pain won't kill me.....

Ok, Dear Lord -- you have been working this revelation in me for a few days.  I want to honor you and yet I want to express how Wonderful you are......oh Lord, give me the words.  Amen.

Isn't it great when you can have a short prayer and know that GOD understands it all?

Ok....I want to start with this scripture: 

 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.  Ephesians 1: 18


The eyes of my heart....wow....that they may be enlightened....in order that I would know the HOPE to which HE has called me to....the RICHES of HIS glorious inheritance in the saints....

Wow...just wow.....awesome....words can't tell you right now the warmth in my heart because I believe HE wrote that JUST for me...for YOU too....for us all......

At the 'end' of 2 weeks ago, I knew that I knew, God was calling me to fast.  So, I prayed that weekend and began that fast last Monday.   How did I know?  I just knew.  Oh what a neat experience to know that God has called you to do something, the Holy Spirit confirms it, and then to know that Jesus is at the throne already ready interceding on my behalf for my task.   THAT thought alone deserves a blog of its own!  ....sorry, back to my thought......

I knew I was to fast.    I had one friend that was in the middle of some pain and hurts....and I was reminded of a time in my walk through a valley where I had exhausted every thing I 'knew' to do, and I was reminded to pray and fast.  And the fasting DID make something turn around or move and it changed me.  That has happened again.....I knew I was to fast and I did so for 5 days and glory be....I was just so thankful as HE blessed my socks off and not only gave me a word...but  HE reminded me of how MUCH I was loved....so much. 

We are called to fast and pray -- often.  There is a story about some of Jesus' disciples and how they were unable to cast out a demon and they asked Jesus as to 'why' and He told them,  you need to be prayed up and  it will take fasting. 

Are there some really HARD things that you are facing or in the middle of? Have you considered a fast.  I have not read the many books out there about fasting - as I probably should, but I knew I was  just  to do a simple day or 3 day fast.  The other times I fasted, I knew it was for the day or for 3 days.  I have even fasted with a friend and then we prayed together.  I would always fast the day Brendan and I had counseling in Stuart, you could hear my stomach roar as I sat on the 'couch'.  I was always blessed and the days I didn't ....those were harder sessions of counsel.  God showed me, proved that fasting is a tool with which we can use.  A tool that gives us POWER Of the enemy....and our circumstances.  However, now, I felt an urgency to fast for  5 days.    God lets me know exactly what to do.  I can now say, that when God ordains it -- it really works.  Believe me, I tried to fast too  MANY times to drop a pound or two... and that DID not work.  Go figure...:)  Can you see me smile ear to ear on that one?  I bet God is smiling at me too!

Anyway, back to my five days, God reminded me of WHAT I have already accomplished with HIS  help, and how I showed grace and mercy.   Then HE continued to orchestrate and manuever situations  throughout my week of fasting that I could write and write about but it is of no value to the general reader..only to me...I knew and I saw how he changed things.  For example, there was a meeting with another person that brought immediate pain to my stomach - physical pain, but God provided the RIGHT person right there, and the circumstance changed  and pain gone.  It was VERY real.  That may not seem that BIG to you...but it was a BIGGIE to me considering the person and the circumstance.  But that is MY God....HE is my Hero and I am doubly blessed when He comes to my rescue via my husband.  Amen. 

Faith creates miracles. 

Ok....God also used a song this past week......by Mercy Me...when the Hurt and the Healer collide. 
In my week of heightened prayer, I could hear over and over...."I fall into your arms open wide".  God is the perfect husband, the perfect friend, and the perfect need meeter and when we allow HIM to do those things it takes our husbands, our friends off the hook...and allows them to be themselves...and God gave me MANY of those type of confirmations or as I like to call them, tidbits of blessings  throughout this past week.  And they did not stop, they continue to happen this week. 

But, as I stop and reflect...about how this happened and then.... that...it seems like it was all arranged just for me....and I know God has MANY children...but, the thought that HE would actually arrange all of that JUST for me...there are no words.  THAT is what I never want to loose.  The song from Mercy Me says, "you breathed me back to life".....God did that for me....He breathed me back to life......therefore I wish to "keep my eyes completely fixed on  you".... 

Ok, like I said I was blessed each day and on Friday, I reminded  God, I wanted a direct word and I can't really find the words right now to totally explain it - but within 2 min of that prayer as I drove to school on Friday, it came.  "pain won't kill you". 

I, of course, lost it - tears streamed down my face....I could feel the presence of God in that car and wanted to just BASK in HIS loving arms but I was on my way to school so I dried my tears, checked my make up and continued to drive.  Until I turned XM radio on and HE blessed me with one of my favorite songs...'while I am waiting'  from the Fireproof movie.  Well, let me just say that by the time I got to school, I had to redo my make up.  Again, I knew, God GAVE me that song because of HIS tender mercy and love for me.

Throughout the week, as I prayed for my pal, as the Enemy tried his best to bring up old memories and stuff, as I prayed for others, as I watched a few others receive yucky news....there was a peace and joy within my life.  And as I cried out to God for my own pain and asked HIM to remove it...I heard, "pain won't kill you". 

The pain....strengthens my walk with Jesus....
The pain...brought forth so MANY more blessings....
The pain...after it is gone, has left me more stronger than I could of ever imagined....
The pain....brings us closer to Jesus than we could ever imagine...
The pain....lets you know, you are ever SO much more loved than you could hardly know......
The pain...will pass....

In the middle of it - it does not seem so.   I know.  It does not seem so.  But GOD is good and all the time.  HE is faithful.  Don't doubt.  Praise God for the godly people around who encourage you ...me...and praise God I SOUGHT those people out.   SEEK them out......Praise God for fasting...for the gift of my prayer language, praise God for my children....and for prayer.... oh lord the prayer.  Praise God. 

As the pain DID not kill me...and any new pain won't either.  I don't believe that - I KNOW that.  Amen.

So, be encouraged.....this pain, won't kill you.