For several weeks I sought the Lord for full understanding of a dream (see part 1) that he had given me. During one of these times of prayer I was taken by way of a visionary experience back into the dim library of my dream. Again I was standing laden with a heavy backpack with sleeping people around me. Then I heard the voice of Jesus calling me.
Lifting my head I followed His voice which led me to a small illuminated room. As I stepped into the room I saw books lining the walls and a table centered in the middle. Seated at the table was Jesus. Unloading my backpack onto the floor, I joined Jesus at the table. He spoke to me saying, "Debbie, come to Me and I will tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." Then the following Scripture was quickened to me, "From now on I will tell you of new things, hidden things unknown to you." -Isaiah 48:6b
Once more Jesus spoke saying gently, "Debbie, I have time for you." I began weeping as I became aware that unknowingly I had deeply internalized a lie about my Jesus. He was not too busy to spend time with me. He was looking forward to and awaiting my arrival. I realized that He had been waiting in this room for me to come meet with Him. "Will you make time for Me?", He asked.
Then a cry rose up within me and I heard the Holy Spirit calling out, "Who will come? Who will come? Who will fight through the pull of sleep to come meet with Me?"
WHAT IS IN YOUR BACKPACK?
Jesus then turned to me and inquired, "What is in your backpack?" I realized that I had no clue of the contents of this bag I had been carrying all this time. Reaching inside I pulled out a pair of old worn work boots. "Debbie," Jesus said, "these boots represent labor and striving on your own strength. Will you give them to Me?"
When I handed the brown boots over to Him, He with excitement announced, "I have something for you...." From under the table He produced a pair of glittering silver shoes. A white logo of wings sprouting from a wheel was imprinted on the side of each shoe. "When you enter into My REST, you step into these shoes," Jesus shared. Inside the shoes were soft...almost pillow like. Immediately the following Scriptures were quickened to me:
"He strengthens those who are weak and tired. Even those who are young grow weak; young people can fall exhausted. But those who trust in the LORD for help will find their strength renewed. They will rise on wings like eagles; they will run and not get weary; they will walk and not grow weak." -Isaiah 40:29-31 GNT
"It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies." -Zechariah 4:6b NLT
CONFIRMATION
The more I contemplated this encounter, the more I felt that this message was not just for me and that I was to share this experience as an encouragement to others. On the morning of New Years Eve I prayed a very specific request. I told the Lord that if He wanted me to share this message publicly, that I needed Him to confirm this word specifically with a pair of silver glittering shoes. Smiling to myself I thought, "This is going to be really interesting how God confirms this word."
Less than 12 hours later, I was at Jesus 19' conference bringing in the New Year (which happens to be my birthday), when I saw a FB post by a brother in Christ, Jeffery McCall. He was at the very same conference, and was wearing a pair of sparkling silver glitter shoes. I was dumbfounded at the speed of God's confirmation and the timing falling on my birthday. God astounds me!
INVITATION TO A DIVINE EXCHANGE
Are you feeling weak and tired? Have you come to the end of your strength and feel that can't go on any more? Have you labored and strived into burnout? Are the soles of your boots wearing thin? Are you at a place where you believe that there has to be more to this Christian walk than what you are currently experiencing?
This word is for YOU my friend.
Jesus is inviting you to come meet with Him.....to just sit and wait in His peaceful presence. He is asking,"What is in your backpack?" "What are you carrying that is weighing you down?""Let Me help you unload."
In exchange for your worn-out work boots, Jesus is handing out sparkling Isaiah 40:29-31 shoes. He is extending the invitation to enter into His REST and to TRUST Him. As you step into these new shoes, everything you do will flow from that restful place of abiding and being continuously filled with the Spirit. Jesus wants to take you to a new level of walking by the Spirit.
In the ESV version Isaiah 40:31 says, "But they who WAIT for the Lord shall renew their strength;..." This word "wait" is the Hebrew word, "QAVAH", which means to look eagerly for, hope, expect, to lie in wait for, and to linger for. This scripture is emphasizing that we wait with a HEART POSTURE OF EXPECTATION of meeting God and receiving from Him strength and renewal for the race of life. Our confidant hope is that our waiting will be met with filling and renewal.
As you wait in hope upon the Lord for His strength, you will find that your steps will not falter. Your stride will lengthen. As upon wheels, your speed will accelerate. And your feet will soar as though carried by wings on the wind of the Spirit.
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