NKJ Luke 11:9 " So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For those of you familiar with what the Lord is really saying in this verse know that from the original text it really means ask and keep on asking, seek and keep on seeking, knock and keep on knocking.

Once when I was praying for a blind lady in India, I prayed earnestly and then I ask her if she could tell any difference at all. "No." She said, "None." "Yikes!" I thought this isn't working, how do I get out of this without looking like an idiot." So I told her that I would pray and ask the Lord for any special instructions in prayer. I had felt the power go into her but maybe there was something else I needed to do. The Lord answered, but all He would say was knock and keep on knocking. But Lord I whined. He wasn't interested in my excuses, He just kept repeating knock and keep on knocking.

I knew what He meant was to keep praying. So I told the woman I would pray again. This time after prayer she could see light and dark and forms. "Knock and keep on knocking." The Lord kept saying. So I prayed again. This time she was much better. I could still hear the Lord saying the same thing, "Knock and keep on knocking." This last time she was totally healed and as you might imagine I also was greatly relieved. So often we want to pray a quick prayer and if that doesn't work stop but I have one question, how big is your pipeline to heaven? If it is not so very big you may need to let it flow longer sometimes to get your bucket full. Knock and keep on knocking and stop complaining. We must give the Lord a chance to fight through the darkness to get His answer to us.

Daniel fasted and prayed constantly for 3 weeks. He just kept knocking though he was seeing no results. NKJ Daniel 10:12-13 Then he said to me, "Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.

If Daniel had quit his answer would not have come. His prayers and constant intercession allowed his angel to break through. There are many such examples in the Bible. The Lord has a lighthouse to shine the way for us. That means it is up to us to respond to it correctly and follow it. That requires 'faith in action' on our part. We want the Lord to just reach into the storm and grab us up out of it. I mean He's God He can do that. We very much want not to have to do anything in the storm. We reason that if God loved us He would know how bad it hurts and just intervene. But the reality is He knows the dangers and that if we can't trust Him there's nothing He can do because though He gives we have not positioned ourselves to receive it. It is like the kid trapped in floodwaters that the Father is reaching for. But the kid just keeps crying saying I'm afraid to reach just get me. If you love me you would just rescue me. It takes effort on both sides to overcome the enemy, especially in these last days. Don't react to the circumstances react to the Lord with trust.

Once I had something like a heart attack and was very weak. I went to the church for prayer, as the Bible says call for the elders to pray for you. My Pastor's wife, Charmaine prayed in particularly and when she did I heard the Lord shouting inside of me that I was healed. But there was no physical evidence, no change at all. Now I had a decision to make, would I set course by that beam of light the Lord had shouted into me or continue to drift in the storm. I made the choice to believe God's word, His beacon to me and set course for it. So I adjusted my thoughts, my words, and my heart feelings and attitudes continually. I had to be constantly adjusting the settings to stay on course using the 3 R's (Repent of wrong thoughts or feelings, Rebuke wrong thoughts and feelings and Restore a proper attitude.) All it takes is one wrong thought, word or feeling left unchecked to mess it up. I had to be quick to Repent and Rebuke those thoughts not allowing them to take me off course. Then I would ask the Lord to help me have the correct feelings and thoughts. I needed His constant help to line up.

It took 2 weeks of being "constant". In another two weeks I was supposed to leave on an overseas mission trip. The pressure will always be there, that's why they call it a storm. Hold fast to the light and stay on course no matter what. After 2 weeks I stood up to get a drink of water (I was bedridden at this time) and the Lord said, "Jesus Christ heals you." Then instantly every symptom was gone and I was totally healed and ready to go on that mission trip.

What would have happened if I had given into discouragement or resentment? I would probably be dead. We must ask and keep on asking with thankful expectation. Then follow the light tenaciously when it comes. (The light is what the Lord is saying in our situation.) Stay on course to the light until we reach the desired safe haven. Let's go back to NKJ Isaiah 9:2 The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined.

This scripture is also quoted in Matthew 4:16 and Luke 1:79. Notice it doesn 't say everyone was rescued. We know that Jesus is the Light that Isaiah spoke of and only a few were rescued when He first came because only a few responded to the light and remained on course to follow it to safety. Some only saw the light; some responded but got offended later. Are you remaining constant on course? If not you may be off course and not realize it, repent and get back on course now. It is up to us to respond to the light and keep it as our focus.

