I was processing with a group of intercessors last night and several were noting how many believers are facing tough spiritual battles in recent weeks. Sensing increased attacks on our health, our relationships, and our faith, we went to prayer.
I then had a vision of Jesus holding a new wineskin in His hand. But it wasn’t finished. He was sewing this new leather pouch by gathering up the sides to bring them together with thick thread. I was drawn to the needle He was using and His thoughtful work that required piercing every fold with this needle and thread in order to bring the sides together. He was looking intently at His work, knowing that this piercing must take place in order finish the wineskin.
“But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed” (1 Peter 4:13 ESV).
Our sufferings and those things that seem to pierce our very souls are not always setbacks. Rather, they are setting us up to receive an even greater measure of His glory. The enemy would have us think we are struggling alone and perhaps even missing out on something better. But Jesus is lovingly using those very trials to form us into vessels of His glory; conduits of His presence and power. Not only is He attentive to each and every believer’s personal process, He is sovereignly using our collective journey to form us into His image and share in His glory.
The Lord is preparing His Body to receive a fresh outpouring of the wine of His Spirit. That which we have been praying for is in the process of being completed. Our spiritual adversary may think he is wearing down the saints, but Jesus is perfecting His power in our weakness. For the glory to come.
Wanda Alger
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