"Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in Your instructions." Psalm 119:18 (NLT)

Have you ever told God that you needed to see where you were going? Especially in these "uncertain" times, we feel as if we need to see and understand our future! Leaving the past (the familiar) behind requires entering into unknown territory. But, leaving familiar surroundings and comfort zones is necessary when God requires the embracing of a new thing or a fresh direction.

I am a person of certainty. I thrive on being sure, steadfast and steady. Unfortunately, I have a tendency to get "stuck" whenever it's time to cross over into a new place. When we are following God, walking in faith and trusting Him in all situations, most of the time we are unsure and do not know the outcome or full direction of His plan. The faith walk is the process of traveling on an unknown and challenging road. That is why it is a walk of faith! We are truly being challenged in this season to trust God in "all things" - economics, politics, religious structures, educational systems. Like I said - ALL things!

Abraham - the Father of Faith Needed to Cross Over

Who better to study than Abraham, the Father of Faith? Abraham understood what it meant to walk into unknown territory. He left his birthplace and all that was familiar to heed God's call to cross over into a promised land. How in the world did he remain so steadfast when he couldn't see where he was headed?

Can you imagine all the emotions involved in the process of leaving all that seemed secure? After all, Abraham left his home, his family and all familiarity behind as he stepped out to eventually "cross over" into fulfillment and destiny. Although we picture him as a mighty man of faith and determination, he was still human. He was probably like most of us - emotional!

Have you ever been forced to walk away from your family and security? Or, at least, leave family traditions or "the way our family has always done it"? Getting to the other side of emotions - crossing over - can be so challenging that we often choose not to let go of the past. Pressing beyond our emotions is a "crossover" point for all of us during our faith walk.

However, during his "walking out" process, Abraham had developed the ability to see beyond what he was experiencing in the natural. He did not focus on what he saw before him, but rather on what he knew God had told him in the supernatural. This is an attribute we all must have as we follow the Lord into the unknown. Like Abraham, we must depend upon the sensing of the godly supernatural and not be motivated by what we "feel" or "see" in the natural.

On top of all of that, Abraham had to work through family issues with his nephew, Lot. You may be familiar with the Biblical account of Lot and how he chose to live in Sodom.  Emotions wreak havoc when a family member chooses to live in sin or make the wrong choices in life (it is equally as hard when your brother or sister in Christ makes wrong choices). Yet Abraham knew that he had to keep moving forward in order to fulfill his divine destiny. When Lot was captured by the four kings, Abraham came to the rescue to deliver Lot's family from slavery. It was at this time in Abraham's life that he was referred to as the "Hebrew," or "one who crosses over" (see Genesis 14:13).

It is important to understand why Abraham needed to "cross over" and put on a warfare mantle for his family. (We can also apply our need to go to war for our spiritual family during these difficult times!)

First of all, there is the significance of covenant relationship. Natural, blood-related families, as well as the family of God, are covenant-related. Abraham understood the significance of covenant and therefore went to war on his nephew's behalf. It is the same with the Church. We in the Body of Christ are blood-related because of the Blood of Jesus. We are, therefore, in covenant with the Lord and with each other.

Our part in keeping covenant with God is to continue to "cross over" into every new place that the Lord instructs us to go. This is how we move forward from glory to glory. We will never stop crossing over; it is a progression of breakthroughs as we embrace one level, or revelation, and move to the next revelation.

Because Abraham was the father of many nations and our spiritual father, I believe that what he possessed and experienced during his walk of faith and obedience affects our inheritance and destiny today. Spiritually, we are Abraham's family (he is our father of the faith), and when he went to battle for the destiny of Lot, he also warred over our destiny. In other words, when he warred against the four kings, he battled for his natural seed as well as his future spiritual seed - us!

A Mantle of Warfare for the Church

It is time for us to join together and encourage each other in the Lord. By closing ranks, we will become an army, fitly joined together, fully equipped and ready for battle.

Let's quickly study the four kings against whom Father Abraham went to war:

1. The King of Elam: his name implies a "binding up." The devil desires to keep us bound to our past. If not careful, we will focus on our past failure and limit God to "familiarity." In other words, we will not step out into the unknown and cross over into our future. As I stated earlier, we cannot depend upon what we see in the natural at this time. We must develop eyes to see and ears to hear what the Spirit of God is saying.

2. The King of Tidal: his name implies "fear, terrible, to make afraid and to "shrink back and crawl away." The purpose of this spirit is clear. The devil will lie to us and cause us to fear our future. Rather than realize that this is our time of victory and favor, we could be seduced to believe the very opposite! Be on guard! Press forward into your new place. Do not shrink back or crawl away! This is our appointed time for favor.