NKJ Isaiah 9:2b Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined. When the light (Jesus) comes to us we have our home in darkness and in the shadow (or fear and constant threat) of death. The sh adow of death is like living with a terrorist's constant threat of death. Notice the light now shines upon them. Not just a beam but also a direct light. Not on all of the land but only on one or a few at a time. The light is not intended to remain shining on us as we remain in the shadow of death. Its purpose is that as we follow it we will be brought out of the land of the shadow of death to safety.

Let's look at a couple of things. This person dwelt in the land of the shadow of death. It was their home, a familiar place they were comfortable with. I have seen many turn back to the darkness because even though they were miserable and hated it they were at least familiar with it. It was home to them and what lay ahead was not, it was uncertain. That familiar-ness or home-ness of the darkness will always call to you and then you must make a choice, will you return or not. Your darkness will always call to you and make you feel nervous about what the Lord may require of you. What if you fail, not just fail but also fail God? But the Lord knows what we're ready for and is ready to help us. We must make up our minds ahead of time not to look back. Where you look or what you give your thoughts and emotions to is where you will go.

Lot's wife "looked" back because her thoughts and emotions were behind her with her losses, not ahead with the Lord. Cut the cords of your loses. There is nothing they can do for you now but trap you. Ask the Lord for help and make up your mind to burn and bury the past so God can give you a vision of your future. KJV Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish.

Perish here is the Hebrew word parah, which means to fall backwards. If you don't keep the vision of the Lord fresh and alive to pull you toward it and keep it in your sights (heart, mind, words and feelings) the enemy will fill that gap with false desires and sorrow of loses to cause you to "look" backwards and there by trap you into going backwards because you go where you are looking.

Israel is a prime example of this. The Lord brought them out of horrible bondage from Egypt (the world). He led them with a pillar of fire by night and a cloud of glory by day, or His light. When it moved they had to move, take up their home and comforts to the place that God said to go. They had to continually be portable, willing, obedient and watchful in order to change course for Him at a moments notice. Those who didn't were left behind to the enemies of the land. It was a choice they made. Are you portable with your comforts and where you live in the spirit? Perhaps you are being surrounded and beaten down by the enemy. You need to see if the glory (light) went on and left you behind. Catch up to the light of the glory of God and make "it" your home.

We see that many of the Israelites began to complain and talk about going back to the comforts of home in Egypt. Are they nuts? Comforts of being beaten and enslaved? Yes! Where their thoughts and emotions looked they eventually followed. Even though they did not physically go back to Egypt they were already back in Egypt in their hearts and it showed in the way they acted and reacted. They could not see to follow the light completely because something else had their vision, something behind them. So when their bodies followed Moses their hearts were in Egypt. The result was rebellion and strife. It brought trouble for the entire nation. No amount of miracles will change a complainer because their eyes are only in the back of their head. They must repent, rebuke and restore, making a choice and asking the Lord to help them continually.

Notice in NKJ Isaiah 9:2 The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined.

God didn't grab them, jerk them out of the bad place and instantly plant them in the great place that the light came from. He simply showed it to them. Some saw a beam and to others it shown around them. Now how they responded to this revelation light is up to them. When Paul had the great light shine on him that caused his conversion, the others saw it too but only Paul changed that we know of. They saw a light but it meant nothing to them personally. The light will surely move on, will they move on with it? At some point many Christians have made the choice to ignore the moving of the light and settle in the darkness complaining about the situations. They often wonder how they ended up in such a mess. At some point they followed the darkness and expectations of the flesh instead of the light of Christ. Find the place you left the light, repent, rebuke and restore. Hook up again with a new determination to follow no matter what.

How we respond to the light is not a one-time thing but a moment-by-moment choice. We can get out of the light at any time. KJV Philippians 3:13-14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Paul knew that he had to make a determined effort to remain and press into that light.

The scripture is full of references to light. Jesus said we are to walk in the light as He (Jesus) is in the light. NKJ John 12:35-36 Then Jesus said to them, "A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light."

NKJ Ephesians 5:8 & 11-12 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.

