As I sat down to my time with God this morning, I was not specifically seeking a word for the nation, but He gave me one to share and encourage. So I bless you with passing this on, be it for you specifically, for the United States, or both.
I was reading in Jeremiah 42 where the people petitioned Jeremiah to pray and seek a word for the remnant. They specifically asked "where shall we go?" and "what shall we do?" (Verse 3). Ten days later this is the word the Lord gave to Jeremiah to tell the remnant...a word that He is also giving to the remnant in the US:
"9 He said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your petition, says: 10 ‘If you stay in this land, I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you, for I have relented concerning the disaster I have inflicted on you. 11 Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, whom you now fear. Do not be afraid of him, declares the Lord, for I am with you and will save you and deliver you from his hands.12 I will show you compassion so that he will have compassion on you and restore you to your land.’
After finishing that passage, the Lord said "Titus 2:15". I looked it up, and it said "These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you." So I share this with you.
STAY IN THE LAND. All of this was given as a result of IF you stay in the land. So what does that mean for us? Don't retreat. Either in prayer or action. Nothing will overtake you or push you out of the land, BUT if you turn back or back down, the empty land will be taken. Stay and occupy the territory by speaking, believing, praying, and living out the words of the Lord! It WILL come to pass. No matter how it looks.
Second, this is a time of actually BUILDING UP and PLANTING. To do either of these things, the ground needs to be dealt with. To build, it needs to be leveled and reinforced to lay the foundation. To plant, it needs to be tilled and broken up to be ready to receive the seed. Don't be alarmed at either of these things. This is GOOD and preparation for growth and building- both of which indicate long-term plans. Long-term hope for the future! It's not over.
Looking at various translations, that word for "relent" is translated "to be filled with sorrow of grief". God IS grieved and filled with sorrow for things that are happening now. He's not affirming it. He is a compassionate God that turns the tide.
Do not be afraid. Specifically in this passage it was authority that wasn't subject to the Lord. Don't be afraid of authorities not following the Lord. Do not be afraid BECAUSE you are in GOD's hands. He will deliver and save.
Then comes COMPASSION and RESTORATION.
Compassion is the OPPOSITE of indifference. God is not indifferent. Neither should we. In fact that word used for compassion is, in some translations, mercy. It's the same Hebrew word for mercy used in Genesis 43:14 when Joseph suggests maybe their father would have COMPASSION on them and allow them to bring Benjamin. It's also used in 1 Kings 8:50 when God talks about captors having compassion. It's a FORGIVENESS that is so complete and filled with love and empathy that it involves each time a RELEASE. With God's compassion similarly comes a total forgiveness, a release of freedom, and a release of heart's desires.
Restoration- this word in Hebrew is used over 1,056 times. It's meaning includes all of these things:
To return to a leader or king
To come back to life/revive from death
Return to a state or course of life
Absolute change of course in action from bad to good
Repent
Return of favor
Judgment shall return to as a means of being in accord with righteousness
Change in boundaries
To be restored to a healthy condition
Bring back word or message
Reverse
As a nation, we speak these things over our country! A return to God through leadership. I revival of life. A return of "living" in community. Absolute change from bad to good. Repentance widespread. A return of favor. Judgment to return as God brings us back into accord with righteousness. A spiritual expansion in His boundaries. A restoration of health. A return of His words and messages. And a divine reversal of evil.
May it be done according to His will in order to build all He desires with the church in our nation. Don't concede the land. Stay expectantly. Amen!
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