Revelation by the River

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Revelation by the River

In the building of character it is not as much about God removing the negative from us, as it is about him imparting the positive into us. Many of us have a great hunger to “go deep” in the things of God. Although this is God’s heart for us, we must first allow Him to “go deep” in us and root out those issues that have become obstacles to us. This is why the ministry of (Holy Spirit led) inner healing is so important.

This is how the Lord put it to me one day while I was praying by the McKenzie River in Oregon. (This was during a time when God was moving and many were talking about being “in the river” of God’s presence.) He said, “Look at that tree by the river bank.” As I looked I saw a tree that was standing but barely hanging on the bank by its roots. Then he said to me, “If you want to be in the river you need to be prepared to have your roots exposed. When this happens, if you respond correctly, I will, as the husbandman, come and shore up your roots and you will remain a strong tree planted by the river. If you harden your heart instead of responding, the tree will fall.” As he spoke I was shaking in the fear of the Lord.

The interesting thing was that the very next time I went to the river to pray, a few days later, that same tree had fallen into the river, barely hanging on to the bank by its roots. Then the next time I went to that place, that tree was gone, washed downstream. Now the exposing I believe He was talking about isn’t necessarily to people. It is when the Lord reveals our heart to us, we must respond and allow Him to work a deep work in us. David said in Psalm 26:2, “Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my mind and my heart.” The word try is the Hebrew word tsâraph which means, “To fuse metal, that is, refine, cast, founder, goldsmith, melt, pure, purge away, try.” (Strong’s) In Isaiah 48:10 the Lord talks about bringing us through this process. “Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.”

The pain and struggle of the refining is always because God loves us and wants to work good things in our lives. Let us endeavor to submit to his process, determine the pass the tests (with a good attitude) and know deep within that he only has “our best” in mind.

The pain and struggle of the refining is always because God loves us and wants to work good things in our lives. Let us endeavor to submit to his process, determine the pass the tests and know deep within that he only has “our best” in mind.