The father of lies will always try and find a way to undermine the beauty in whatever season you may be in. For so long I thought there was something wrong with me because I was ”hidden and unseen”, when as overused as it may sound, yes, I was being protected by the hand of the Lord. The enemy would use the very purity the Lord was protecting to say I must be impure, and that is why I was ‘cast away’. As if being “seen” was some sort of trophy or sign of God’s good will toward me. This is the lie that many of us have believed at one time or another.

It doesn’t matter how mature we are, we must always carry a broken and contrite heart before the Lord. What if “being seen” would actually lead to your fall? It did for Lucifer, and any time we think we are above falling we error greatly. It is upside down thinking to the world, though in a lifestyle of humility is true greatness discovered.

Where ever the Lord is, that is where we want to be. Cave, cavern, dirt, desert, mountain top, valley, or palace and anywhere between – we just need to be where He is! It is the Lord’s mercy to some that they are not ‘used’ the way they think they should be!

Our stocks crash so to speak because we invest in the wrong currencies – in the current spirit of the world. The water current (spirit of the age) is grossly fallable! Rip tides and undercurrents unseen that often drown the destiny in the sea of prideful promise. Remember – we are created in the Lord’s image, and the enemy jealously desires that you would look like him too. He does not play fairly and he plays for keeps – he will call you out on the waters too and have you thinking you are living your best life of faith. It is a dire truth that we can put our faith in the wrong things.

Furthermore, there is a striking rescue that occurs in the desert. “Who is this coming up from the wilderness, Leaning upon her beloved?” Song of Solomon 8:5 ~ the song of ALL songs is found here of all places in a desert! But the rest of the verse is this, “I awakened you under the apple tree. There your mother brought you forth; There she who bore you brought you forth.” This is where union is birthed, from the desert places that become orchards and vineyards by our Lord’s extravagant redeeming love. If you are not satisfied in the desert you will not be satisfied elsewhere. The greatest mark of the Lord’s favor on your life is not a word from man, not recognition, not awards, not platform, it is the glowing smear of anointing on your face – that clearly signifies you have been with Him. It is the oil in your hands. It is the speech of your lips. It is the character and integrity of your heart.

Whether inside the church or outside, it can all be a game. I’ve seen both David (purity) and Saul (jealousy) and we all have both characteristics in us, until we allow the Lord to refine it out of us. It should not be in the Church though it is because it’s in the Bible and we are imperfect people yielding ourselves to the work of the cross to look more and more like Jesus.

I can tell you of my experience from the years I spent pursuing acting; the countless hours and days and time that was wasted filling my mind memorizing lines, becoming a character I thought someone wanted me to be. It was not merely a hobby, it was my full-time job. I am not suggesting that you can not be a Christian actor or a Christian in the Arts and Entertainment Industry; but I would suggest that we take a hard look at the things we think will matter in the end, and ask the Lord if it is producing eternal fruit as it pertains to any endeavor or vocation nonetheless.

I thought I was pleasing the Lord, I had a relationship with Him all along. I was gaining my awards for Him, I was a witness, and I was missionary…. And those things may be true… but there came a time when also the Lord had to tell me this wasn’t going to give Him the most fruit – there was something more He was desiring from me. He didn’t make me leave, though I could feel He was leading me out (at least in that way). Soon after I was feeling this subtle pulling away from the industry, I’ll never forget I had been asked to audition for a now well-known Christian film. I was at the peak of my career, I was winning awards and known in the community, I was attached to future projects, I was getting the coveted direct offers; however with this audition and no matter how hard I tried, I knew the anointing left, and I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt in my spirit. You see I was using that gift for Lord for a time, but when the Ark leaves you go with it. You soar when He says soar and you die when He says die. And the true beauty is that in the Spirit, this can be simultaneous. The school of the Holy Spirit is one we never want to graduate from.

I write this to you to remind you our highest call is to love the Lord. Being or doing something great for God can actually be a distraction and deception especially without pruning (as mentioned before with Saul). If what you are doing is not yielding fruit, walk away. The Lord has actually tested me in endeavors I put my money into to see if I would commit to a system that was “paid for” or commit to and obey the Spirit – and yet I felt His leading in it. Friends! It ALL belongs to Him anyway!

The Lord continues to cleanse His house, and like me He will not force you to strip all that you have built. But mark these words, another stripping is coming, so it is with heartfelt compassion that I plead with you to be honest with yourself, “Lord is what I am planting and sowing bringing You most glory? Lord are my dreams and desires in align with Your perfect will?”.

For the Church at large, the Lord is stripping away all that is not His. There will be no rebuilding with mixture, as He is returning for a pure Bride. He is completely demolishing the old because as it is now, it does not look like what He had originally designed. He is ridding all that was built upon vanity in man’s might and own power (the lie). The Bride is in need of a new home, and the Lord is rebuilding the house on a new foundation!

The Lord gave me two scripture passages this morning with the message of pruning and prosperity for the Global Church but ultimately our personal outcome is dependent on our yielding. To America there is a warning of invasion that I tread carefully, though have received it enough I am released to say it. The Lord protects and provides for those who keep His covenant, so in this we have no fear.

“Go up within [Jerusalem’s] walls and destroy [her vines], but do not make a full and complete end. Trim away the tendrils [of her vines], for they are not the Lord’s. For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very faithlessly and treacherously against Me, says the Lord. They have lied about and denied the Lord by saying, It is not He [Who speaks through His prophets]! Evil shall not come upon us; nor shall we see war or famine. And [say they] the prophets will become wind [what they prophesy will not come to pass], and the word [of God] is not in them. Thus shall it be done to them [as they threatened would be done to us].”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭5‬:‭10‬-‭13‬ ‭AMPC‬‬

“For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. Then you will call upon Me, and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear and heed you. Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity] and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. [Deut. 4:29-30.]” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29‬:‭11‬-‭13‬ ‭AMPC‬‬

The Lord DESIRES for us to have a hopeful final outcome! However we must yield, He will not force us. Ultimately the final outcome is our union and relationship with Him. His greatest desire is our hearts! I pray the anointing of brave obedience on all who read this! May our hearts be soft, yielded and pliable. May we “[looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith [the first incentive for our belief and the One who brings our faith to maturity], who for the joy [of accomplishing the goal] set before Him endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God [revealing His deity, His authority, and the completion of His work].” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭2‬ ‭AMP‬‬