Aspire Ministries
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Aspire To Be All That God Created You To Be
Search this site.View the site map.
You may subscribe here to InJesus,
our additional site,
for weekly encouraging words
from Aspire Ministries.

REFRESHING. RENEWING. RESTORATION

 

 

Janis Smith

 
 
The Lord is calling you away today for a refreshing, a renewing and a time of restoration. He is marking this season for you. It is a place where you have been called to go Higher with Him and experience another realm of Glory. However, in order to go Higher, a time and season has been prepared for you to be refreshed, renewed and restored. It is a time for regrouping, reflection and laughter. It is the joy of the Lord that is your strength. Remember the great moment in time where Joshua called out to the Israelites,
 “CHOOSE YOU THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE…”

“Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth,
 And put away the gods which your father served
 On the other side of the River and in Egypt.
 Serve the LORD! 
And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD,
 Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve,
Whether the gods which your fathers served
 That were on the other side of the River,
Or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.
 But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
 Joshua 24:14-15
 
 
This was Joshua’s farewell address to the children of Israel. They had done many exploits, fought and won many battles. They had experienced God together up High Mountains and into deep valleys. They had been in the desert land and in the land of plenty. They had become a people of great faith with great destiny. In His Mercy, God also gave them time to rest. “Now it came to pass, a long time after the Lord had given rest to Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua was old, advanced in age.”Joshua 23:1
 
Does this season described sound familiar to you? It does for me. We are a generation that has chosen to follow Jesus and to shine His light in the Darkness. We have decided wrap ourselves in the Promises and Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, gaining much ground and experiencing His Awesome Greatness. We have been stretched to go beyond ourselves and rely totally upon God. We have stepped out into the Kingdom of God calling into the natural those things we see in the spiritual realm. Those things God has shown us. “Your Kingdom come Your will be done on earth AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.” Matthew 6:10. Our armor is on and is linked to the Might and Power of the Lord Jesus. We have Honored His Name as we have fought the good fight. Like all good generals, Holy Spirit is calling us to regroup, and to rest from the journey we have experienced. He has marked this timeas a time of reflection and healing. A time to remind ourselves Who God is, How Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent He is, renewing our decision to follow Him. Choosing Him, preferring Him in every situation. 
 
DRINK FROM THE DELIGHTFUL,
REFRESHING, LIVING WATER
 
Come away and sit with Him awhile. Drink from His Fountain of Living Water. He wants to impart a fresh and anew His Life giving flow for the season ahead. The journey has been difficult with rough terrain, it has been dry and like a desert land, but the Lord cries out to you to come away and drink.
 
“Ho! Everyone who thirsts
Come to the waters;
      And you who have no money,
      Come, buy and eat.
      Yes, come, buy wine and milk
      Without money and without price.
       Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
      And your wages for what does not satisfy?
      Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
      And let your soul delight itself in abundance.
       Incline your ear, and come to Me.
      Hear, and your soul shall live;
      And I will make an everlasting covenant with you—
      The sure mercies of David.”
Isaiah 55:1-3
 
Recently the Lord spoke these words, “Tea Mark”. As I meditated on this word and asked Him for interpretation, He also gave me a refreshing dream. Sandra, my ministry partner and treasured friend, Kim, my cousin, and I were in a fine restaurant. The three of us were relaxing while we listened to the beautiful music enjoying the pleasant atmosphere. We had worked hard ministering to people of all walks of life and we had come here to rest from the journey. The waitress came to our table gently placing beautifully shaped wide mouthed stemware on our table. She then asked what we would like to drink. We related to her that we were thankful that she had come so quickly because we were parched and dry. Sandra and I ordered iced tea with lemon. Kim ordered iced water. As she returned placing our refreshing drinks on the table, I watched Kim gently pick up a cloth napkin as if she was going to wash her fingers. Sandra and I quietly watched. Kim reached over and took my glass of tea and began washing her fingers. We sat there in awe and wonder of what she was doing. It was quite funny. Suddenly, I could contain myself no more and began laughing which broke Sandra’s silence too. The joy and laughter bubbled up and we could not contain it. As contagious as it was, we all just busted out in extreme laughter. In fact I was laughing so hard in my dream that I was awakened by my own laughter in the natural!
 
