God Led You Here, So Why Does it Seem You Encountered the Opposite?

            A few weeks ago I was reading the Bible and feeling a tad sorry for myself.  We’ve all had those moments.  God specifically led me to a story about Jesus that can be found in Luke 7:11-17 I’ll paraphrase what happened.  Basically Jesus is led to go into a city called Nain.  Jesus goes in and encounters a widow and the parade of people going by him because they are leaving the town to bury her son.  Jesus prays and the boy is resurrected.  It’s an awesome story, and quite frankly signs, wonders and miracles always make me excited.  However when I read this story that day, I really felt the Holy Spirit empress upon me to look up what the word or city “Nain” means.  I’d like to confess here that I’m always so very obedient as soon as the Holy Spirit tells me to do something.  Sadly I’ll admit here I was like, “Really God? What does it matter what Nain means”. 

Reluctantly I looked it up online, and as soon as I realized what God was saying to me through this. . . well, I had one of those moments when I started preaching to myself.  I got so excited and honestly could have preached to a stadium at that moment.  In fact I’ve been sharing this revelation to several since God gave it to me, and I thought today would be a good idea to share it with my reader.

Wait for it. . .wait for it. . .Nain literally means “green pastures or pleasant”.  Why is this significant?  Jesus was going into a place that was supposed to be filled with life.  God led him there.  Instead he runs into death.  How many of us have found ourselves in the exact same place in our walks with Christ?  God led us into a place that we thought we’d be exalted, greeted with fanfare, and like in a scene in a cheesy movie a chorus line would break out.  We thought we’d walk into the room, and automatically signs, wonders, and miracles would follow.  However instead of seeing this at first, or even in a small period of time we encounter what seems to be the polar opposite.  It feels as if death and destruction is all around, and it can be a real difficult season because it is not what you thought for what you signed up.  It can be easy at this moment to think God left you, or that really He didn’t leave you in this place?

However the story doesn’t end there.  Jesus doesn’t get all depressed and start blaming God.  He uses the authority is father gave him, and resurrects the dead.  He drives death out of the situation, because after all this is a place of green pastures.  It’s a place of life.  God uses him to bring the life into Nain.  He couldn’t look at the circumstances in the moment; He had to use His authority!

When God calls us to a place, we can’t take the situations at face value.  We have to see through anything thrown our way, use our authority and drive death out! God brings life.  The enemy brings death.  Jesus gave us authority over death!  God doesn’t lead you into death and barren lands.  He wants you to live the abundant life!  Speak to the death and destruction in your life.  Speak life to the visions that are on your heart.  God’s will can and will thrive in your life. Call the dead to come alive.  Circumstances will change, maybe not overnight….but they will! You just have to trust Him.  Hallelujah!

God has awesome plans for your life.  Get excited!