Prophetic Word

Thanks Anne, for your devotional prayer over my life that builds me, encourages me, forms me and helps me!  

For who is God, except the LORD?
      And who is a rock, except our God?

God is my strength and power,

      And He makes my way perfect.

He makes my feet like the feet of deer,
      And sets me on my high places.

He teaches my hands to make war,
      So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

You have also given me the shield of Your salvation,

      Your gentleness has made me great.

You enlarged my path under me,

      So my feet did not slip.

2 Samuel 22:32

- Anne van 't Wout 

Braveheart

Brave heart has always been one of my favourite movies, and a few days ago I decided to watch it again. No, this blog is not a promotion for this movie, but after watching it I could not resist writing about some of the lessons I saw in it.

In the movie Mel Gibson plays the thru story of William Wallace. William is the son of four generations of patriots before him that all laid down their lives for freedoms sake. They refused to be enslaved by the ruthless kings of England that ruled over Scotland, their homeland. After loosing his father because of this, his uncle trained and equipped him to become a strong and wise man. Finishing his training and education he returned home to start a family and live in peace and freedom.

After trying to deny it he soon comes face to face with the force that moved the generations before him to lay down their lives so that their children and fellow countryman would not have to live under it.

Loosing the love of his life because of it, he turns his heart and is determined to end the fight of his fathers and gain freedom for himself and his country. Right from the start he knew that the only way to overcome this foreign enemy was to fight it in absolute union, being unwilling to compromise with the temptations of the enemy. By demonstration unseen courage he gained the favour and trust of many countryman, passing the burning fire fore freedom on to others.

Of course the enemy became mad as more and more started to join in oneness causing to become a real threat. As the real opposition came their way, William Wallace (played by Mel Gibson) knew he needed the help of the nobles. Now, these nobles were known to be the rich, the talkers, the leaders and the fellow shippers with the enemy making all kinds of compromises for on gain. Although He knew this, William recognised their value and competence if they would only turn from compromise and joined as one. After many battles, William Wallace had to be the last of generations to lay down his life to gain freedom for all. His courage his passion let thousands to finish the fight. And although many of the nobles could not resist the temptation and fell, some turned and joined the ‘common’ in fight and became great leaders. And as they went as one, breakthrough finally came, causing freedom in every house of the land.

To bring this home, I believe we are also a generation called to join and finish the fight of our fathers, who prepared the way and already gained much ground. We ought to honour them for all they are and carry on were they left. We also stand against an enemy that tries to enslave us and steal our freedom. We have to realise that this enemy can only be overcome through the oneness of a body that is unwilling to compromise. I believe God is calling a generation of brave hearts who will go forth knowing their Identity in Him, and walk with heavenly courage. They will be known for their burning passion and call for freedom. And in this fight we cannot let unforgiveness blind us to the fact we need ‘the nobles’ of our time, and many of them will be great leaders in this fight. And walking under the open heaven of their Saviours kingdom, breakthrough for entire nations will be gained!

Anger

Yesterday I had this strange encounter with a boy who was maybe two or three years older than me. I was sitting next to my father in the car while he was driving, when this boy drove through red  almost bumping into us. This was no problem because he reacted on time and nothing happened. Then, as he came standing next to me in front of a traffic light I looked at him. I gave him a little not because I thought I knew him. For him, however, my look was not so friendly, and he started yelling at me and threatening he would ‘get out of his car’. I mean, he was really angry and really yelling crazy things at me. I was just amazed, starring at him asking myself, why are you so mad?

Thinking about this, I remembered so many times how ‘my look’ at someone almost got me into fights. I can think of countless times people threatened me because I looked at them a moment too long. This made me wonder, what is it that makes them so mad? Is all that anger all ready inside of them, because of failing of family, schools, systems and more? Is it because of lack of purpose and meaning in their life? Is it because they feel attacked or venerable when someone looks at them, and they feel this big need to protect their status, their ‘rights’? I think it can probably be either one of them, or maybe a bid of all. Whatever it is, their need to show their strength, protect their venerability, or maybe just their pent anger only takes a small look to come out.