After being touched by the Lord with the word, Tea twice now, I began to seek out what He would say that would encourage you and us. In looking up the word tea, I found that tea represents the Trinity; refreshing; grace; good news; salvation; time of refreshing as in “tea time”, revival. Tea also represents soothing. In light of these insights I then looked up drinking in the same manner. The Biblical Dictionary of Imagery says that Drinking can equally be a satisfying and refreshing exercise. “He shall drink of the brook by the wayside; Therefore He shall lift up the head.” Psalm 110:7 As we bow down and draw near to the brook of living water we can expect that our Heads will be lifted and our hearts renewed. The Lord has called us to His breast for a time of renewal. God’s people have been pictured as being nursed by Him as a nursing mother. “You shall drink the milk of the Gentiles, And milk the breast of kings; You shall know that I, the Lord, am your Savior and Your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Isaiah 60:16 “That you may feed and be satisfied with the consolation of her bosom. That you may drink deeply and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.” Isaiah 66:11 God is calling us to come to His bosom, to drink deeply and be delighted with the abundance of His Glory! HOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
 
Experiencing the blessings of the kingdom of God is like drinking new wine. The Jews were reluctant to abandon the old ways and receive new wine and a new wineskin. That is why Jesus said, “And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better.’ ” Luke 5:39   Oh dear friend, Jesus is offering us a new thing. He is opening up a new mystery that has not been revealed yet as He promised He would in these last days. Won’t you come to His table, drink of the New Wine and be refreshed. It was for this reason Jesus appealed to the spiritually thirsty to come to him and drink. “And He said to me, “It is done! I Am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.” Revelation 21:6
 
JUMP INTO THE RIVER OF LIFE! IT IS WAITING FOR YOU!
 
Jesus not only invites you to drink of His Living water and be filled but also invites you to abandon yourself and jump into the River of God. Let His tender mercy and love, His life giving flow, saturate you inside and out.
 
Remember in Ezekiel 47 where God took Ezekiel to the door of the Temple where water was flowing out from under the threshold? If you remember the water kept getting deeper and deeper. When Ezekiel first stepped into the water, it measured up to his ankles. As they journeyed forward, the Lord led him through the waters until the water was up to his knees…he had gone deeper. Ezekiel chose to go deeper as he followed God through. Then, as the Lord continued to bring him deeper, the water came up to his waist. All along the way Ezekiel desired to go deeper with God and God was right there with him, leading him into the deep waters. The river became so deep that in order to go on he had to swim. As he looked across the vastness he realized the river had become so wide and so deep that he could not comprehend it. This reminds me of a verse that we have shared with you often.
 
“That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory,
To be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,
That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;
That you, being rooted and grounded in love,
May be able to comprehend with all the saints
What is the width and length and depth and height—
To know the love of Christ which passes knowledge;
That you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly
Above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
To Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations,
Forever and ever. Amen”
Ephesians 3:16-21
 
God wants to lead you out into the deep so He can impart into you things you never even dreamed of before. He wants to do the exceeding and abundant things in your life that are beyond what you can think or imagine. 
 
In this deep water, God has promised you His fullness. He has promised you that if you will step into His Heavenly slipstream comparable to our earthly Gulf Stream, He will effortlessly carry you into the realm of His Glory that you cannot even comprehend. In this slipstream your journey will be joyful, delightful and light. He is offering you the journey and adventure of a life~time. He is inviting you to step in.
 
Then God asked Him, “Son of Man, have you seen this?” Ezekiel saw and experienced the water in a new way. In his wildest dreams he did not know that there was more. Dear Saint of God, this is what the Lord wants to do for you. He not only wants to refresh you by allowing you to taste the goodness of the Lord but He wants you to see it.  “Oh Taste and See that the Lord He is good.” Psalm 34:8
 
As the Lord took Ezekiel back to the bank to look over the vastness of the water that he had experienced He showed him how it had opened up even wider. Ezekiel was amazed at how it had spread and grown. He could not believe how incredible it had become. He was overwhelmed. 
 