3. The King of Sinar: his name means "sayer of darkness." Our enemy will speak lies and attempt to keep us in darkness. There will never be hope or peace in his words. During seasons when vision is blocked and we can't "see" in the natural, focus on the "super"-natural! God's words are super-ior! Yes, He is superior to the enemy in every way! Don't allow the enemy to continue to lie to you concerning your future - cross over into your promise!

4. The King of Ellasar: his name means "lion-like." The devil's strategy is to raise his head as a roaring lion and cause us to fear. He attempts to kill, steal and destroy. But, don't listen to the false roar of the enemy. Remember, the Lion from the Tribe of Judah is on your side and He will direct you as you cross over into your destined place.

Don't Go Back! It is Time to Run with the Horses!

Going through times of transition and adjusting our pace in His race always tempts a person to "go back." Don't! Has the Lord spoken to you concerning your breakthroughs and told you it was time to "run with the horses"? Then know that if He is speaking this to you, the devil wants you to remain a footman.

Footmen cannot see beyond what is directly in front of them. Their vision is blocked by obstacles - problems, negativity and challenges - that stand in their paths; thus, they move slowly on foot. Upon a horse, however, not only does one move faster, but the view is also broader and not so restricted. Jeremiah had survived at a footman's level for a very long season and was remaining there. God was prophesying to Jeremiah and speaking to his potential as the Lord told him to rise up and run with the horses!

If we remain on a footman's level, we will see things only through a footman's view. When God begins to renew our minds, He removes old paradigms because they limit our thinking. Paradigms box us into old patterns and mindsets that prohibit change.

When the Lord says it is time for us to run with the horses, He is saying that it is time for promotion. Get ready to change, to rise up and embrace a new level of maturity to conquer whatever stands in your way!

If God is speaking a horseman's challenge to you, He is requiring more maturity. No longer will ground-level concerns be allowed...for footmen murmur and complain. They focus on the air-conditioning in the church, whether it is too hot or too cold, how the pastor is dressed, if they received enough recognition or how well the church is landscaped. Those running with the horses do not have the time to be overly concerned about such trivial matters. Running with horses requires a fast pace, a higher level, a higher highway.

Running with the horses requires that one see beyond obstacles blocking the paths to victory and, more importantly, seeing through the obstacles to the other side. Horsemen realize that on the other side of the mountain lies victory. On the other side of the river is the possession of the promise. We need a divine ability to see by His Spirit.

A while ago I had an insightful dream from the Lord. In the dream the Lord spoke to me and said that I had something wrong with my eyes. He said that I could not see properly and that I was going blind. I was shocked because I thought I was seeing clearly. Then, He said that He would have to take pieces of my ear and graft them into my eyes so that my hearing and seeing were connected properly. How strange, I thought. Then I heard the words, "Take heed HOW you hear!"

When Jesus instructed on the parable of the sower, He alerted His audience to not simply "hear" the word, but to also be cognizant of "how" they heard the word. "Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him." Luke 8:18

We need to realize that many times we hear based upon our past. If we have fears of authority, we will not "hear" instructions properly from authority figures. We filter everything we "hear" through our past pain, failures, or even victories. This is our season to see our future properly and not allow our past to dictate the steps we take.

Come On! Cross on Over!

When Israel crossed over the Jordan, the river was raging. The waters were dangerous and swift. In the natural, those waters appeared too dangerous for the people to cross. Fear always attempts to gain a foothold at a crossover point! But, Jeremiah 47:2-3, 6-7 says that when Israel defeated the Philistines, there was a sound of the strong horses' stamping hooves:

"This is what the LORD says: 'See how the waters are rising in the north; they will become an overflowing torrent. They will overflow the land and everything in it, the towns and those who live in them. The people will cry out; all who dwell in the land will wail at the sound of the hoofs of galloping steeds, at the noise of enemy chariots and the rumble of their wheels. Fathers will not turn to help their children; their hands will hang limp...'

"'Ah, sword of the LORD,' you cry, 'how long till you rest? Return to your scabbard; cease and be still.' But, how can it rest when the LORD has commanded it, when He has ordered it to attack Ashkelon and the coast?"

The Philistines are symbolic of the old thing. Their name even means "to wallow in the mud," pointing to defilement and stagnation. If we are unwilling to cross into our new place, we risk wallowing in the muddy places, which is defilement from unclean spirits. Dear ones, we must rise up and put those seducing spirits under our feet so that we can move forward.

In this season, expect a shift in your pace. Time will go faster and challenges will be more difficult. But, oh, the sweet taste of great success! God will pour out more grace, more anointing and more strategy in this next season than ever before. Once we have shifted into a place of promised victory, there is no room for backing up!

Sandie Freed
Zion Ministries
Email: zionministries1@sbcglobal.net