I hope this encourages us all to walk in our authority and in what He has equipped us with...amen! (To Subscribe to the Elijah List subscribe here.)
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The Lord is saying, "Do not despise what I have placed in your hands. A simple stone, fueled by the Holy Spirit, can kill the giant. A timely word, empowered by Me, can save a nation."
Look, See and Release
The Lord says, "Look and see what is in your hand." Many of us have fallen into a subtle trap as we have looked and assessed from earthly standards what we hold in our hands. The Lord is saying to look from a heavenly perspective. The earthly perspective brings bondage where the heavenly perspective releases power!
David used an ordinary, everyday item and trusted God with impact. 1 Samuel 17:49 (NLT) says, "Reaching into his shepherd's bag and taking out a stone, he hurled it with his sling and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank in, and Goliath stumbled and fell face down on the ground." As the stone took flight God added His precision power to the stone. He ensured that the trajectory and force would have maximum, heavenly impact.
God has many of His warriors hidden in the field, honing their skills for battle. He is calling us to trust that what He is doing and has done in the secret place will have unprecedented, heavenly impact in the public place—however, it can only have maximum impact when we look, see and release.
Garments of Comparison
The Lord showed me that many of His people have fallen into the trap of comparison. In 1 Samuel 17:38-39, Saul urged David to wear his armor. David tried on the armor and quickly realized that it would not work. Remember, this was the king telling David what armor to wear. Others will tell us that what we have in our hands is not enough. When we try to wear garments created for another they will never fit us correctly. The Lord is saying, "Stop comparing and trust what I have placed in your hands."
Words that Change Destiny
God recently took me to the book of Esther—we all know the fairy-tale ending of the story and declare that, "They lived happily ever after." The Lord is saying, "I have put words in your mouth for such a time as this." I believe that God is reminding us at this time to look at Esther's positioning journey and the power of obedience. She was taken against her will and the road she traveled was rough and full of trauma. However, in a moment her words would impact nations.
Like many of us, Esther initially shrank back, probably thinking that the palace would protect her from being killed along with the rest of the Jewish nation. However, Mordecai reminded her, "Don't think for a moment that because you're in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this" (Esther 4:13-14 NLT)?
God put within Esther the creative idea to pave the way for the words to be spoken at the appropriate time. When those words were spoken God also gave the king a way to work around what he (the king) had already put into place. In essence, the words released power that changed the outcome of entire nations. I hear the Holy Spirit saying, "I am stirring creative ideas within you to prepare the way to release words with power to change nations."
The Lord is saying, "Do not despise what I have placed in your hands. A simple stone can kill a giant. A timely word can change the course of a nation. Stop looking for a human perspective but look from My perspective. You are My sons and daughters, created in My image, and made to see from My perspective. Just as David and Esther overcame and triumphed so I am calling you to overcome and triumph. You were created for this!"
How to Look and See
• Ask the Lord to reveal any way in which you have viewed what He has given you as "not enough". Confess and ask for His forgiveness.
• Ask the Lord to make you sensitive to His timing and to give you the courage, in that moment, to release that which He has placed in your hand or in your mouth.
• Thank Him in advance, with great joy, for what He is going to do. (To Subscribe to the Elijah List subscribe here.)
Ruth Hendrickson
Ruth Hendrickson Ministries
Email: ruthhendrickson.org@gmail.com
Website: www.ruthhendrickson.org
Ruth Hendrickson is a conference speaker, ministry trainer, board certified counselor, and served on the pastoral staff at a Spirit-filled United Methodist Church for over 13 years. In addition she is a course facilitator for Patricia King Institute and an ordained minister with the American Presbyterian Church. Ruth has extensive experience in the development, training, implementation and oversight of Emotional Healing Ministry Teams, Recovery Ministries, Prophetic Ministry, Prayer Ministries and Women's Ministry. She is passionate about training, equipping, and releasing individuals to walk in wholeness, healing (both physical and emotional) and freedom. Ruth's understanding of various denominations allows her to easily cross denominational boundary lines. Ruth and her husband Mark live in reside in Stockton, NJ.
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God is really encouraging His people to rise up in this day and walk in the authority He has given us. It most certainly is NOT a time to shrink back but to move forward in the power and anointing He has given us.