You and I have been on an incredible journey into the heart of God. As I take a look back at the things the Lord has revealed and allowed me to taste, I am overwhelmed. I can see the goodness of the Lord in the fire, in the stretching and pulling, in the eye of the storms where the Lord Jehovah Shammah has led and been with me. The Highs and the Lows. And the woman I am becoming because of His Mercy and Grace. Reminds me of the little piece of coal nestled in the underground caverns and caves, minding it’s own business until it is placed in the elements through the hand of the Master. Pressurized in the dark, formed and cut into a wonderful brilliant diamond. One brilliant little gemstone among many, worthy of being placed into the breastplate of the Master reflecting upon and shining forth His brilliance. 
 
 
Then he said to me:
“This water flows toward the eastern region,
Goes down into the valley, and enters the sea.
 When it reaches the sea, its waters are healed.
 And it shall be that every living thing that moves,
 Wherever the rivers go, will live.
There will be a very great multitude of fish,
 Because these waters go there;
For they will be healed,
And everything will live wherever the river goes. 
It shall be that fishermen will stand by it from En Gedi to En Eglaim;
 They will be places for spreading their nets.
 Their fish will be of the same kinds as the fish of the Great Sea,
Exceedingly many.
But its swamps and marshes will not be healed;
They will be given over to salt.
 Along the bank of the river, on this side and that,
Will grow all kinds of trees used for food;
 Their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail.
 They will bear fruit every month,
Because their water flows from the sanctuary.
Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.”
Ezekiel 47:8-12
 
And what about John in the book of Revelation? God imparts more revelation about the river, fruit bearing, and leaves of healing. “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” Revelation 22:1
 
THE LORD PROMISES TO YOU TODAY THAT IN HIS RIVER YOU WILL RECEIVE HEALING, REFRESHING AND RENEWAL. THE RIVER CONTAINS ALL OF THE PROVISION YOU NEED, EXCEEDINGLY FULLER THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE OR THINK. THE RIVER IS FULL OF LIFE~ BRINGING SEED TO FRUITION. THOSE TREES THAT HAVE BEEN PLANTED BY THE RIVERS OF WATER WILL BEAR LEAVES THAT CONTAIN SUPERNATURAL HEALING SO THAT WHEN OTHERS WALK BY THEY WILL ALSO BE HEALED. THE FRUIT WILL COME FORTH AS A NATURAL BYPRODUCT OF THE NUTRIENTS OF THE TREE BEING CONNECTED TO THE DEEP RESOURCES OF THE WATER. ALL KINDS OF TREES WILL SHOOT UP BEARING VARIOUS FRUITS WITH HEALING MEDICINE IN THEIR LEAVES. YOU MY DEAR FRIEND WILL NOT ONLY BE REFRESHED BY THE LIVING WATER OF JESUS, BUT YOU WILL PRODUCE FRUIT AND THERE WILL BE HEALING IN YOUR HANDS. YOU WILL TOUCH OTHERS WITH THE LIFE GIVING FLOW OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT RISES UP OUT OF YOUR BELLIES! EVERYTHING WILL LIVE THAT IS IN THE WATER.
 
So my dear friend, LEAN OVER THE FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATER AND TAKE A BIG DRINK. DRINK UNTIL YOU ARE FULL AND OVERFLOWING! THEN TAKE THE PLUNGE! GO OUT INTO THE WATER WHERE THERE IS LIFE IN ABUNDANCE AWAITING YOU! THE LORD HAS STIRRED THE WATER JUST FOR YOU! JUMP IN AND BE REFRESHED, RENEWED AND RESTORED TODAY!! THEN BURST FORTH LIKE THE MORNING SUN AND SHARE THE RIVER OF LIFE WITH EVERYONE AROUND. LET THE RIVERS OF WATER THAT ARE IN YOUR BELLY SPRING FORTH AND SHOWER THE REFRESHING LOVE OF GOD TO THOSE IN YOUR WORLD. THE RIVERS WILL EXPAND AND MULTIPLY MORE THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE.
 