Driving home I just felt sorry for this guy. All that anger must have had some kind of source.  Back home I read these verses in Ephesians:

…Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being separated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their heart. (4:17-18)

These words make me think about the best thing to pray for people. The problem is that they hardened their hearts, creating ignorance, separation from God, darkened understanding and so forth. Now, God is not into the changing of hearts when a person does not allows Him to. So more than asking God to change their hearts, a good prayer would be asking God to change and provide circumstances in such a way that they might soften their hearts, creating space for Him to change and renew it.

And then hopefully, because they soften their hearts, knowledge may come, causing their life to move toward God,  that their understanding might be lightened, making their mind fruitful for all good.

                                                                                     Enlightenment

                                             

God is able

Ephesians 5:13
..Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.

I’ve been meditating on this verse for a few days and I really love what it speaks to me. I read and hear a lot about the arising of the sons and daughters of God that is taking and going to take place on earth. And God is really releasing a lot of wisdom and revelation about this through His body. It feels like every book or message I receive is about this arising. It is all about the arising of the Joseph’s, the rising of the shining ones, the coming Elijah revolution, the arising Daniel company; About the coming of the bridegroom and the shining of His bride, and much more. And it amazes me how God shapes a time by releasing this revelation through so many people in different ways that all point to the same thing.

There are so many great and awesome promises written in the bible that are going to be fulfilled in the coming times, that it blows my mind thinking about it. And looking at them I can’t help myself wondering, how are you going to do all of this Lord? I mean, look at the world.. look at this generation.. look at the status of the church.. How can this be shifted to all of this? I mean, imagine seeing nations coming to Christ, seeing every sector of society showing His splendor, seeing His sons and daughters shining like stars showing the world its true  desire, seeing Jerusalem being a praise in the world.. How is this ever going to take place?      

By awakening, arising and light! Because God is a amazing God! His wisdom surpasses all our imagination. He is a God of generations, and He knows exactly when and how He is going to fulfill the times. And looking at my own life, I often wonder how I can receive so many of these messages. But then I understand that God is the director, the creator and He has spiritually wired my generation for this move of His spirit. They only have to be awakened and arise from the dead, and Christ will give them light. And looking at all my friends and all the students in the classrooms and youth around me, I feel that they are a able, that God had made them according to this time. They only don’t know, they are asleep and have to awake. They have to arise from the dead situations the prince of this earth has brought in their life, and be filled with the light Christ will give them as they more and more fall in love with Him.  

And the light will guide them out of their situation, and the wires of their purpose and calling will suddenly connect to their sores and start to produce, causing all Gods promises and prophesies to fulfill.

And as I write this my spirit and thought get so excited and filled with aw, and I know books can be written about this. I just want say with this, I believe in my God, that He is able to do all He said and I believe that this and the coming generation will be shifted in its calling.

 So as God and the body of Christ shake the earth, more and more people and nations will WAKE UP, arise from the dead, and start to shine with light Jesus will give them!

For as the soil makes the sprout come up
   and a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness
   and praise spring up before all nations.

thankful

Thanks be to God for another save and smooth journey home from Sweden. It have been two great and vibrant weeks that left me with this impression: building. Both in the natural and in the spiritual. And coming home I just feel so blessed, so thankful that I can be a witness, a part of and a student during the journey and building of Rob and Prisca. You just keep amazing me with your love, your vision, your kindness and wisdom, and I just want to let you know that it forms me, directs me and blesses me ever since I knew you. Thanks once again for the wonderful time and privilege of being with you! And I rejoice in the fact that much more will come in the future! God bless you!

Happiness

What a time it has been since I have written my last blog. The resit of my internship cost me so much energy and focus that I couldn’t find the time to sit and write in peace. I had a goal and set my complete focus on it, and fortunately with success. During this time I felt so blessed with the phenomenal weather of the past weeks. It gave me and millions of others a great time and energy boost, sometimes much needed. After my first internship eastern came and brought some much appreciated free days. The sun was at his best and family and friends made it a great time. Then I shifted to a new internship at a secondary school. The first week went very fast and had some rare moments in it. One of them was a stunt of the pupils that graduate this year, as they turned the school upside down into a major disco and preformed a very Dutch bollonese, trying to break the national record (without succeeding). It was a good way of ending the season both for them as for all the others that have a one week vacation.