In John chapter one we see that Jesus is the true light. NKJ John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." (Emphasis added) notice the action required is to follow the light not just to say beam me up Scotty or I'll just hang out till you rapture me. Action is required on a constant basis to find out where the light is and to follow it.

NKJ John 11:10 "But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." Are you uncertain what to do and where to go? Do you seem to be stumbling around in your Christian walk and in your life? Don't keep hitting your head against the situations, find the light (Jesus) and follow Him to safety. The enemy wants our focus and our prayers to be on the situations but we must determine not to be ruled by his demands for our attention. We will focus on the Lord even when everything in us is screaming the problem. Because focus on the problem can't help us but focus on Jesus (the light) can. Find the Light and walk in Him.

A garden cannot grow and be fruitful without light. A plant turns that light into energy and food by using photosynthesis. Are you weak and weary? What is your diet like? If Jesus is the Light and it also says He is the Word, what must you do to use that light to be fruitful.

NKJ Isaiah 1:19 If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land; Being willing and obedient is walking in the light. If you get out of line just be quick to repent and get back in line. NKJ 2 Corinthians 4:6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

The same God who spoke the light into existence will speak light into you. Most people have shadowy places in their gardens but as you remain willing and obedient the gardener will deal with that in its strategic time, just let Him, for we cannot change ourselves, but we can let Him change us.

I was ready to conclude this weeks teaching but the Holy Spirit dealt with me to add this part even though it makes it a bit long this time. I feel there is someone in particular who really needs it. May it be a strength to you.

LANGUISHING:

What is languishing? It's not a word we use every day, that's for sure. For the purpose of our garden teaching languishing means ripe fruit that is starting to get over ripe but still has not been picked and sees itself as rotting on the vine. As the Holy Spirit was sharing this with me, He said, "You stop it." The word it being how you see yourself and your situation as languishing.

NKJ Isaiah 24:4 The earth mourns and fades away, The world languishes and fades away; The haughty people of the earth languish.

KJV Joel 1:12 The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.

The dictionary says Languish means to pine, wither or fade; to lose force; to lose strength or vitality because of outward circumstances. I think this states it very well. "Lord why aren't you using "me" to minister more? I want to preach, heal and deliver people. I want to prophecy and move in the gifts but I am languishing on the vine. Funny how we gave our life to the Lord but it revolves around what we want and not what He says.

Stop languishing; it's your choice. It's hard for the Lord to move when you are in that self-attitude. It is an emotional state where you see yourself and your fruit as rotting and being wasted, so Repent of the wrong attitude, Rebuke it refusing those thoughts and Restore right thinking. Be determined not to allow those fruit rotting thoughts.

Don't you think I know that is easier said than done? But I want you to covenant with yourself to be diligent to do it. When I go into swampy hot regions with open sewage ditches that are full of disease carrying mosquitoes I don't just give up and proclaim I'm as good as dead because I certainly would be. I am often in areas where people are dying of malaria and dengue fever. If I feel a mosquito biting or landing on me I swat it off. I carry bug spray and bug bite medicine and anti-bacterial wipes. I am ready. Do I ever get bit, oh yeah. One time I got several big swollen bites on my face. I looked awful. A resident pastor had just recently lost 2 of his children to malaria. I didn't just say, "Oh well with these big swollen bites on my face I'm as good as dead." No, I said, "These bites will not be infected or have any disease in them, I am healed by the blood of Jesus." I had to watch and pray not just on the outside but also on the inside with my emotions and attitudes. I could not afford to languish.

We must trust the Gardner Jesus and not pull away in our attitudes. He knows when to harvest what and how much at a time and He also knows when we are hurting or rotting and what to do to help us if we let Him.

Let's look at NKJ Psalm 41 for some answers. I want to keep it broken into verses for our study purposes.

1. Blessed is he who considers the poor; The LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.
2. The LORD will preserve him and keep him alive, And he will be blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies.
3. The LORD will strengthen him on his bed of illness; You will sustain him on his sickbed.
4. I said, "LORD, be merciful to me; Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You." 5 My enemies speak evil of me: "When will he die, and his name perish?"
5. And if he comes to see me, he speaks lies; His heart gathers iniquity to itself; When he goes out, he tells it.
6. All who hate me whisper together against me; Against me they devise my hurt.
7. "An evil disease," they say, "clings to him. And now that he lies down, he will rise up no more."
8. Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up his heel against me.
9. But You, O LORD, be merciful to me, and raise me up, That I may repay them.
10. By this I know that You are well pleased with me, Because my enemy does not triumph over me.
11. As for me, You uphold me in my integrity, And set me before Your face forever.
12. Blessed be the LORD God of Israel From everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen

In verse 9 it says 'has lifted up his heel against me." This is also quoted in John 13:18. The Hebrew word here for heel means: heel, rear of an army, compensation or reward of the worst, lier in wait.