Lord Refresh, Renew And Restore me today. With my mouth open wide, I drink in the refreshing dew from Heaven. I drink and I drink and I drink from the fountain of Life. Your living water refreshes me and I desire more. You woo me into the stirring waters for healing and restoration and I gladly come near. As I put my feet into your river, I feel the power of the Holy Spirit invigorating me and empowering me for the journey ahead. Ankle deep, knee deep, waist deep I walk with you in total abandonment experiencing freedom and life. You take me into the deep and I ride the waves of Your Mercy and love and I am free. Free to live and move and have my being totally abandoned to you. Now that I am refreshed, renewed and restored…I am ready to share the rivers of living water that have welled up in my belly to the world in which I live. Spring forth Fountain of Life and envelop my world.
 
Seeking more about the dream, I looked up some key words so that I could glean more of what the Lord would say. Water represents the Holy Spirit. Fingers represents the ability to relate, direction, intertwine, five fold ministry. You see, in the dream, we had been ministering to others together with the five fold gifts of the Holy Spirit and by His Power. This is what happens when you minister through your gifts under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. This is what happens when you join others in the Five Fold Ministry.
 
As I looked up our names, I found this: Kim means from the Royal Meadow, Seeker of Truth. “Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek him with the whole heart!” Psalm 119:2   The Name Sandra means, Defender of Truth. “Guard what God has entrusted to you. Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so called knowledge.”  I Timothy 6:20. Janis is the name that means God is Gracious, Beloved. “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2 You see how sometimes people in the dream have a double meaning?   The Lord desires to affirm you and I that His blessings are upon us. We have been faithful with those things He has entrusted us with. He wants to affirm you and I that He knows we are seeking Him with our whole hearts and His blessings flow out of obedience. Not to worry when darts come at us, and they will. Keep flowing in the Spirit directed by Him. And dear daughter, He wants to remind us that we are Beloved by our Bridegroom. He loves us and continues to come and offer us renewal. He doesn’t want us to burn out, on the contrary He wants us to be renewed by His Fire and Power.
 
JOY UNSPEAKABLE AND FULL OF GLORY!
 
When you allow yourself to be filled you can expect an outflow to burst forth and saturate those around you. Jesus said,
 
“On the last day, that great day of the feast,
 Jesus stood and cried out, saying,
 “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.
 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said,
Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
John 7:37, 38
 
 
This brings us to laughter in the dream. “A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.” Proverbs 17:22 Laugh much and love much!   Enjoy yourself! “Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart; For God has already accepted your works.”  Ecclesiastes 9:7 Minister with excellence, work hard, and enjoy the fruits of your labor! Have fun! The JOY of THE LORD, (HIS JOY IMPARTED INTO YOU) is Your Strength! 
 
I believe we are in a time of refreshing. God has given each of us gifts for the journey. He has provided also a time of refreshing, joy and laughter along with healing, restoration and renewal. As season to receive wisdom and cleansing gleaned from the season of transition that we have experienced. Now it is time to be refreshed and step into the next season with Protection, Strength, Boldness and Power as never before while at the same time experiencing great joy, wisdom and laughter. 
 
Lord, we have heard your word and we are excited to be renewed, refreshed and restored. You have invited us to this wonderful banquet of love that we need so desperately. So today, we come with open hearts to receive from your throne room the blessing and favor, refreshing, renewal and restoration that You are pouring out for us. We are thirsty, our lips are parched and now Oh Lord we open our mouths and drink freely from the rivers of living water. As our thirst is quenched, we jump into your rivers for a refreshing dip of the Holy Spirit. We lay on your heavenly banks and eat of the leaves of healing. Laughter arises from out of our being as we commune with You. Your Joy strengthens us. Thank You Lord. Your love is amazing and in Your Presence I am renewed.
 
Blessings and Grace,
ASPIRE MINISTRIES
Ephesians 3:16-21

www.aspireministries.com

You may subscribe here to InJesus,
our additional site,
for weekly encouraging words
from Aspire Ministries.