The Waters Part #05

The Waters Part

I stepped in faith.

Do you know that God can part the waters?

I know you have read the story. You have sung the song; you have told your friends and family he can when they needed a way made. But do you truly, truly KNOW in your heart Jesus is the God of the impossible?

I used to believe but now I KNOW.

How did I go from believing to knowing? I stepped into the river.

I stepped into the river at flood stage. 

I believe God will part these waters, and so I step. I obey God, no matter what happens next.

When God asked me to leave Florida and travel to Tennessee, I wasn’t thrilled. Not in the least. He was asking me to revisit a territory that once held dominion over me. There was hurt, anger, and betrayal wrapped up in my past Tennessee story. And the story had not changed since I was last there in 2018.

But when God asks me to do something, I cannot hesitate. Obedience is my only choice. So, I packed my suitcase and called for a ride. The next day my father showed up in Florida to take me to where I once resided, Collierville, Tennessee.

I arrived late Saturday evening April 30, 2022. The next morning, I was in a new church lifting my hands in praise to the God who sees me! My hands were not lifted because I got my way. They were lifted because Jesus is worthy to be praised! No matter what my circumstances are. He is good and gracious.

My praise wrapped around my sorrow and rose to the throne of God Almighty in heaven.

Isaiah 46:4, Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

Today as I write this it is July 10, 2023, and still here I sit in Collierville, Tennessee. There isn’t enough room for me to tell you everything God has done in this 14–15-month adventure, but I’ll give you a taste.

Taste and see…

Why would the God we serve leave you un-rescued, when he promises to rescue?

As the days passed in Tennessee, I was waiting for God to rescue me. The spiritual battles were tough, and I continued to cry out to God for help! Take me out of here, Lord! Why am I here? I don’t want to be…agony and anguish in my heart.

But God wasn’t letting me go. He was asking me to stay, be patient, fight through with him and wait. For months I didn’t know if I would ever return to Florida. Ever have a home of my own again. Did I hear God wrong? I questioned myself. And I know others did too.

Yet, God sustained me. He didn’t pull me out of the battle. He let me sit there and grow stronger. In the middle of this trial, I grew in faith, endurance, and in heart for Jesus.

But before I could see this growth all I saw was “my” way out. Only, my way was never going to be God’s way. My flesh wants the easy way out and has a very limited view of possible. But that didn’t stop me from wanting a way out! But I decided to wait…

Months went by and still no sign of me getting a quick exit out of Tennessee. Yet, there were gifts in new friendships, some old ones reblooming, and healing I didn’t know I and my family needed. God is faithful.

While the gifts and restoration of my family were wonderful. There is another objective God was after…my heart. My sinful and selfish heart.

My heart if healthy and surrendered to Jesus should not have been in anguish over being sent to Tennessee on a divine assignment from the Lord. Right? If God is most important to our heart, what can he ask of us that we are not willing to do? To shed? To sacrifice? To let go of? To move? To go without?

I pulled tighter to my sinful heart before I finally realized God had Part the Waters!

He made a way through this jungle of sin. For you and me. He goes before us.

Joshua 3:2-4, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. [4] Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before.

God says this way my dear. Follow me. I’ve got you in the palm of my hand. I know the way. I have walked this path before you.

It doesn’t make natural sense that my faith has grown stronger when my circumstances have not changed. I have yet to conquer Jericho, the promised territory. But parting the waters is not Jericho. It is the leap of faith before Jericho.

The leap of faith God asks of you, that proves you are ready to trust him with more, bigger, and greater battles. Stepping into the waters at flood stage, when the environment is roaring, powerful, deathly, scary, bigger than me, allows you to now Know how much more powerful God is.

Step into the waters my friends. Stay in the fight with God. Allow him to do a good and complete work within you. And when you have made it to the other side you will KNOW God can. You will see Jericho and know the walls will crumble. Trust, see him move, go, fight, surrender your heart fully to Jesus, and watch him move heaven and earth to make a way across.

Walking in faith.

Increased through Mercy.

Strength in the waiting.

The River saw me.

I stepped.

The waters parted.

God made a way across.

The impossible possible.

An increase in faith.

Despite my situation.

The miracle is the waters parting.

But the waters part because…

There is Jericho to capture!

Jericho awaits…

It sees me coming.

I see it before me.

I fear not.

My God is with me.

To him be the glory!

Forever and ever Amen!

To him be the glory!

The waters parting is God’s truth revealed in real time. The waters parting shows you the truth of God. That he goes before you. Shining the way. In boldness.

“Your waters parted because you stepped in faith. You went. Without knowing why or who. You went scared but knowing possible existed. You went to Tennessee with boldness and resurrection power. But the waters were deep and everlasting. Yet, you crossed in glory! Strength arised in you, my child. Dear one. Now you can conquer Jericho. Go in my Power! I am with you and go before you. Let your faith arise and conquer!” -God

The Waters - God’s Mercy

Jericho is coming!

I have received my Jericho!

Before the battle has been won!

I know it has been!

I walk in Victory!

Of my Lord Jesus Christ!

The battle has been won!

Whatever battle God places before me.

It has been won!

He sends me forth!

In domination!

No dominion or power can stop.

You who have Christ living inside of you!

The glory of the Lord shines forth!   

 …”I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” Isaiah 46:4