For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” Isaiah 30:15

When God, through His prophet spoke to the women of Jerusalem who had become complacent and lazy, because of the time of plenty in which they lived, He informed them that the period of abundance was coming to an end, and they should spend time praying and crying out to God until the Holy Spirit’s anointing was poured out upon them…”when you do this, the dry barren deserts will become fertile and yield an abundance of crops…righteousness will bring quietness (peace and rest) and confidence (security)…the Lord will greatly bless His people and multiply the fruits of their labor….” (Isaiah 32:9-20)

Today, like the women of Jerusalem many of us have become complacent and comfortable because we have experienced a time of plenty. We have become relaxed and have forgotten how to cry out to God because we have been living in ease. For some of us, the enemy has snuck in and caught us by surprise, causing discord in our homes, rebellion in our children and disaster in our finances. Today I want to encourage us to, stop and take account of our lives. Then start crying out to God, putting aside our silk and makeup, and storm the gates of heaven, for a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit, (that breaks the hold of those things that restrict and oppress us (Isaiah 10:27), to be poured out in our lives.

Like Jacob who wrestled with God at Peniel (Genesis 32:22-32), and refused to let go of Him (even after his hip was injured) until he received a blessing, we need to become desperate for refreshing, renewal and rebirth. God is our Father and the source of all that we need, he says “examine the wild field lilies, they don’t do any work, and still, they are more splendid than King Solomon, dressed in all his royal robes. Since we are more valuable to God than mere field lilies He will surely take care of us also (Luke 12:27).” God’s word also says, “if earthly, ungodly men give good things to their children, your heavenly Father (who gave His only begotten Son to die on a cross for you) will definitely give you good things. (Matthew 7:11).

We have been lied to by the devil and society and made to believe that if God doesn’t bless us and answer our prayers immediately, it’s just His will that the requests not be answered. So we stop praying and settle into mediocrity. God promised us abundant life (John 10:10) not mediocrity, He said that we would be the head and not the tail (Deuteronomy 28:13), that our cups would not just be full, but would overflow (Psalm 23:5). God’s plans for us are for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:8-11). God will do what He says, He doesn’t lie, so don’t give up on God’s promises to you. As a result of Jacob’s persistence, God blessed him. When we become desperate for God and hungry for His anointing, we will see things in our lives that are dried up, barren and hopeless, begin to become fertile and yield an abundance of fruit.

Finally, remember that God loves us and assures us in His word that nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:35-38), He also says “call upon Me… and I will answer you….” (Jeremiah 33:3). So hold on to God’s word and like Jacob, wrestle (call upon God with all your heart) on your knees late at night, and in the early hours when everyone else is asleep. Wrestle for that son who has been away from God, that dream that God has placed in your heart that the devourer is trying to steal, that financial situation that has you depressed, that situation on your job that has you frustrated. Wrestle for all those things that you know only God can make fertile. Wrestle and see God bring quietness (peace and rest) and confidence (security) to your life and He will greatly bless you and multiply the fruits of your labor.

Originally published on March 15th, 2007