Illustrated Faith: Hearing From God In The Trenches

The vision

In church this week the vision and words the Lord impressed on me to illustrate went like this…

When you trust and surround yourself with my word my voice will filter through the thickest forest. See here, my voice flowing freely through the cedar trees to you – my child.

Though you find yourself in trenches they will not bury you. In fact, when you truly know how much I care for you and the promises I speak, the trenches will look shallow. 

Abide in me and ascend to the Father with every breath. Ask anything in my name and you will find your answers. No problem is too great or grief too wide for me. Give them ALL to me and see what I say of them.

My promise; abide in me and I’ll abide in you.

A little backstory…

There is a sorrow that comes from not living out our inner most passions. Life can distract us and even when you think you are living authentically, there can still be pockets of our true self being denied; things we could be activating to truly maximize our world.

For years, I practiced my art daily until life came too traumatic stop. I thought I’d never paint again. God activated a new beginning by building an enormous Holy Spirit grief inside of me. A few years later, life became so demanding and I began the detour.

Friends, our hearts know when this happens. We can keep going, but the grief of living less than our purposes births a seed of grief intended to steer us back. 

I’ve been fighting balance for years, many times wondering if I would ever get to the place where I could manifest all that God wanted for birth in me.  It seemed everyone else’s need or storm was more important and there just wasn’t the space for my true creative self to emerge. Family is always first but I hungered a place of sanctuary where I could just be and create. I cried out to God, Please show me how and help me get away from everyone else’s mess – I finally found myself and now I’m loosing myself again!

God’s defaulted response was so often, Ascend to the Father and rest with me. I’ve got you.

So I did. I threw myself into prayer, staying alert, listening for his answers, documenting visions and fighting for time out with Jesus as much as I could.

A door opened, giving opportunity to spend a few weeks away at a friend’s home. I got alone with God and supported by a friend who understood the importance of abiding, I was able to stand firm. That was 12 months ago.  Praise God to all that followed and the many storms calmed by his touch. As well as the succession of miracles!

In positioning myself to abide and petition for peace, I grew to understand SO MUCH MORE about God’s goodness, grace and the way he speaks – and what lay ahead!

The key was his Word. Let me say it again – HIS WORD.!

He communicated through confirming his word even if not reading it at the time. The truth really does set you free! The more I was seeking his word during trials, the more he spoke to me of revelation. Tell me about everything I need to know and help me ask all I need to ask Lord, I’d pray.

And he answered, and answered , and continues to answer every day.

The artwork here illustrates that posture and the position I was in. The trench is secondary when the person is looking to God at all times.

When God’s word is our default we WILL hear and see what he says.

The process

My painting study here was birthed through what he showed me during the message at church. I draw my church notes and/or anything God wants to show me while listening to Christian messages. I listen to God first, while the speaker speaks and draw whatever comes to mind, trusting the Holy Spirit all the way. I’m always surprised and excited by what manifests!

God later led me to this scripture for this illustrated message.

 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.  This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

John 15: 4-8 NIV

Some versions use the word abide. That is the word I heard but I chose this version to emphasise. Remain suggests we never shift from that position. We stay there! It is not something we do during worship or of a Sunday. We remain in Him always – every minute. He is on call, at the ready to

I saw a forest of pine trees and a person in a rocky trench with eyes fixed on God’s above. At first the forest seem to appear as a wall between the person and God’s voice, but as I looked, I saw his voice (as a wind) easily and confidently penetrate through the leaves. There was no delay, no slowing down his wind – God was in full control of his logistics.

I heard him say “Cedar” and knew then I was to draw Cedar trees. (Later I thought about the pine forests that are often man-made and wondered if that was part of the perceived wall of obstruction. Perhaps related to man-made harvest as opposed to God’s provision.)

I saw the word represented as a bible, hovering in mid-air. Then one turned quickly into 3 and I felt God impress on me the words “Surrounded in my Word”.

The wind flowed to the person and into their ears, eyes and mind.

It was then that I saw the person was in a trench but not focused on the trench. They were focused on listening and seeking what God says for their situation. God was already there, working in them, for them. It was a position that ensured the trench was temporary.

“It will not bury them. They have all they need to step out”

God assured me he always meets those in the trenches positioned like this. His voice loves to seek out those who love him and seek him so earnestly. The trench is temporary. It will not bury you if you stand firm in your resolve do the same.

The message I listened to was delivered by Danny Greenwood at Discovery Church on the 3rd November 2019. The Divine Voice #4 – Danny Greenwood

Danny’s message was to encourage others to read and know God’s word and testify to the voice of God. The Discovery Church Podcasts are available on line to listen to for yourself.

The art & our younger generation

I decided to move away from an inked rendition of my notes this week and create a preliminary drawing for a painting.

I am now entering into my season to paint again – maybe exhibit again. My heart so wants to create for His Glory!

I asked my son to pose for me as I knew this image needed proper attentions and a model.

My son has been so hungry to hear God’s voice more clearly more often. With a complicated heart condition he has often struggles with “why” but knows God is good. Now I look at the drawing completed, I’ll be praying he can see himself in this image and will identify with the positioning here. I have seen several images of promise for him and like King David praying his son Solomon would complete the temple, I’ll be praying that the temple God wants to build in my boy come to pass also.

I am also hoping it will speak to many young people as they discover the simplicity (and commitment) in seeking God first through his word – the Bible.

I’ll end by asking you… are you positioned to hear from God? Are you “remaining” in Him? Are you surrounding yourself with His word?

Whatever your answer, you read this through so remember this image and the God who wants so dearly to converse both ways with his precious child – YOU!