“Do you understand why there are seasons of desperation for My true children? Do you know why these times must be part of the lives of those who have covenanted to sell out to Me? It is part of My testing process. I am building a reliable community of believers; those who can be trusted to follow Me, no matter what other voices may say, no matter how difficult it gets. Understand this, in My church there are many kinds of participants. There are those who consider everything that I do to be only for their benefit. They only take from Me, never even considering My purposes for the salvation process. There are those who fluctuate back and forth from flesh to spirit, never seeking My direction for their lives and never willing to pay the price of serving Me with all of their hearts. Then there are those who really understand what My purposes are and what My plan is all about. They are the ones who are being formed into the true image of My Son, Jesus.
"This last group, of which you are a part, holds the attention of My heart. I love everyone, but I focus and monitor more closely those who want more of Me. If you have determined to follow Me closely, sell out to My will, and crave My anointing in all that you do, I will notice you and walk closely with you. I will place My hand of pressure on you to kill your flesh and bring your spirit alive. Sometimes you will feel as though you can go no further. That is when you will learn to stand fast in My kind of liberty. I am setting you free from the part of your flesh that will not serve Me. You who hold My heart close, I hold you close. I tenderly violate every portion of you that will not bend to My will. It is an act of love. Press on. I am with you every step of the way. I am pleased with you. I have seen you when you have felt like you were dying inside. You were, and I was with you to bury the pieces.”
Isaiah 55:8 NIV
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.”
II Cor. 1:8-9 AMP
8) For we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about the affliction and oppressing distress which befell us in [the province of] Asia, how we were so utterly and unbearably weighed down and crushed that we despaired even of life [itself].
9) Indeed, we felt within ourselves that we had received the [very] sentence of death, but that was to keep us from trusting in and depending on ourselves instead of on God Who raises the dead.
I Pe. 4:12-13 AMP
12) Beloved, do not be amazed and bewildered at the fiery ordeal which is taking place to test your quality, as though something strange (unusual and alien to you and your position) were befalling you.
13) But insofar as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, rejoice, so that when His glory [full of radiance and splendor] is revealed, you may also rejoice with triumph [exultantly].
If your desire is to sell out to the Lord with all your heart, don’t let anything or anyone stop you. You must understand, however, that the price of God’s anointing and the cost of His presence is very high. In fact, it will cost you everything.
Your life will consist of times of deep, almost continuous pressure. You will appear to most as a failure. When others have, you will most likely be one of the have-nots. Many will counsel you to not be so radical about your Christianity in one way or another. They will gladly tell you all the things that you are doing wrong and advise you to be more like everyone else and flow with the crowd.
You, however, will know better. Even if at times you feel as if you can go no further, you know that the Lord is directing your steps. To give up would be a disappointment to Him and that thought alone is enough to press on. Somewhere in the very depths of your spirit you have tasted the wonders of your precious Lord and nothing but pleasing Him will satisfy. No price is too high, no hardship too great. You are willing to go to any measure to honor His desires for your life; to do less would be unthinkable.
You will stand on the sidelines when others are able to afford to play the success game. You will willingly go without, do with less; and bless others when you are laughed at, talked about, scorned, and not included in most events.
However, you, my friend, will be held in high esteem by your Lord and used because of your faithfulness. He will be able to place His presence in you, share His anointing with you, and give you His wisdom because He knows that you have gone the route of His Son. The price may be high, but the thought of pleasing your Lord is the only reason for living. For you, there is no other way.
Needing to stop listening to the enemy when under pressure,
Jim Corbett
