a transformation which has caused me to become the person I was intended to be. I could have returned to church as usual but the person who left is not the person who returned. I returned in May and since then the Lord has had me in a season of silence. I am being hidden in plain view. Even when I would speak, the Holy Spirit will arrest me. I fought the silence at first but now I have yielded to the Lord's will and all is well with me. I have ministered at other churches both during and after my sabbatical and yet I have not been released to go elsewhere. Yes I ran to a cave(chrysallis) but it was only for a time. Thank you for the insight. I have truly been blessed.
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Comment by Prophetess Christie Williams on November 2, 2009 at 5:08am
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Wow !!! Thank You God I needed this today...Thank You for hiding me.
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