“Our shipment will be here tomorrow,” announced my husband,
Terry, as he was reading his e-mails.
The “shipment” was a beautiful bedroom set, consisting of a
bed, two end tables, a chest of drawers, a mirror and a huge armoire – all
sale-priced and perfectly designed for the dream house we had in mind.
The only problem was, we had just moved halfway across the
country from our former home and were stuck for seven months in a tight,
cramped apartment. Though we were sure our dream house was a future reality, we
were now faced with the dilemma of fitting dream-house-sized bedroom furniture into
a living space much too small for it.
Terry saw my discouragement and reassured me: “Honey, we’ll
find a place for the armoire. How about next to the dining room table?” I
agreed, but not without shuddering at the thought of its doors flying open to dinner
guests, revealing unkempt piles of underwear.
Lord, what had we gone and done?
Were we wrong to believe we could have dream-home stuff
while living in a small apartment? Were we wrong to dream at all?
For some reason, I thought of Nehemiah, who was called by
God to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem (see Neh. 2-4). In order to step into
God’s plans for restoring the wall, he first had to get beyond what he saw in
the natural – terrible destruction and the animosity of those who “were deeply
disturbed that a man had come to seek the well-being of the children of Israel”
(Neh. 2:10). Even when he was derided and threatened by his enemies, Nehemiah
continued to work on the wall and to encourage those with him to persevere.
I realized that Terry and I were somewhat like Nehemiah – looking beyond our present circumstances and envisioning a bigger picture for
our lives than what was in view at the moment.
Today, I invite you to consider something God is calling you
to do – plans for you that go beyond what presently meet your eye. Perhaps He
is directing you to begin a new career, start a ministry or step out in faith
for something you’ve never done before. God’s Word tells us to live not by what
we see (“the seen”) but by what we do NOT see (“the unseen”): “We do not look
at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the
things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are
eternal” (2 Cor. 4:18, NKJV).
I ask you to join me in stepping out of the scope of YOUR
vision into the scope of HIS vision for you. God’s Word reveals the scope of
His vision: It tells us that God
“is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according
to the power that works in us” (Eph. 3:20).
When Nehemiah built the wall, he did it by stepping out in
faith. He went from the reduction and destruction of the past into production
for the future. When Nehemiah began to build the wall, he stepped into God’s
vision, or big picture, for him.
Regardless of where you are or what you’ve been through, God
has a big picture for your life – one that is bigger and brighter than what
presently meets the eye. And He is more than able to bring it into focus for
you and cause it to become reality! Don’t be afraid to dream big.
PRAYER POWER FOR THE WEEK OF 9/26/2011
This week put action to your faith concerning the things God
has called you to do. Thank Him for the “big picture” He has for your life, and
the wonderful harvest, healing and impact He’s bringing around the world.
Continue to pray for our country’s leaders as they strive to restore the
economy and move the nation in the right direction. Remember Israel as it faces
challenges in the United Nations and pray that we will continue to stand in its
support. Start praying for the 2012 elections and remember those persecuted for
His Name’s sake. Neh. 2:11-20; Eph. 3:20
To enrich your prayer
life and learn how to strategically pray with power by using appropriate
scriptures, we recommend the following sources by Apostle John Eckhardt: Prayers that Rout Demons, Prayers that Bring Healing, Prayers that Release Heaven on Earth and Prayers that Break
Curses. To order any or all of these click here.
James Lasher 
Abby Trivett 
