Five Years

Philippians 3:10-11 (AMP)  And this, so that I may know Him [experientially, becoming more thoroughly acquainted with Him, understanding the remarkable wonders of His Person more completely] and [in that same way experience] the power of His resurrection [which overflows and is active in believers], and [that I may share] the fellowship of His sufferings, by being continually conformed [inwardly into His likeness even] to His death [dying as He did]; so that I may attain to the resurrection [that will raise me] from the dead.

Five years. Five years ago, our son underwent the bone marrow transplant that ultimately saved his life. With a 2% chance of survival and a hope for just a couple more years, the doctors declared the five year mark a miracle. Well, miracles happen. He has successfully outlived every other person who entered the clinical trial which he also was enrolled in. The doctors will order one more set of scans before releasing him from care. We recently visited a new church. The guest speaker told the story of his home church as a child. He shared the miraculous stories of three saints in the church told over and over again. Funny how the Lord works because I had begun to thought the miraculous journey from five years ago obsolete. Old news. Yet the fact that our son is still living, breathing, working and thriving is a modern day miracle that should be shared over and over again. The pastor encouraged us to tell our story that message of a miracle and test turned to testimony until the whole world hears. Well…

The story of this journey began more than a decade ago. I had heard about trusting God and having faith of substance. I wanted real faith. I sought after God for the reality of His Resurrection Power because I did not want to waste my life on dead things. If God was real, He was being called to the carpet of my life to show Himself to be the faithful, loving, and kind and known God who He promised to be those who sought Him. Well I was seeking.  Within a few months, our daughter developed rapid onset asthma. The doctors struggled to keep her breathing literally. I was angry. Confused. Hurt. How could the God I set out to know allow such a terrible tragedy to befall us? Well, He was giving me exactly what I prayed for. An opportunity to sow faith and see a miracle. She was miraculously healed. I began to exercise faith in little things along the way. Yes, He continued to be faithful. Whether it was in a big purchase such as a house, ministry, or even crazy prophetic declarations like telling a close friend that God was giving her a baby when I had no idea if she wanted one. She did but her husband did not until their first child came into the world nine months later. He was preparing me for a battle to the death of me…

More than ten years ago, the Lord led me to this quiet place of listening and sharing His Word with others. Little did I know – it would be what sustained me through three years of cancer relapses, chemotherapy and near death. It was definitely an Abraham and Isaac moment to totally trust the Living God. I had to let God be God no matter what the outcome. I could not forfeit faith or give up on hope. The decision had to be made to continue to pursue the reality of faith and enter the realm of hope or keep living a dead life in a dark and dying world. These verses make sense to me today. I can feel them stirring up my soul again.

And this, so that I may know Him [experientially, becoming more thoroughly acquainted with Him, understanding the remarkable wonders of His Person more completely] and [in that same way experience] the power of His resurrection [which overflows and is active in believers]…

So that I may know Him. To know Christ is not enough – we are called to follow Him. We must be more than mere acquaintances but intimately aware of His Existence in us to allow His Power to work its way out of us. Resurrection Power is in you. It’s in me. However, fear, doubt and insecurity convolute our thinking to react to our feelings rather than respond to His Presence. We must be moved. Moved out of our comfort, convenience, control and complacency to interact with the reality of God and His Kingdom. We must experience His Power. Miracles require the impossible. The impossible wrecks us.

And [that I may share] the fellowship of His sufferings, by being continually conformed [inwardly into His likeness even] to His death [dying as He did]; so that I may attain to the resurrection [that will raise me] from the dead.

In the last five years, God has moved us. Transitioned us. Replanted us. He has a new thing for us. However, when the “fellowship of His Sufferings” become a reality of faith – it is difficult to move ahead. I am asking the Lord to use me again. To do anything that He sees fit for His Glory. On this day five years ago, our son received bone marrow. It was a huge risk. Yet, without it, he would die. I wonder what might happen if believers truly realized that Resurrection Power requires something to die. Our flesh must move out of the way for faith to grow. Hope cannot be in our human expectation but Godly revelation of the reality of eternity. Suffering is required for the continual transformation and conformation into the inward likeness of Christ. Yet, today I am fully confident that He who has promised is faithful to the end. Whatever that looks like. I prayed for more faith. I wanted to know the Power of God. It came through suffering outwardly and inwardly. What about you? Are you desperate to attain the resurrection power that will raise you from the dead?

There is always a cost to knowing Christ. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He is the only way to the Father. It means giving up our way, stop living a lie, and give our life to Him fully trusting and believing that He is leading us to the Father and His Glory. Whether traversing mountains that did not move, groping in the darkness of the night, fearfully through the valleys, or wandering through the wilderness our faith greater than our fear, desire for Him greater than our doubt, and confidence in Christ greater than any insecurity. You have resurrection power inside of you trying to find a way out into your natural life to make it a supernatural existence. You must give up something to attain it. You must give up everything to endure to eternity. Sacrifice, surrender, submission, and suffering are all part of our flesh slowly dying but there is life after death for those who believe whether here or in heaven.

Today we celebrate our son’s new birthday of five years. We give all praise and glory to God for meeting us on the mountain and placing a “ram in the thicket”. My prayer for you today is that resurrection power will challenge your comfort, convenience and control. That a desire to know God more and follow Christ will overtake every fear, doubt and insecurity. Looking back, it was a very tough season. Cancer is a horrible disease but no match for the Living God. I cannot begin to express in words the preciousness of faith and hope that God has given me in the midst of my greatest fear coming to be a reality. His Love and Faithfulness allowed me to journey through a season of suffering and experience His Resurrection Power for real. Once you have seen the Face of God wrestling for your faith and struggling with hope – though you may walk away wounded – you will be changed for the better. Just ask our friends Jacob and Job…

Genesis 32:24-31 (ESV) And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.

Job 42:10-17 (ESV)  And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. Then came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and ate bread with him in his house. And they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him. And each of them gave him a piece of money and a ring of gold. And the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning. And he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. He had also seven sons and three daughters. And he called the name of the first daughter Jemimah, and the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-happuch. And in all the land there were no women so beautiful as Job’s daughters. And their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers. And after this Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, four generations. And Job died, an old man, and full of days.

I Corinthians 2:9 (ESV) But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—

Amen and amen! Thank you Lord for five years – I know and believe that the best is yet to come!