Habakkuk 2:4
This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.
This verse was given to me during a watch night we were holding at the Vineyard. I had, for some time, had my eye on a piece of property that I felt would be perfect to open up a transitional house for people in recovery. Not only that, but it had enough rooms to have classes. It had the perfect place to hold large group events such as a worship/recovery service. Like I said it was perfect....and better than that....it was empty and for sale.
Well, this whole idea of taking the property over, burned on me that night. I couldn't get it off my mind, I wrote in my journal the things I was hearing from God. At one point, I shared with everyone what was going on in my mind and heart and asked them if we could drive over to the property and pray over it.Well, you know them Vineyard folks....they are always up for a road trip especially when it involves praying and kingdom work. So we lit out.
Parking across the street from the property, we made our way to the front. Now keep in mind that it's after midnight and here you have a bunch of people skulking around a deserted lot. As I stepped onto the property, the wind began to blow. I don't mean blow...I mean "BLOW!!". We gathered and prayed over the land and the buildings asking God's favor be upon them to be used to help those who were trapped in addiction. At one point, I felt like we were to make a down payment on the lot, but not your typical down payment. I took what change I had in my pocket, blessed it and buried it there on the lot. The wind continued to blow. As we finished and made our way back to our cars, the wind stopped blowing the moment we stepped off of the property.
This took place on March 1, 2002.
Fast forward to this week....
Needless to say, I never was able to purchase the property, and it never turned into what i saw that night as a place for those in need of help. Truth be known, I felt like a failure, and somewhat foolish. But we don't understand the ways of God, do we? I don't. The other problem was that God's timetable and mine are two different things. His is better and I should have thought about that.
Wednesday I receive a call from someone I did not know, who wanted to meet with me. I am always a bit leery of such calls because in the past it has usually been someone trying to sell me something. The next big plan that will help us grow our church. Or light bulbs with scripture on them, and on and on. But for some reason, I felt God urging me to meet with the person, so I gave him a time.
A man and woman showed up and introduced themselves to me. They are from Texas and have moved here to open a treatment/ transitional house for men and women (not in the same house). They were excited and animated about what God was calling them to do, and I listened and also caught some of their excitement. Then they told me where the facility would be located. It was the property we prayed over back in 2002. So what does all this mean?
I think it proves a truth about scripture.
One person sows....
One waters.....
And another brings in the harvest.
In other words, don't be surprised if you are called to do something that you may never see the fruit, or reward for your labor.
I really believe that what I was experiencing back in 2002 was simply God saying...."go and claim the land for Me, I will be sending someone else to take care of it."
I know that this all sounds crazy but I really believe that this is what has happened.
We went to that property in 2002 and made a prayer down payment, claiming that land for the use of recovery in the name of Jesus. Now to us, thirteen years seems like a long time, but to God it is nothing.
We planted....
The land has been watered all these years...
Now God has sent the harvesters to bring in the crop/fruit.
Or as the Moravian's have said...Ours is to "Win for the Lamb the reward for His Suffering.
I will be sharing more about this new work that has come to our city.
Right now I ask you to be in prayer for Larry and Ashley as they go about the business of starting up the program.
Ain't God good?
Oh, and the verse from Habakkuk that I wrote at the beginning of this post?
It was given to me after we had returned from our midnight road trip to claim the property for God.
God on you...
Michael b.
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