Next Stop: Promised Land

21/11/12 10:35

Today I've got such an exciting word to share with you. It's one of the
greatest revelations I've received through His outstanding grace, and I
believe it's a word for you and for NOW! We're entering a brand new season.
It's a season of coming out of the  dry valley wilderness and arriving at a
table laden with a feast of the finest foods en-route to your promised land!
He's there to dine with us - in the presence of our enemy, our
circumstances, trials and hardship we may be facing.

This is a word close to my heart! Be blessed and encouraged!



But first I would like to share a story or two about what God's been up to
lately!

Last Thursday we did hospital ministry and saw awesome miracles and people
coming to Jesus especially after being healed. One guy had a huge abscess
(over half the size of a tennis ball!) on his hand and had it surgically
removed that day. From what I could gather, the scar beneath the bandage was
2-3 inches long! He was in much pain but God healed him instantly and he
rejoiced and thanked Jesus repeatedly as he kept slapping  the back of his
bandaged hand!



After we had finished, we were waiting outside for the others to finish in
their wards, and a man hobbled slowly and awkwardly up the hill towards us-
his leg was in so much pain! After my wife and I interrogated him, we found
out he had been bitten by a dog and his leg was septic and swollen. He made
it quite clear though that he didn't want us to pray for him and was quite
scared! We eventually convinced him and after praying, he was about 50%
healed and he was so amazed! We prayed again and this time he lifted up his
crutch and walked perfectly - no pain! We gave him some sweets and
literature (that we give out to all the patients) and just then his phone
rang. it was his mom asking him if he had arrived safely at the hospital. He
replied without a hesitation, " Yes I have arrived and I've already been
attended to. You can come pick me up now, I'm finished!"

As he walked off he remarked," And to think I almost didn't allow you to
pray for me!"



PRAISE GOD!





At the beginning of the year God gave our ministry Isaiah 61 for 2010. The
Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me.

Then God gave us Isaiah 11 (All about the 7 Spirits of God)!  And the spirit
of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the
spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the
LORD;



I was really excited about this word and eager to walk in greater anointing
- manifesting the 7 Spirits of God in a measure much greater than before!

And yet, though revelation, miracles etc. have flowed in abundance,
spiritually, emotionally, financially, and even physically, this year has
been by far the toughest I've had to endure.

Often I reasoned, "where exactly does Isaiah 11 and 61 come in? That promise
sounds a lot more exciting then what I'm facing at the moment.

HE DID PROMISE IT!  But it just seems so distant!"



Then recently God opened my eyes to the "BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER."

When Jesus was baptised, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him, and after his
temptation, he came out of the wilderness FULL of the Spirit's power. BUT
JESUS WASN'T ANOINTED.YET!



These were 3 different and specific encounters and infillings of the Holy
Ghost! They also occurred in order - "BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER" His trial in
the wilderness.





God showed me that each verse in Psalm 23 is a direct prophecy to Luke 4
(His baptism, temptation, and His being anointed).



Psalm 23 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not be in want.

23:2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures: he leads me beside the still
waters.



Jesus was baptised in the Jordan by John the Baptist. Now, if the Jordan was
in flood, John would definitely not have baptised people because when the
converts were immersed, they would probably have popped up 100 meters
downstream! So Jesus was led by God and baptised in the still waters!



23:3 He restores my soul



As Jesus comes out of the water, the Father pours out His love and
reiterates the Father- son relationship they share. The Holy Spirit comes
and as in Isaiah 11, he rests upon Jesus. Think of the emotional and
spiritual impact that encounter would've had on Jesus!



23:3b. he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.



Luke 4:1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and
was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.



Wait a minute. Jesus has just had an awesome encounter with God, His soul is
restored, the Spirit's all over Him and the first place He's led is WHERE?!



23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will
fear no evil: for thou [art] with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.




And Jesus is tempted of the Devil. NOW THIS IS WHERE IT REALLY GETS
INTERESTING.



Temptation no1: Jesus is hungry! Satan says, "If You are the Son of God,
turn this stone into bread!" Jesus takes the focus completely off Himself
and Who He is and even what He possesses and puts His full attention on God
by saying," man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God."



Temptation no2:  Luke 4:5 And the devil, taking him up into an high
mountain, showed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.


And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory
of them. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be yours.

And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is
written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.




Note: Focus is off of Himself again and straight back to God!



Temptation no3:

4:9 And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the
temple, and said unto him, If you are the Son of God, cast yourself down
from here:

4:10 For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over you, to keep
you.

4:12 And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, You shalt not tempt the
Lord your God.



The Devil was trying so hard to get Jesus to focus on Himself, His abilities
and even His identity! Jesus never even evaluated Himself but always
reverted back to God - His source!



AND JUST LOOK AT THE OUTCOME .



Temptation no1: Physical bread. "Devil, is bread the best you have to
offer?"

            Psalm 23: 5 Thou preparest a table (feast!)... before me .in
the presence of mine enemies (The Devil watched in horror as God fed Jesus a
feast!)



Temptation no2:  Power & glory.   "all this power and glory I will give you"

Luke 4:14  (coming out of the wilderness) And Jesus returned in the power of
the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the
region round about.  And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of
all.



Temptation no3:  focus on angels rather than God. "cast thyself down from
hence. He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee"

             Matthew 4:11 And the devil left Him and ANGELS CAME AND
MINISTERED UNTO HIM!





Jesus received a far superior measure of everything He was tempted with
because He never allowed Himself to be the focus but always kept His eyes on
God alone! In other words He humbled Himself.



1 Peter 5:5 God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may
exalt you in due time:



HOW do we humble ourselves??? BY.



5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.



Allowing Him to be and bring the solution, and not putting any hope and
trust in the flesh!





So Jesus comes out of the wilderness/valley (Ps23).



Luke 4:14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and
there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.

And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. And he came to
Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into
the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up to read.

And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when he
had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the
gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach
deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at
liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
(ISAIAH 61)

And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down.
And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

And he began to say unto them, This day this scripture is fulfilled in your
ears.



In other words: TODAY, I AM ANOINTED AND WHILE I WAS STANDING AND READING
Isaiah 61 IN YOUR MIDST, THE HOLY SPIRIT POURED OUT A BIG JAR OF ANOINTING
OIL ON MY HEAD!



Oh to have seen in the spirit realm at that moment! GLORIOUS!



NOW let's pick up where we left off in Psalm 23!

23:5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies(exiting the
widerness/valley): You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.



When He was anointed, the miracles began to multiply and were so numerous!
His wisdom, knowledge and understanding were outstanding! The 7 Spirits of
God (Is 11) manifested through Jesus so powerfully and His cup truly
overflowed from that point onward!



ANOINT US OH GOD!! SO THAT: Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall
follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
for ever.



Put your trust in Him and allow Him to lead you! There's more than just hope
to look forward to! There's an overflowing cup that is your portion. There's
God's goodness and mercy  ready to overtake you. His presence is about to
overshadow you in a greater measure!

Be strong, be encouraged!



Finally, see how this scripture summarizes Psalm 23 and Luke 4.



1Peter 5:6

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt
you in due time:

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion,
walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are
accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by
Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect,
establish, strengthen, settle you.

To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.





Be anointed with fresh oil and may your cup overflow.FOR HIS GLORY!



Wendell Oosthuis