Oceans in the Desert

By Kathi Pelton

“Hope deferred (delayed) makes the heart sick, but a dream (desire) fulfilled is a tree of life.” Proverbs 13:12

This week I was praying for people who are living amid “hope deferred.” As I was praying, I saw in my spirit a vision of their hearts. In this vision I saw the hope that we all have been given through Christ Jesus, but it was being pushed out of their hearts to the point that it was “out of reach.” In the place where hope once lived, grief and heart-break took up residence. This grief and hopelessness became like a sickness that began to spread through their body, their soul and even their spirit.

As I prayed further, I saw the word “deferred” flashing like a siren light in the heart. It would change to the word “delayed” and then back to “deferred” again— this happened over and over. I knew it was like a demonic declaration that was being shouted into the ears of people facing unfulfilled hopes and promises. Every time they prayed, rallied their faith or began to hope again, the words delayed and deferred would come like a legal notification to evict hope.

There is a familiar promise in Jeremiah 29:11 that we quote often as believers,

“’For I know the plans I have for you’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”

The enemy hates hope— he hates God’s plans for us because he knows that all of God’s plans equal defeat for him. So, he seeks to send the message of continual delay to those who put their hope in the Lord. This repetitive delay eventually wears down the “one who hopes” until hope is driven out like a person being legally evicted from their home. BUT, his eviction of hope is not legal— it is absolutely illegal! And it is making people sick— heartsick or sick at heart.

It is time to evict the one who is bringing false declarations that evict hope. As I saw the vision of hope being pushed out of hearts with the words “deferred and delayed” (repetitively), I heard the Lord say, “Now you stand as a key witness to this crime of the heart.” I immediately knew that I could go and stand in the courts of heaven as a key witness to this crime. This is a false notification of demise and the eviction of hope. It is a false and illegal summons.

Now, even as you have read the vision, you too can stand as a witness and watch God restore not only hope, but bring “desire fulfilled” to those who have been a victim of this crime against their heart.

“After all your season of suffering, God in all his grace will restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you.” 1 Peter 5:10

God is even now dealing with this robbery of hope that has caused great sickness to come to the hearts of many of his people. I see his gavel coming down to declare the restoration of hope, the strengthening and healing of hearts and the establishment of desires (dreams) fulfilled. Payback time has come for many!

Some of you have suffered in ways that few understand because your heart has been attacked. This has been truly a spiritual “heart attack”, yet you have held onto God even amid living in a continuous place captivity to this illegal robbery of your hope and dreams. Know this, “God has never left you or forsaken you.”

“It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8

I hear in my spirit the prayer of Hannah, the prayer of the woman with the issue of blood, the prayer of the blind man at the pool of Bethesda, the prayer of Job and so many more. God turned their delay into victory and their suffering into a historic testimony of his faithfulness. Once again, here is 1 Peter 5:10 in a different version,

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”

You will come out of this stronger and better then you would have been if the enemy had never caused you to suffer. Not only will God receive great glory from your victory but you will be more firm and steadfast in hope then you ever imagined. You will even be anointed to heal the brokenhearted. God’s Isaiah 61:1-3 declaration will come upon you with power and authority,

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—

to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord.”

This will be your new declaration— a legal declaration to replace the illegal one of delay and the eviction of hope. Your victory will be the trip wire of victory and freedom for many. Jeremiah 29:11 will be restored with faith and hope as it’s words restore hearts.

Take joy today— God is turning your mourning into dancing!

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