“The Desert Places and The Resting Places Encounter – January 16, 2019”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I lay down to rest, the Lord came and invited me to follow him. In the vision, I get up and follow him and find myself walking in a vast hot desert. All around us are sand dunes as far as I could see. The wind was hot and was blowing sand on us as we went. My feet were struggling to keep up with the Lord as He purposefully trudged forwards to His destination. I pressed harder in the soft sand and said, “Lord, where are we going?” The Lord just kept walking. After awhile, the Lord slowed down and I saw that we came to a place where there was an old well in a cleft among the dunes. It was ancient, well used, and it had old dry clay built up all around the sides. There was an old clay jar laying by the well that still had an old rope tied to it.

 

The Lord leaned against the edge of the well and asked me if I wanted a drink. I was amazed that He asked such a question in this place. I nodded and He said, “Draw the water Sue.” I looked at Him doubtfully knowing there was nothing but sand in this old well. But in obedience, I walked up to the old well and lowered the jar over the edge. I looked at Him as it hit the bottom, and His face was expressionless. I pulled it back up, and sure enough, it was full of sand. He looked at it for a moment and said, “Sue, My people wander for lack of a shepherd to lead them, and they thirst for lack of pure water to quench their thirst in this generation. They are tired, worn out, and need tending. I have places of refuge for My people, but they are few and far between. There must be more! I want to bring life and health to My people. I am going to bring them to pure, fresh waters again. I am going to transform the dry places into lush pastures so My people can grow and mature in your days. I am going to raise up good shepherds who will care for My people. I want more resting places for My people Sue. Too many care only for themselves and for their ministries, but not for the health of My people. This will change as of now. Those who will care not for others will soon become dry like deserts, and those who nurture My people even in these current dry seasons they are in, will now begin to flourish and to expand to become great pastures and I will use them to establish entire green fields to bring life and health to entire cities and regions again.”

With that, Jesus turned, and began walking further. So, I followed Him as we walked even  deeper into the desert. The dunes got higher and it seemed like we were walking among great sandy mountains. Jesus walked until it became late, and I was getting really tired from the journey, and suddenly He stopped. Ahead of us was a small area with about 6 palm trees clustered together with scattered tufts of dried grasses. I saw no animals or people, but this was at least some shelter for the night. The hot breezes were blowing through the leaves of the palm trees and Jesus knelt down to lean against them to rest. I joined Jesus and sat next to Him. He closed His eyes and seemed to sleep, so I sat there watching the trees as they swayed  around us, thankful for the little shade they provided.

Suddenly Jesus sat up and turned to me, waving His hands round Him pointing at this little oasis. His expression was grave, and He said, “Sue, I am concerned for the welfare of My people and also that of the earth. I died to give men life. Most who are lost in the world do not truly know that My life is available to them and can bring them hope and a purpose to their existence, and yet in your day many still reject My life. Even in My church, many wander in the deserts of their own making, rejecting My counsel and My ways, to walk in their own wills. I will have a people in your day who will fully surrender to My will and who will walk in the fullness that I have for them. I will no longer tolerate disobedience in My church. Spiritual deserts happen for many reasons. Religion, rebellion, sin, fear, greed, selfishness, and hatred fuel most of them. I desire that men have life, and that they tap into My life abundantly. Men can find that life when they truly and honestly seek Me out. This year, men will begin to hate their deserts and they will begin to wake up and to seek My face again. Your generation has wandered long enough. The healthy places are too few right now to do a lot of good for those who are about to come in. I want more places of Habitation for My People to find. I want true Resting Places for them to come to, to find nourishment, so they can be strengthened and sent out again.”

“I am going to bring change beginning this year to many cities and regions of the earth. Those who have been rich fields but have squandered the blessings I have given them and who have selfishly kept back life from those who needed it to benefit themselves and a select few, will find themselves drying up into dry places. Those who have used My resources rightly and who have done what they could to better the lives of those around them, will now grow, flourish, and will see My healing hand do transforming miracles in their lands. I will cause them to blossom all around, and men will awaken and will come to shelter under these trees again. I am building My Habitations in the earth, and I will have many Oasis’s all across the earth. It is time to prepare for expansive growth in your regions. It is time to walk in agreement with Me together so you can all walk in the power of My life. It is time for My people to nurture those I will send to them and be faithful to raise them up, and send them out to establish more Resting Places. It is time to care more about My vision and to carry only My burdens, and to lay aside those things that dry up your resources, and that do not bring about lasting fruit. Feed my people Sue. Tend to My soon coming lambs. Build My House. I am coming to My people. Come, let’s go.”

- Jesus stood up, and the vision ended.

Scriptures the Lord led me to:

Jeremiah 33:12 Thus says the Lord of hosts: In this place which is desolate, without man and without beast, and in all its cities, there shall again be dwellings and pastures of shepherds resting their flocks.

Jeremiah 50:5 They shall ask the way to Zion, with their faces in that direction, saying, Come, let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten. 6 My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray [to favorite places of idolatry] on mountains [that seduce]. They have gone from [one sin to another] mountain to hill; they have forgotten their [own] resting-place. 7 All who found them devoured them; and their adversaries said, We are not guilty, because they have sinned against the Lord [and are no longer holy to Him], their true habitation of righteousness and justice, even the Lord, the hope of their fathers.

Psalms 107:1 O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever! 2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has delivered from the hand of the adversary, 3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the [Red] Sea in the south. 4 Some wandered in the wilderness in a solitary desert track; they found no city for habitation. 5 Hungry and thirsty, they fainted; their lives were near to being extinguished. 6 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses. 7 He led them forth by the straight and right way, that they might go to a city where they could establish their homes. 8 Oh, that men would praise [and confess to] the Lord for His goodness and loving-kindness and His wonderful works to the children of men! 9 For He satisfies the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with good.

Susan O’Marra

- 01-16-19