In my words a heel is a friend who rewards evil for good and lies in wait to lift an army against his friend as Judas did to Jesus. This is talking about what David himself faced, it is prophetic of Jesus and Judas and it is prophetic for you for the things that you face as well. Now you know that the Lord knows how you are feeling when you are betrayed by someone who was supposed to love and protect you.

Let's look a little closer at verse 9: Yea my own familiar (shalom - peace, prosperity and complete well being) friend in whom I (Jesus) trusted, which did eat of my bread (eternal covenant of salt friendship and protection, which brings a curse if ever broken) has lifted up (over me) his heel (reward of evil for good, lying in wait to harm and bring an army of pain and trouble) against me (Jesus).

My shalom friend, I trusted and made an eternal covenant with betrayed me and pre-planned to bring me much harm as much as an army against me in order to trample me into the dirt. You can easily substitute your name for the name of the betrayed one and see that the Lord knows how it feels in the midst of your pain and betrayal.

V. 10 paraphrased - Lord lift me up above this attack and justify me completely.

V. 3 paraphrased - The Lord will strengthen me when I languish because of their curses because I have done (verse 1 & 2) what pleases the Lord by helping the helpless, so He will bless, protect and deliver me. [You can claim that.]

V. 4 paraphrased - Lord be merciful to me and heal this wound, this breach in my soul, thoughts and emotions. That in my deep inner pain I not sin against you. [David Teems has a song called "Heal My Soul" that is very healing. It takes one who has known much pain to understand the depth of the compassion of the Lord.]

V. 11 & 12 paraphrased - God favors me and though I have been attacked He will not permit the enemy (once my friend) to prevail, or win against me. For God holds me and helps me have integrity for Him. He sets me before His face right there in His presence where the enemy cannot come or reach me to harm me.

When you are attacked, betrayed and treated unfairly do not languish by turning your focus to the pain or the person. But turn your face to the Lord only and remain faithful so the Lord will then fight your battle and vindicate you. Then He will set you in His protection from the strife of tongues. Psalms 31:20

Admit your emotional wound and let God heal your soul. Do not grieve or languish because it only leads to rotting which is what the enemy's purpose was to begin with. Instead turn to the Lord.

Languishing, grief, weakness, sorrow and hurt due to circumstances and people is a choice not to make a choice but to allow the storm to take over and propel your boat wherever the storm chooses to take you, which is into deep darkness. That is where thoughts of suicide come from. We allow the storm to steer the boat into the abyss of deep darkness. Don't wait until you are already in the deep darkness to choose to turn, choose from the beginning not to allow the storm to take you to the depth of despair.

Determine to turn and let the Lord help you turn to Him. Languishing is a choice not to do anything. It is a choice we make when we are wounded. But when we are wounded it is easy to be dragged into the enemy's camp. Choose to make a continual choice to allow the Lord to bring you before His face to safety.

NKJ Psalm 91:1-2 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust."

It is not a choice not to hurt. That's what most people think but that is not usually an option. Then when they cannot stop hurting they think they've failed or the Lord has failed them, so they give up and languish.

Languishing is not about hurting or not hurting, languishing is rotting and giving up. It is a reaction to the pain and not the pain itself. The hurt will not go away instantly. It's okay to hurt sometimes. It's not a sign of failure it's a wound and a real part of life. We don't get angry at the lamb that was attacked by the wolf. It's been hurt enough now it needs a safe place to heal. It's Satan that wants you to see your hurt and wound as a failure but even Jesus was hurt by His friends.

The key is not to buy into that lie of failure and despair but to make a continuous moment-by-moment choice to focus on the Lord instead of the screaming pain and the lies of failure. Constantly seek the Lord's help to do that and do the things that bring you into His presence. It's like taking a prescription medicine for your soul.