The last week before going to Sweden is always a strange week for me, as my soul burns with excitement but my spirit leads in a controlled mode of waiting. This mixture causes my focuses to be a little out of balance sometime, resulting in the lack of power and motivation to perform at the best of my abilities. I am just grateful that God leads and forms me through all these things, being patient with me as I walk the way. He always gives me so much peace through which me spirit keeps in control over feelings, reminding me that His burden is easy, His yoke light and He will never give too much to carry and supplies all that is needed to walk the way. 

Today I read these beautiful words in 1 Kings about the splendor and wisdom of Solomon.

 ¹ Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with hard questions. ² She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels that bore spices, very much gold, and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was in her heart. ³ So Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing so difficult for the king that he could not explain it to her. ⁴ And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, ⁵ the food on his table, the seating of his servants, the service of his waiters and their apparel, his cupbearers, and his entryway by which he went up to the house of the LORD, there was no more spirit in her. ⁶ Then she said to the king: “It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. ⁷ However I did not believe the words until I came and saw with my own eyes; and indeed the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame of which I heard. ⁸ Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom! ⁹ Blessed be the LORD your God, who delighted in you, setting you on the throne of Israel! Because the LORD has loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness.”

I find this an amazing story! And how amazing it must have been! It shows again the exceeding blessings that Wisdom brings. But in the story one sentence really captured my attention, as queen Sheba talks about the men and servants of Solomon: ⁸ Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom!

It took me, and captured my heart as I thought about the joy we have as servants of Christ Jesus, being given the right to stand before Him and hear His wisdom. Truly this is a thing to be happy about! And there is much more to say about this, but I just wanted to share the thought, and hopefully it gives you the same excitement and joy as it gave me!

Reason

I have been struggling for a few weeks with my blog and my writings. I just kept asking myself the question: why? Or better said, I kept asking God the question: why? What greater goal is there in my writing? Is there any use in you Lord? Because if there isn’t any, I really don’t want to continue.

My prayer is that my life and my efforts will be in direct relation with Jesus, just as He lived in direct relation with His father, as it is written in John 5:19:  I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.

There is so much hunger inside of me to study the word of God and to find Wisdom and understanding. But I don’t want any of these things to be and function outside of my relation with Jesus, for what use would there be in them. I mean, the bible is full of people who did not had big trainings, bible studies and things like that, but still brought forth the kingdom of God in big proportion. Why? All because of their relation with God, who is and gives all knowledge and wisdom. They had a open and willing heart, they searched to hear and where obedient to the voice. What more is there in life than this? And, knowing that there is a long way in front of me, this is my longing, to live in this way, just as Jesus lived with His Father, not being able or willing to do anything rather than what I see or hear Him doing.

So, to bring this back to my writing. I remember myself as being someone that always had a answer, always wanted to say something back. Becoming a lover of Christ this was one of the first things Jesus helped me deal with. But still pride is always something I have to watch my back for. And I don’t want my blog to be a place where I can show the things I know. The blog started out of my longing to let flow some of the things I fill myself up with, to  speak the things that are in my mind and to share that what God is telling and teaching me. But my deepest longing is to bring the things I know and all that I gather back to Him who gives meaning to them, so that one day, on His time and for His purpose they can be used.

Keeping the blogging thing low for a while and reflecting on these thoughts, Jesus life went through my mind, and this verse came up: And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. Luke 2:52.

People almost always focus only on three years of the life of Jesus, forgetting or neglecting that He was thirty years out of the picture, increasing in wisdom and stature in the sight of men and that of God. I wondered how many times Jesus most have struggled in Himself with the fact that He knew and was the answer to all the pain and suffering around Him, all the sicknesses, curses and fights, but did not react because He waited on His father’s timing. I mean, what a commitment and loyalty!

Thinking about this helped me to find peace with my blog and my writing, and I pray that God will give me the grace to grow and increase in wisdom and stature until the time He wants to use me and all I have gained. So until that time I just keep on searching, reading and writing, praying that God will keep pride form my sight, so that all my longings to share and to teach may die, and one day be raised by Him to bring forth according to His grace.