John 5:6 (TPT) When Jesus saw him lying there, he knew that the man had been crippled for a long time. So Jesus said to him, “Do you truly long to be healed?” (Footnote: Jesus is asking the crippled man if he is ready to abandon how he sees himself and now receive the faith for his healing.)
Beth (B) – How do I see myself Lord? I want to agree to see me as you see me – (and as I wrote, my bible just slipped and flipped closed.)
G – It is done! See as I see – the truth will set you free. I see lavish, beautiful, faithful, grace and courage, bold and witty, anxious for nothing, full of freedom and healed fully. I see love and joy and laughter – I see you resolved in Me. You are full of Me and I can roll around, play, declare and have peace in you. In you, I can be fully Me in you. I am not reserved, tethered, contained, protected or ignored. I AM fully. That is what I see when I see Beth.
I want you to walk in this truth – feelings lie. Circumstances lie. Man lies. You are free to be with me fully and I see a woman who believes me. Believes my words, declares victory in the face of giants. Slays dragons and bounces off mountains.
I see you fully embracing me, my truth, my words, my faithfulness, my ways, my character, my charges, my direction, my ideas, my truth. That is what I see. And I give strength and I give grace and I give perseverance in the face of the enemy or any that stands away from me and my truth. I AM says it is finished and I see freedom. Freedom to express. Freedom to love. Freedom to relax and be still. Freedom – in every area.
Areas that have pierced are now a balm to others. Questions that have been unanswered or filled in with lies are now transparent in me. Laying all down at my feet and picking up the shield of faith. Only standing with me – bare and naked of the things of this world – not cowering in fear or shame but releasing all to me and trusting in my steady, expressive protection.
Trusting me in faith to be your healer, provider, Dad and Mom, brother and friend, husband and lover, in every area I have made your heart for me and as you glance, so too do I. As you pray, I hear and respond. As you release, I receive. As you flop, I carry. As you relax, I exclaim – there she is, my girl. My everything. She is mine and I am hers and I celebrate every bit of her. Every cell is for me and not against me. Every thought, action, word. She is not reactive; she is on purpose with me. She is my pearl. She is the one that I rescued from the pit for my glory. She is the one I went after. She. She is it. She is mine and I love her. I love everything about her. I love every thing about her. Every thing. All. Poured out, overflowing, bubbling up, she dances and sings. She draws and plays. She laughs and cries. She smiles and hugs. She loves. She is mine.
B – Oh Lord, thank you for your eagle eye, for your precision, for your more than enough, nothing wasted, on purpose, Lord – you are my everything.
Excerpt from An Encourager’s Heart